'India has emerged as the engine of development of the world', Defense Minister Rajnath Singh enumerated the works of the Centre.

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday that India has emerged as the engine of development of the world. He is showing a new direction to the world. India has shown that as the world's fastest-growing major economy, it is now in a position to have a 'positive impact' on the development of other countries.

He said this is the result of the hard work and potential of more than a billion Indians under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing the Annual General Meeting of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in New Delhi, the Defense Minister said that the government is making all efforts to further strengthen India's position as a growth engine. The government cannot do this work alone. For this, we need the cooperation of economic experts and thinkers.

He said, India is the growth engine of the global economy, so all you economic experts and thinkers are the motor of that growth engine. You all have a special responsibility to help the Government write the next chapter of India's growth story by integrating the needs of everyone from the engine to the last coach.

He said India has shown that the growth rate can be accelerated while providing fair opportunities to all citizens. He also mentioned the special efforts of the government on infrastructure development. Said, as of 2014, India had 91,000 km long national highways. Today it has increased to about 1.5 lakh kilometres. In 2014, there were only 74 airports in India, whereas today this number has doubled. Be it farmers, tribals, street vendors, or 'Vishwakarma Bandhu' - the government has implemented schemes for these people.

He said that empowering women has been our priority. Further said, we started the admission of girls in Sainik School. Women officers of the Army, Air Force and Navy are also undergoing training at the National Defense Academy. Women pilots are being appointed in fighter planes in the Air Force. A large number of our girls are joining the forces through Agniveer Yojana.

Explaining the government's priority on human resource development, Rajnath said, the work the government has done in the last decade to promote education and health is amazing. The National Education Policy, establishment of over 400 new universities, seven new IITs and seven new IIMs, focus on skills by creating a new Ministry of Skill Development mark the transformational change. He said that infant and maternal mortality rates have decreased. The per capita income of citizens has increased. Their standard of living has improved.

He said India has committed that its development will not come at the cost of environmental damage. We have chosen the path of green development. We signed the Paris Agreement. We have formed the International Solar Alliance. Initiatives have been taken to promote clean energy.

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, while addressing the 10th edition of 'CSR Journal Excellence Awards 2023' at BSE, said companies need to focus more on efficiency in social causes in their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes. The Union Minister presented the awards to Padmashree Ravindra and Smita Kolhe, Bollywood actress Bhumi Pednekar, Ira Dubey, former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh, Srikant Shinde, Arunachalam Muruganantham, among others.