Slamming the previous governments for their failure to achieve technological advancement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday recalled the difficulties faced by the common man due to outdated technology.

Taking a dig at the past governments, Modi said just like in previous times, when mobile phone screens would freeze, the same way the governments at that time were frozen and outdated.

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Speaking at the 7th India Mobile Congress, PM Modi said, “After 2014, people stopped using outdated technologies where changing batteries or restarting the system became a futile exercise.”

He said there was a time when India used to be an importer of mobile phones whereas today, the country has become the second largest mobile manufacturer in the world.

Noting the lack of vision when it came to electronics manufacturing during previous regimes, Modi pointed out that India today is exporting about Rs 2 lakh crore worth of electronics manufactured in the country.

Touching the developments and achievements of the startup ecosystem, the PM emphasized that India’s startup ecosystem has made a significant place for itself in the world in the last few years.

“India has made a century of unicorns in fairly less time and has now become one of the top 3 startup ecosystems in the world”, PM Modi remarked.

Before 2014, the prime minister said India was home to only a few hundred startups whereas that number has gone up to approximately one lakh today.

Prime Minister Modi also touched upon the ‘Aspire’ programme, an initiative by the Indian Mobile Congress to mentor startups in the country and expressed confidence that the step will hugely benefit the youth of India. He emphasized that India’s journey must be remembered.

The Current government is working in a way that the benefits of technology should reach everyone and everyone should benefit from the resources, PM mentioned.

“We believe in the power of democratization. The benefit of development should reach every section and region, everyone should benefit from the resources in India, everyone should have a life of dignity and the benefit of technology should reach everyone. We are working rapidly in this direction. For me, this is the biggest social justice,” PM said.

“Collateral-free loans under the Mudra scheme, access to toilets, and DBT through JAM Trinity have one thing in common that is they are ensuring previously inaccessible rights for the common citizens. Bharat Net which has connected about 2 lakh Gram Panchayats with broadband. 10,000 Atal tinkering labs are exposing about 75 lakh children to cutting-edge technology,” he added.

At the India Mobile Congress, Prime Minister lamented the missed opportunities when it came to the adoption of new technologies in the past.

He mentioned India’s IT sector where India showcased its talent in already-developed technologies. “This period of the 21st century is the time of India’s Thought Leadership”, PM emphasized and urged thought leaders to create new domains which can be followed by others.

He gave the example of the UPI which is leading the entire world in digital payments system today.

“India has the power of young demography and the power of vibrant democracy”, PM remarked.

“Today, when we are realizing the goal of becoming a developed India, the transition of moving forward as thought leaders can bring revolutionary changes in the entire sector”, PM said.

Highlighting the primacy of technology in the factors that will make a developing nation developed, the Prime Minister said that in the development of digital technology, India is behind no developed nation.

Listing the initiatives to link different sectors with technology, he mentioned platforms like PM Gatishakti in logistics, National Health Mission in health and Agri Stack in the agriculture sector.

PM further mentioned huge investments in scientific research, quantum mission and national research foundation and promotion of indigenous designs and technology development.