External Affairs S. Jaishankar said on Wednesday that in the country’s journey to Viksit Bharat @2047, no citizen of India will be left behind.

“While understanding that everybody cannot move at the same pace, we all have to firm up to move forward. It is also important to create a social welfare system,” the Minister said while speaking at an interactive session on Viksit Bharat @2047 organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce here.

Appreciating PM Narendra Modi for his policy choices, Jaishankar said his strong leadership and good judgment have steered India through many crises besides transforming the economy in the last 10 years.

He also pointed out that the government’s response in handling the Covid pandemic, the China crisis, and India’s stance on Russia and Ukraine were in the best interest of India and its citizens.

“As a nation, we must grow for today and leapfrog for tomorrow to realise our goals and aspirations,” he said.

“It is a combination of making it easier to do business, reducing the cost of living, creating world-class infrastructure, improving our human resources, giving support to small businesses, and building upon the evolving startup ecosystem,” Jaishankar added.

He also pointed out that so far, 25 crore people have come out of poverty; 35 crore people have been provided healthcare; Mudra loans have been given to 50 crore people; while 10 crore people have benefited under the Ujjwala scheme. But there is a need to completely eradicate poverty, he added.

The Minister said that preparing for the global workforce is also important given the advantage of the demographic dividend that India enjoys today.

Speaking at the event, PHDCCI President Sanjeev Agrawal said the government’s proactive initiatives and policies have been instrumental in driving India’s growth, which has catalysed significant progress across different sectors, paving the way for economic resilience and achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.

The comprehensive support of the government has also empowered industries, enhanced infrastructure, and improved the quality of life, paving the way for a brighter future, he added.

More than 400 industry stakeholders participated in the event.