Narendra Modi’s 5-year blueprint: Development top priority; move from ‘scam India’ to ‘skill India’

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said his government would focus on uplift of the poor while working for development of all sections, including Muslims, and promised to take along every political party and state to make the country prosperous and powerful.

In his first speech in the Lok Sabha, he talked about his "dreams" of ensuring the country's progress and converting the image from "scam India" to "skills India" through "cooperative federalism".

He specifically mentioned his ideas about improving the agriculture and infrastructure sectors and for which best practices of any state would be adopted.

He said the foremost priority of his government would be uplift of the poor and ensuring that nobody is without a house with water, electricity and toilet by 2022, when the country celebrates 75th year of Independence.

Replying to the debate on Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, Modi asserted, "We can bring about change" but "I don't want to move forward without you (Opposition). I don't have to move forward on the basis of numbers but on the basis of collective decision-making."

He referred to apprehensions expressed by some members over the fate of minorities and said his government would work for the development of Muslims also as he believes that "if one organ of the body remains weak, the body cannot be termed as healthy. We are committed to this. We don't see it as appeasement."

In his hour-long speech heard in rapt attention, the Prime Minister rejected the Opposition's charge that BJP had become arrogant after the landslide victory in the Lok Sabha elections.

"Victory gives lessons and we must learn. It teaches us humility," he said and assured the House that he would take the "blessings of seniors" so that "we are saved from becoming arrogant".

Invoking Mahatma Gandhi repeatedly, Modi said, "Let us dream and make effort to fulfill those dreams. There will be difficulties but with your (opposition) cooperation we will move forward."

Here are the highlights of his speech in the Lok Sabha:

• The Parliament has many veterans. If a new person like me makes a mistake then hope you will forgive me
• I assure you that we will fulfill the promises made by the President in the speech,it was not a mere formality
• It is expected for some leaders to ask and worry as to how I will do so much work
• After many years people voted for stability, development and good governance
• Should the government be only for the educated or for few? It should be for the poor
• India is known as a big and vibrant democracy in the world
• The rich can afford best educational and medical facilities in the world, but what will the poor do?
• We have to ensure that the poor comes out of poverty
• We have to rid the poor of superstition and blind faith
• The youth of this country needs employment, need to strengthen agro-based industries
• Biggest power to fight poverty is education
• If villages are developed and provided 24 hours power, good education and industries then no one will leave them
• Technology must move from lab to land
• Sikkim is a very small state but soon it will become an organic state, world is a market for organic goods, must promote north-east
• We gave soil health cards to farmers in Gujarat, can't we implement that in the rest of the country?
• The faster we implement technology in agriculture the better it will be for us, there has been no research on pulses for years
• Be it Pune murder or UP crime cases or Mandi mishap all are very sad incidents, administration has to be strong
• We have to stop politicising rape cases, it doesn't suit us. We are playing with the dignity of our women
• Women safety is top priority
• We are a young nation, we have to recognize this power. China on the other hand is growing older
• Our image has become of 'scam India' we have to change this to 'skill India'
• Only a graduation certificate is not enough. We need skills. We need to concentrate on skill development, can't we export teachers?
• When I was young, a Muslim man used to repair my cycle, today his son doing same job. Why is this? Need to focus on their development
• If our people can unite for a cricket match, then why can't they do it for development?
• We should plan from today how we will celebrate Mahatma Gandhi ji's 150th birth anniversary after 5 years
• Just like Mahatma Gandhi made every Indian feel that he/she was working for freedom movement, same way now development should be ‘desh seva’
• In 2022 we will complete 75yrs of independence, can we achieve that every house has basic facilities?
• Victory teaches us humility
• We don’t want to move ahead only on numbers but on unity and consensus
• There is a lot of debate over the Gujarat model, whatever it is, atleast there is a debate on development
• States should compete for development, I want the entire country to progress
• India's model should be to take from all the good projects in each state of the nation

Here are the highlights of his speech in the Rajya Sabha:

• We talk of cooperative federalism, this big brother-small brother attitude will not work
• Very soon this season of gloom will end
• Both victory and loss teach you, one must learn from both
• As I have been a chief minister I know the problems faced by states
• We can't play politics on rapes, terrorism or Maoist attacks
• Rape crimes will have an affect on tourism; our image in the world is affected as well
• Request SC to take quick decisions on people facing criminal charges in Parliament
• We have come with a big majority but we need your support and even guidance for nation's development
• Let us set aside party politics, victory and loss aside now and work for the nation