Governors are agents of change: PM

Odisha Channel Bureau New Delhi, Feb 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today described Governors as inspirational `agents of change’, and said their catalysing influence can contribute significantly to the development of states.Addressing the concluding session of the Conference of Governors at Rashtrapati Bhawan, Modi outlined the broad thrust of the Union Government’s policies, which he described as oriented towards all-round economic growth.According to an official release, Modi said the Government has moved away from the model of “one-size-fits-all” schemes, and is working towards cooperative, competitive federalism, through the NITI Aayog.Referring to the security scenario, Modi said that the expanding footprint of extremist and terrorist organisations in Pakistan, and their link with terror activities in India, is a major security challenge.He said ceasefire violations along the Line of Control were continuing.The Government has adopted a multi-pronged approach to counter infiltration from across the border, Modi said while urging the states facing the problem of Left Wing Extremism to adopt a coordinated approach to tackle the problem.He stressed the need for ending the infrastructure deficit in the North-East, to realize the immense potential of the region, and to help it march forward shoulder-to-shoulder as part of “Team India”.Modi spoke extensively on the subject of tribal development and stressed on the need for providing stable employment to tribals, eliminating infrastructure gaps, and improving education, human development, and lifestyle changes among the tribal communities.He also highlighted recent governance initiatives of the Union Government, including the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG subsidy, the Digital India Mission, the Make in India Mission, initiatives for skill development, and elimination of outdated laws.Governors are Chancellors of Universities, and in that capacity, they should inspire youth and their families to work towards Swachh Bharat, he added.He also touched upon major social issues such as drug abuse, declining sex ratio and food adulteration, and asked Governors to contribute in the successful implementation of important central schemes.As an illustration, he mentioned rural electrification, and said 20,000 villages still remained without electricity.