Minimum Government, Maximum Governance

For decades, we have had extraordinarily large governments while ironically the quality of governance has been quite poor. There has been more attention paid to the size of the government and not so much to its quality. Thus, Narendra Modi’s model of a small yet efficient government stands out. Narendra Modi believes that the role of a Government in businesses should be limited to that of a facilitator. Narendra Modi’s has translated his beliefs into reality with Gujarat ranking as the number one state in economic freedom in India. The economic freedom index shows that Gujarat under Narendra Modi, has a small-size state machinery, and is very efficient in protecting human life and property vis-a-vis the quality of the justice mechanism measured by the availability of judges, the completion rate of cases by courts. The investigation quality by the police is also impressive. In addition, the labour scenario in the state has been found to be superior under him. Thus Narendra Modi had demonstrated that a good justice delivery mechanism and an entrepreneur-friendly environment is possible, even with a small and less intrusive government. Another aspect of Narendra Modi’s approach governance has been his adherence to Gandhiji’s principle of Swaraj. Mahatma Gandhi was a believer in the importance of self-government and believed every village must be empowered to deal with local issues. Narendra Modi took concrete steps towards fulfilling Bapu’s dream by making local self-governments more effective. He made decentralization a basic pillar of his governance model and ensured adequate powers were given to people. Gujarat was a state where 20% of the area had 71% of the water resources and the remaining 80% areas had merely 29% of water resources. Management of water resources has been one of the biggest challenges for the State Government. Through his political acumen, Narendra Modi turned this crisis into an opportunity. He created a ‘Special Purpose Vehicle’ called WASMO (Water and Sanitation Management Organization) in 2002 to empower the rural communities to manage their water situation. wasmo-namo-in1 Village level Pani Samitis (Water Councils) empowered rural communities. Thesewere groups of 10-12 members from a village who were trained by Government through capacity building programmes and allowed to decide how the water resources available in their areas should be used. The members of the Samitis were directed to contribute ten percent of the capital costs in order to feel a sense of ownership and responsibility towards welfare of the village. Pani Samitis have particularly institutionalized the involvement of women leading to a positive impact in terms of sanitation, health, checking water-borne diseases and reduction in drudgery. The number of PaniSamitisin Gujarat rocketed from 82 to 18,076 between 2002 and 2012. Another significant initiative by Narendra Modi has been the efficient decentralisation of Administration in the form of ATVT (Apno Taluko Vibrant Taluko). It was launched to empower people locally to guide the growth process through a sub district citizen-centric approach where governance and development is activated at the grass root level. gov2 Narendra Modi wanted that instead of the State consisting of 26 pillars (the 26 districts), it should consist of 225 pillars(the 225 Talukas). Under the ATVT, every Taluka in Gujarat is empowered to provide a local platform for double digit growth and social development. The decentralization of administration upto the sub-district (taluka) level has made growth speedier, more effective and transparent as well as citizen centric. Every taluka now makes plans according to its requirements and challenges, and accordingly carries out focused implementation of development schemes for higher benefits. Red tape and harassment by the middle man, which was a major hurdle for people in small towns and villages, is curtailed. People, especially farmers had to travel long distances, but can now avail easy access to services through the ATVT. This approach is innovative, proactive and in tune with needs of the region and has defined the socio-economic life of villagers. Another fascinating innovation by Narendra Modi is the adoption of the concept of a “Samras Gram”. Sometimes, panchayat elections can be acrimonious and the ensuing bitterness can lead to impediments in development works. In order to prevent such obstacles, he identified the need to build consensus around development. Under this initiative, villages, which select a Sarpanch by consensus, receive monetary rewards and encouragement.

RSS opposes GM crop trials, Modi govt says no decision taken as yet

On a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi pressed for greater use of research for boosting the agriculture sector, two RSS-linked outfits met Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar and claimed the clearance given by biotech regulator for field trials of genetically-modified crops be put on hold. The government has said no decision has been taken as yet. Representatives of Swadeshi Jagran Manch and Bhartiya Kissan Sangh met Javadekar and sought a ban on field trials of GM crops of certain varieties of rice, brinjal and cotton among others. Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar. Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar. They apprised him about their concerns over the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) clearing earlier this month 15 proposals for confined field trials for rice, brinjal, chickpea, mustard and cotton. They claimed the minister has assured them that the decision about field trials of GM crops has been "put on hold". "The Minister assured the delegation that the decision about the field trials of GM Crops has been put on hold by the government," All-India Co-convener of the Manch Ashwani Mahajan said. When contacted, Javadekar confirmed the meeting but asserted that the government has not taken any decision on the contentious issue. "Government has not taken any decision on the issue. Government will not take any decision in haste," he said. The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) had earlier this month cleared 15 proposals for confined field trials for rice, brinjal, chickpea, mustard and cotton. The delegation reminded the Minister that Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture in its report on GM food crops - prospects and impacts, tabled in Parliament on 9 August, 2013 has clearly recommended the 'stopping of all field trials under any garb'. The Manch and Sangh members told the Minister that it is "not advisable" to allow GM crops without proper scientific evaluation about their probable long-term impact on human health and soil. They said, "the technology, which involves introducing a 'foreign' gene, is dangerous because once introduced, it is irreversible... Once you have a GM crop, you cannot reverse the process if you find that it is causing harm." They contended there is no scientific study to prove that GM technology does increase productivity, as is claimed by the promoters of the technology. They also pointed out that environmental costs might outweigh any benefit that introduction of such a technology brings. The delegation told the Minister that there is a major issue of food security of the nation attached to this issue. The Manch urged the Minister that government should not rely on the biased and manipulated reports of vested interests among the industry and institute enquiries about the likely impact of GM food crops on soil, human and other species' health to ensure that no harm is done to traditional gene pool and biodiversity of the nation, soil, food security and health of the people of India. The two organisations are closely associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Jaya writes to Modi, seeks release of 93 fishermen, 55 boats

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to secure the release of 93 Tamil Nadu fishermen and their 55 boats from the custody of Sri Lankan authorities. In a letter to Modi, she requested him to impress upon the Sri Lankan government that it should abandon its "inhuman strategy" of impounding the boats and fishing gear for an extended period of time. Jayalalithaa sent the letter after 50 fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan navy early Tuesday. The fishermen had set out for fishing from the Nagapattinam fishing base and were apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy in the early hours of July 29 and taken to Kankesanthurai in Sri Lanka, she said in the letter. Jayalalithaa also recalled her previous letter to Modi (sent on July 22) when she had informed him about the apprehension of nine boats and 43 fishermen from Tamil Nadu, not released yet. The CM appreciated the Modi government saying his government had acted promptly on earlier occasions which led to the release of 225 apprehended fishermen from the Sri Lankan custody. "However, as part of a deliberate and callous design, the Sri Lankan side is yet to release the 55 boats and fishing gear which were impounded from Tamil Nadu fishermen apprehended earlier," she said.

Kerry lays stress on Modi's 'sab ka saath, sab ka vikaas' growth slogan -

US secretary of state John Kerry said on Monday that it was a “potentially transformative moment” for relations between India and the United States, as the two countries were determined to deliver on the “strategic and historic opportunities” they can create together. There is a “new government in India, with a new set of priorities, and new possibilities", Kerry said in a speech, setting up the tone for his upcoming visit to India for strategic dialogues. Watch: Modi has proven increased transparency leads to economic growth: John Kerry Kerry also came out strongly in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision and plans for India. “Sab ka saath, sab ka vikaas (Together we all, development for all),” he said, adding the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) election campaign slogan was a great vision and a “concept we want to support”. "The US and India can and should be indispensable partners for the 21st century. The dynamism and entrepreneurial spirit of our relationship is needed to solve some of world's greatest challenges." He added the two countries can work together to tackle global challenges from climate change to clean energy and others. But Kerry, who leaves for India Tuesday night for the next round of the annual strategic dialogue in New Delhi, also firmly, but gently, trotted out all of US’s ongoing concerns. “If India’s government delivers on its plans to support greater space for private initiative, if it creates greater openness to capital flows, it if limits subsidies and strive for competition, and provides strong intellectual property rights, believe me even more American companies will come to India,” he said in a speech in which he was widely expected to address the criticism that the present administration had not paid the relationship enough attention, not after President Barack Obama’s visit in 2010. Watch video: Modi has proven increased transparency will lead to economic growth, says Kerry Milan Vaishnav, an India expert at Carnegie, said, “Both sides have, in the last few years, often lost the plot, focusing instead on irritants which could derail the relationship." Read: US, India look towards re-energising ties Kerry’s speech may plug that hole, but will it be enough? “One speech alone is insufficient,” said Vaishnav. “The administration will have to dedicate senior-level firepower on a sustained basis to keep the pressure on the bureaucracy.” While in India, Kerry is scheduled to call on the Prime Minister, the chief reason for the dialogue to take place in New Delhi. It was Washington DC’s turn to host it this time. The US was keen for Kerry to meet the new Indian leadership at the earliest. Prime Minister Modi will travel to the United States in September for the US general assembly in New York, and on President Barack Obama’s invitation, to Washington DC. What about expectations from the summit? Anish Goel, a former White House official dealing with India, said, “I am optimistic about the coming summit, but don’t expect a major breakthrough.”

PM Narendra Modi holds meet with Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley ahead of John Kerry's visit

Ahead of the visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held a meeting with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to discuss various aspects that are expected to figure in his talks here. The status of the Indo-US relations was among the issues that figured in the meeting, sources said. The meeting is understood to have deliberated upon the issues that are expected to come up during the Strategic Dialogue on Thursday to be co-chaired by Kerry and Swaraj. The fifth Strategic Dialogue involves crucial issues of Strategic Cooperation; Energy and Climate Change, Education and Development; Economy, Trade and Agriculture; Science and Technology, Health and Innovation. Kerry is also expected to call on the Prime Minister and discuss issues related to his upcoming visit to the US. Modi is expected to travel to Washington towards the end of September for a bilateral Summit at the invitation of President Barack Obama.

Rahul Gandhi a 'strategy consultant', Narendra Modi a 'social worker.

West Bengal Congress chief and MP from Baharampur Adhir Ranjan Choudhury may have had a number of criminal cases registered against him, but he lists his profession as "social reformer," according to the Parliament website. Rahul Gandhi's strategies may not have worked for the Congress in last elections, but in his declaration to the Lok Sabha, the Congress vice-president does not shy away from listing himself as a "strategy consultant". The profession-wise list of 539 members of the 16th Lok Sabha offers an interesting peek into how our netas prefer to project their identities beyond politics. The Parliament website lists 33 categories of professions ranging from agriculturists to builders, medical practitioners to educationists, teachers to sportsperson, artists to industrialists and religious missionaries to social reformers. BJP veteran L K Advani's name figures in the category of "journalists". The party .. Home minister Rajnath Singh calls himself a "teacher". But his party senior Murli Manohar Joshi is registered as "professor". Giving him company is first-time MP Sanjeev Baliyan, whose name incidentally is linked to the Muzaffarnagar riots. While Congress president Sonia Gandhi is a "political and social worker", Union minister Maneka Gandhi prefers to identify herself as a "writer", probably because she has quite a few published works to her credit. Indian Test cricketer Kirti Azad has preferred to identify himself as the only one in the "sportsperson" category, while young MP Anurag Thakur is the only one to prefer the "cricketer" tag. The House has four people registered as "builders," nine "artists" and seven "film artistes". If first-time MP Poonam Mahajan identifies herself as "businessperson", TMC MP Saugata Roy prefers the "educationist" tag. BJP MP Yogi Adityanath is the only "religious missionary" in the House and Shashi Tharoor the only one to identify himself as a "diplomat".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi may scorch himself by burning his bridges with the media

For a leader considered just a few months ago as a darling of the media, the growing chasm between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and journalists is an astonishing turnaround. As a matter of fact, during the long and heated election campaign for the Lok Sabha polls, many of his opponents squarely accused the media of a blatant bias favouring the BJP strongman. His sweeping victory was attributed partly to Modi's ability to use both conventional print and electronic media, along with social media as a potent electoral weapon. Most journalists are, therefore, frankly baffled at the pointed manner in which the Prime Minister has spurned the media after coming to power. He and his aides have steadfastly denied interviews, briefings and even access to both print and television journalists. Ministers and senior bureaucrats have been forbidden from parleys with the media except on a strict need-to-know basis to relay facts and figures. Even BJP veterans like Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh and Ravi Shankar Prasad are deliberately keeping a low profile. Modi has underlined his aversion to journalists by abandoning the age-old convention of carrying an entourage of journalists on his trips abroad. To rub the point in further, he has refused to appoint a proper media adviser, usually a senior journalist who is supposed to guide media coverage of the Prime Minister. Instead, a relatively obscure septuagenarian public relations officer of the Gujarat government has been drafted to do the job. So, why has Modi decided to turn his back on journalists, even those championing his cause? It seems that he still has deep misgivings about the fourth estate. These have been partly inculcated during his initial years as a pracharakin the RSS and sharpened further by his battles with the media in the aftermath of the 2002 Gujarat riots. Modi is also genuinely disinterested in journalism as opinion, analysis and investigation. He would much rather see journalists as mere retailers of information. "We don't need publicity. Our work should speak for itself. Give us some time, after we have done something, we will then get in touch with the media," explained a close Modi aide. The Prime Minister's distrust of the media is not without justification. There is little doubt that a fair number of journalists have abused their access to the PM and senior ministers and officials. Quite a few of them are freeloaders, power brokers and self-appointed advisers who have been pampered by successive past regimes in return for good publicity. Clearly, pumped up by his spectacular win, Modi is confident enough to make a drastic break with the past and do away with these media props. This is actually a welcome change and could force the media to play far more rigorously its essential role of a watchdog. Yet, there is a vast difference between discouraging unscrupulous influence-peddling journalists and media proprietors from misusing their access to corridors of power and a concerted policy to marginalise the media. A relatively free and combative media have remained one of the few tangible highlights of Indian democracy. Any hasty step to diminish this role would certainly not be in the interest of the country. Reported plans by the new government to sidestep conventional media and directly connect to citizens through social media could turn out to be a miscalculation. Despite its growing utility as a communication tool, social media is far too limited in both its reach and ability to fully convey policy decisions. The PM should also consider the long-term political cost of bypassing the media as his government gears up to cope with new challenges and seize fresh opportunities. In good times, the media are helpful collaborators providing perspective and context through discussion and analysis that a government handout is unable to do. More importantly, if things start going bad, Modi could find the lack of sympathetic interlocutors in the media a big handicap. Ultimately, the Prime Minister may scorch himself by burning his bridges with the media. Much like Mayawati and Arvind Kejriwal have done in the recent past.

PM Narendra Modi may address NRIs in New York's Madison Square Garden during US visit

In its 46-year history, New York City's Madison Square Garden (MSG) has hosted everything from political conventions (both Democratic and Republican) to legendary music concerts (from Beatles to Lady Gaga). It has also hosted epic boxing bouts (Ali v Frazier), exhibition tennis matches (Agassi v Sampras), great circuses (Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey), and monster WWF knock-downs. Come September, the storied indoor stadium in Midtown Manhattan is likely to see a political spectacle unlike anything before: Some 20,000 NRIs may troop in to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi address overseas Indians during his US visit in the biggest such NRI gathering. Modi's US supporters and principal event organizers led by Indiana physician Bharat Barai are in talks with MSG executives to rent the stadium for an event that is expected to cost more than $1 million. The tab for MSG alone will come to over $550,000, including an initial non-refundable deposit of $165,000 they have to plonk down when they sign the contract once the application is approved. Narendra Modi to visit US in September after Barack Obama formally invites him If the deal comes through later this week as expected, it will lead to the biggest Indian political spectacle in the United States, easily surpassing several community receptions held for previous visiting Prime Ministers, including for Dr Manmohan Singh and Atal Behari Vajpayee, which were usually held in the ball room large-five star hotels with a capacity of only around 1000. The biggest reception so far for a visiting Indian Prime Minister took place in 2003 when Atal Behari Vajpayee addressed some 3000 NRIs at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York. Even the MSG event, should it come to fruition, will be a scaled down version of what his supporters — still smarting at the way Washington denied him a visa for nearly a decade — wanted to have. They initially looked at renting the New York MetLife Stadium (capacity 82500) or the Yankee Stadium (50,000) to celebrate their leader's return to the US., but both venues were unavailable because of clashing sports events. The Indian-American population in the US is now over 3 million. US President Barack Obama phones Narendra Modi, invites him to US Although they could have looked at large venues in other cities, it appears the Prime Minister's travel program was restricted to New York City and Washington DC and they have had to work within the confines of this corridor. Besides, the NY-NJ region not only has some of the heaviest concentration of Indian (particularly Gujarati) population, but it is also easily accessible from any part of the country. However, if for any reason, the MSG venue does not work out, the organizers have lined up Plan B, although they are reluctant to disclose it because, it appears, there are other NRI party factotums who are also trying to book venues in the hope that they can have their moment in the sun. In any event, the reception will be livestreamed across the world. The organisers, mostly from the Overseas BJP unit, have also been instructed to make the event an all-inclusive, non-partisan show rather than the partisan show such receptions often turns out to be. In fact, even within the major political dispensations, including the BJP, factions of their overseas wing frequently squabble to take charge of the honors. This time is no exception, but party sources said this time the PMO has stepped in to stem all factionalism and directed a committee led by Dr Bharat Barai to take charge. Barai, a medical oncologist in Indiana, is a long-time friend of the Prime Minister since his days in the RSS. He and his wife Panna were personal front-row guests of the Prime Minister at his swearing in New Delhi in May. Their friendship goes back to 1993, when Modi stayed with the Barais in Munster, Indiana, during his visit to Chicago for the Swami Vivekananda Centenary.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reposes more faith in Aadhaar

The tardy progress in biometric enrolment for the National Population Register may be the reason why Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reposing more faith in the Unique Identification Authority of India, which is tasked with issuing a unique 12-digit 'Aadhaar' number to all Indian residents. Home ministry data shows that the National Population Register (NPR) project has managed less than 10% enrolment in key states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh. "If left to NPR, the biometric enrolments in these states will take 4-5 years to complete. That is quite slow," a senior official told ET, hinting at why Modi is set to give financial nod to UIDAI to fast-track the enrollments in these states.

European parliament member accuses PM Narendra Modi of 'racism'

A Spanish member of the European parliament (MEP) has raised many eyebrows by tabling a written question about Prime Minister Narendra Modi that revealed a lack or selective knowledge about India and its facts. Izaskun Bilbao Barandica, who is part of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats of Europe (ALDE), addressed the question to the European Commission vice-president, and called on the EU to address the “issue of inequality” in India. According to her, Modi has a “highly problematic history of racism”, and that following the 2002 Gujarat riots, the United Kingdom had “announced a 10-year boycott”, when there was no such “announcement” at the time. Revealing another instance of selective knowledge, the MEP claimed that “During his electoral campaign, Modi reiterated his rhetoric on immigration, calling for all non-Hindus to leave India and go back to their own countries”. Prominent London-based industrialist Lord Paul told HT: “The Indian voters have made a decision after knowing all facts. They are very mature in making their decisions. As the election has proved, India is quite capable of managing its own affairs without gratuitous suggestions cloaked in the guise of western wisdom”. Barandica, who hails from the Basque region of Spain, wrote: “India’s population includes a large number of minority groups who typically live in extremely poor conditions”. She goes on to ask three questions under Rule 30: “What steps will the EU take, in cooperation with the Indian Government, to address the issue of inequality in India?” “Is this issue of social, racial and religious discrimination part of the ongoing EU-India Free Trade Agreement negotiations?” “Considering the fact that national policies on minorities could potentially pose a threat to peace and security in South Asia, is the EU pursuing a collective agreement with countries in the region to address such concerns?”

Modi to visit Japan from August 31

Prime minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Japan between August 31 and September 3. Soon coming to power, Modi in his foreign policy brief had put Japan on top priority, but had to postpone his trip earlier scheduled for first week of July, due to Budget session of Parliament and the lack of preparations from various departments. Government sources said Modi's visit to Tokyo had been rescheduled to September earlier, but was advanced to August 31, because Japanese emperor Akihito, the ceremonial monarch in Japan's system of constitutional monarchy, goes in isolation in September and doesn't meet anyone. In this period, Japan discourages foreign official and state visits. Modi in his letter to Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe had sought postponement of the trip scheduled for July 4-5 due to the impending budget session. But it is now learnt that several departments were not prepared to lay out agenda for the visit. Analysts believe, the agenda of Modi's upcoming Japan visit will inevitably be topped by economic, trade and investment issues. Modi has been there many times before as chief minister of Gujarat. Apart from trade, commerce and partnership in infrastructure projects, Modi also aims to bolster defence and strategic ties with Japan. Sale of Japanese amphibious aircraft US-2i to India will also be high on Modi's agenda in Japan. The amphibious aircraft deal is highly significant as it will be the first time since World War II when Japan will be selling its military aircraft to India. The deal may well be upwards of $1.5 billion as India is keen on buying at least 15 such planes.

Modi prepares to fast track NSG issues

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has prepared the ground for his crucial bilateral meetings in September focusing on nuclear issues – specifically membership of the Nuclear Supplier Groups – during his talks with Prime Minister Abe of Japan, Premier Tony Abbott of Australia, Chinese President Xi Jinping and finally U.S. President Barack Obama. In Mumbai this week, Mr. Modi addressed scientists at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). At the classified briefing, he told them to keep to targets of tripling nuclear power generation by 2023, and also indicating a greater role for private players while saying “nuclear energy must be commercially viable and competitive with other sources of clean energy in the long run.” The Prime Minister’s speech indicated that the government now plans to go full steam ahead with plans for nuclear energy production; plans that had been on the back burner in the last two years of the UPA regime, especially after local protests over the projects in Kudankulam and Jaitapur. The strategic dialogue with U.S. secretary of state John Kerry next week is expected to work on ironing out differences with Washington even as meetings with visiting Russian Deputy prime minister and French Foreign Minister addressed the issues of suppliers liability. But the government isn’t stopping there. Sources tell The Hindu that Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s plans to visit India for a two day trip in September is centred around the Australian agreement to sell uranium to India. An Australian government delegation was in Delhi July 20 to tie up his programme. Mr. Modi will also visit Australia for the G-20 summit in November this year. Meanwhile, Indian and Japanese officials are working on the possibility of announcing a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement when Mr. Modi travels to Tokyo for talks on September 1and 2 with Mr. Abe. With expectations high of the two leaders, who share a camaraderie, fast-tracking negotiations, local Japanese papers have been urging Mr. Abe to obtain a commitment from India on signing the NPT and fissile material cut-offs first. Although that is unlikely to happen, India will certainly be up against the ‘non-proliferation’ lobby in its quest to build up nuclear power as an alternate source of energy. An even bigger stumbling block could be China, whose support for Pakistan’s nuclear programme makes it an unlikely backer for India’s pitch for NSG membership, and President Xi’s visit to India will be equally significant, as all 48 members of the NSG must approve India's membership.

Rather than dollars, we need ideas and knowledge, Modi tells World Bank chief

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday told World Bank president Jim Yong Kim that India requires ideas, knowledge and expertise "rather than dollars" as there is a need to focus on developing a base of skilled people keeping the future in mind. During a meeting here, Modi also suggested to Kim that the cleaning of the Ganga would be a very inspiring project for the World Bank. "My meeting with World Bank president Mr Jim Yong Kim was very fruitful. We discussed several ways of working together in the times to come," Modi said. In a series of tweets, he said the two talked about the importance of scale and the need to work on a scale that inspires people and positively transforms their lives. "Rather than dollars, we are more interested in knowledge & expertise of World Bank. Dr Kim agreed & said WB can be our information bank," the Prime Minister said. "We want ideas from the World Bank not only on mass production but also on production by masses, which will benefit our workforce," he added. Noting that the world today focusses on trade in goods, he said that in future the core issue will be how to get skilled people. "We need to work in this direction". Modi also laid emphasis on speedy implementation of programmes undertaken by the World Bank. "We live in a world where speed matters. Quick execution is essential. Speeding up World Bank projects will surely increase the impact," he said.

Wish list: After BRICS bank, Modi now wants a SAARC bank

Now that leaders of the BRICS emerging market nations have launched a $100 billion development bank in their first concrete step toward reshaping the Western-dominated international financial system, India's prime minister Narendra Modi now reportedly wants a similar bank for SAARC nations—Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka— to strengthen trade relations and improve infrastructure within the region. The proposed bank would provide low cost funding to smaller countries in South Asia who cannot access funds from the likes of World Bank and IMF because of tough riders. According to a report , India will propose a SAARC Development Bank at the regional grouping's ministerial council in Bhutan which begins on Thursday, which will provide the member countries with access to capital to finance infrastructure in order to provide an impetus to trade in goods, services and investment for development. Such banks are not only game changers economically,but also cement political relationships. According to a Financial Express report, the bank will be used for ensuring better connectivity by building railway lines, roads, waterways, ports and customs stations to resolve all transit issues. While all Saarc members would be shareholders, the exact holdings are likely to depend on equity contributions from each member. A Hindu BusinessLine article suggests that even though voting rights will be decided based on the equity contribution, funding will also be invited from third countries who would also get voting rights in proportion to their contribution, while multilateral agencies such as ADB and World Bank would also be asked to pitch in and join as observers. But whether India will get a dominant role in the proposed entity given the large size of its economy and influence in the region, still remains to be seen. Modi's first gesture to reach out to SAARC nations was to invite its leaders for his swearing in ceremony on 26 May, following which he called upon the space community to take up the challenge of developing a SAARC satellite that can be dedicated to our neighbourhood as a gift from India. As Firstpost said earlier, "SAARC region has got a fairly long coastline (12,000 kms) and real time scientific data are the need of the hour for preventing natural disasters. For centuries, the region has been ravaged by three major natural disasters: earthquakes, landslides and drought. A SAARC satellite will go a long way in addressing these needs." Meanwhile, the Financial Express suggests that the commerce ministry is also putting a plan together to deepen trade and investment ties with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation countries. Apart from a South Asian Development Bank with an initial corpus of $5-10 billion, the plan includes a Saarc visa system similar to the European Union's Schengen visa to ensure that all citizens of the Saarc member countries can move freely in South Asia.

Why PM Narendra Modi is not taking journalists on board Air India One

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a policy decision not to take journalists on board his special plane Air India One during his trips abroad – and he has his own reasons for that, whether one likes it or not. On each of his two foreign trips thus far – to Bhutan and Brazil – Modi took just about four or five journalists, mainly from news agencies and state-controlled media like Doordarshan and All India Radio. All newspapers or news channels were kept out of his media delegation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to travel to the US in September this year. AFP Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to travel to the US in September this year. AFP Modi has his own reasons for this, but we will come to that a little later. First, here is some relevant background. Air India One has 34 business class seats for the media contingent. The norm that past prime ministers have adhered to is that all seats in the media compartment, except two, are filled up by journalists. The two remaining seats were routinely used by Special Protection Group (SPG) personnel. The list of media personnel travelling with the PM on his foreign trips is prepared mainly by the PMO with help from the Ministry of External Affairs. The media contingent travels in the same plane as the PM. The big help that the government extends to the scribes is that it does not charge them air fare and Air India provides gratis tickets to the accompanying journalists. The accompanying journalists are not taken abroad for the PM’s trips at the government’s expense. They have to pay for their own accommodation at the hotels selected by the MEA. The accompanying journalists cannot select their own hotels and the organizations they are working for have to shell out the lodging charges at the rates settled by the MEA. There is no scope for bargaining with the MEA-settled rates or the scribes reaching out to the designated hotels for negotiating prices. The reason for this is that the government cannot allow a situation where a journalist, accompanying the Prime Minister, stays in a sub-standard hotel. Moreover, the hotel selected for the media contingent also houses a media center, fully equipped with enough number of computers and ISD phones, free of charge. Technically speaking, the accompanying media has to pay for their food and drinks, though traditionally all previous prime ministers, cutting across the party lines, have ensured that the journalists get free food. Every evening during the entire length of the PM’s foreign trip the government makes sure that liquor flows freely for the tired journalists after a grueling day of work which normally extends to 12 or even 14 hours, entailing traveling to different venues of the PM’s engagement and attending briefings. Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to space out his foreign trips in such a way that the accompanying journalists did not have to slog hard. But his successor Manmohan Singh was a workaholic and packed a 3- 4 day trip in just two days. Journalists travelling abroad with Manmohan Singh routinely worked for at least 14 hours a day. The accompanying journalists are treated with lavish food and drinks during the air travels. But most important bonus for the media is that they get access to top officials accompanying the PM, an opportunity that they rarely get in New Delhi. These officials form a divergent mix – diplomats, bureaucrats and intelligence and security officials. On board interactions with these officials not only generate a treasure trove of stories for the accompanying media but also provides them with a unique opportunity to forge personal bonding with them and such contacts come in handy for the future as well. The icing on the cake has been the PM’s customary on-board press conference on his return journey. It is this part of the traditional media management by previous PMs during their trips abroad that Modi is uncomfortable with. All this has changed drastically in the past 50 days. Modi himself gave his reasons for this at a book launch function at his official residence last month. It was a select gathering. The media reported Modi ‘s speech, his first from 7 RCR, wherein he said "If India has to compete with China, the focus should be on skill, scale and speed." What has not been reported is an interesting conversation a senior journalist had with the Prime Minister when guests were being treated to high tea. A senior journalist walked up to Modi and asked him why he was not taking the media for his maiden foreign visit (to Bhutan) a week later and whether it was a one-off decision or a conscious policy decision. This journalist has travelled abroad with the prime ministers for scores of times. The journalist must have been surprised to get an elaborate answer from the prime Minister. Modi not only confirmed that he had done away with the practice of taking full-strength contingent on his foreign trips. Modi said he had minutely studied the whole practice which was started by Lal Bahadur Shastri and continued by all his successors till himself. The following is the gist of Modi’s reasons for keeping the media at bay during his foreign trips. #1 It is a new age wherein journalists’ main requirement of news and information can be met instantaneously irrespective of where the journalists are located and they don’t have to necessarily travel with the PM for doing that. #2 It was a flawed policy in any case as same journalists from the same big organizations were repeated over and over again. As for small newspapers, it was the proprietors who availed of such junkets. #3 Selecting 30 journalists for PM’s trips abroad invariably displeased hundred others. #4 If there is a major policy announcement, Modi will address a press conference at the Delhi airport after his return home. However, it remains to be seen whether the Prime Minister takes media in full strength on his trip to the United States in September. After all, he has a to prove back home when Barack Obama rolls out a red carpet to him.

Narendra Modi's dream project 'Swach Bharat' impossible by 2019

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream project of creating a 'Swach Bharat' by 2019 by freeing India from open defecation is a distant dream considering the existing allocations of labour and money, say government officials who have been working for over two months on a proposal to create the road map for the project. Swach Bharat, a mass mission that aims at building over 800 million toilets and setting up modern sewage systems to make India free from open defecation and open drains in the next five years is said to be the PM's tribute to Gandhi, whose 150th anniversary will be celebrated in 2019.

Investors root for Narendra Modi, India toast of BRIC nations

Modi mania is taking hold across global markets. Financial professionals are now more bullish on India relative to the largest emerging markets than at any point in the past five years after Narendra Modi scored the biggest election victory in three decades, giving him a mandate to revive economic growth as prime minister. About 23% of respondents in the Bloomberg Global Poll said India offers one of the best investment opportunities among eight of the biggest markets worldwide, versus the 12% average for the other so-called BRIC nations, or Brazil, Russia and China. That gap is the widest since the survey began in 2009. 51% are optimistic on Modi's policies while those in favour of Brazil president Dilma Rousseff 's sank to a record 11%. "The mandate that Modi has really gives you optimism that India will finally make their political process more efficient and be able to tackle their infrastructure issues to unlock the country's potential," said Andrew Douglas, who oversees $2 billion as the chief investment officer of the wealth management group at Dubuque, Iowa-based Heartland Financial USA. and participated in the poll. "Brazil seems to be doing everything wrong." The BSE Sensex index surged 21% this year through on July 16 on optimism Modi's pledges to cut red tape and attract investment will boost Asia's third-largest economy after growth slowed to near a decade low. Exchange-traded funds that invest in the country lured more inflows than any other emerging market this year, while investors pulled money from Brazil as the economy sunk into stagflation under Rousseff 's watch. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index has gained 6% this year, fueled by signs of a recovery in the Chinese economy and as concern eased that rising borrowing costs in the US will spur capital outflows. About 48% of respondents in the Bloomberg poll said the developing-nation stock index will climb in the next six months, versus 27% who said it will fall. The poll of 562 Bloomberg users was conducted July 15 and 16 by Selzer & Co, a Des Moines, Iowa-based firm, and has a margin of error of plus or .. The Sensex increased 0.3% percent on July 18, while the emerging markets gauge fell 0.5% at 7:09 AM New York time. While Brazil's benchmark Ibovespa (IBOV) index has risen 8% this year on speculation Rousseff 's declining popular ity among voters will lead to new economic policies, financial professionals are turning more bearish. Just 7% of respondents said Brazil offers the best opportunities, matching the lowest mark the South American country has received since the poll's inception. About 40% of respondents saw the worst opportunities in Russia. The Micex stock index and the ruble tumbled on Thursday on new US sanctions designed to punish president Vladimir Putin for failing to end support for rebels in Ukraine. Russian shares extended the selloff on July 18 after a Malaysian passenger jet was shot down in eastern Ukraine, killing all on board.

Modi’s fast-track to global leadership

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing visit to Brazil and then to the US are his first exposures to the big league of global diplomacy—BRICS, United Nations and the US. It doesn’t get any bigger. Without doubt, his speeches and position will help the world see him in the right light.

While there are several deals that he will need to close, dialogues that he will need to enhance, and discussions that he will originate, there is at least one that provides Modi the opportunity to be acknowledged as a global leader, who represents not just the aspirations of 1.2 billion people but the citizens of the world at large. This is the issue of Internet Governance (IG), which impacts all 7 billion people on the earth—3 billion online and 4 billion yet to be connected to the web.

The fact that Modi thinks of the internet space carefully and uses it strategically is clear from his statements about the web, 19 million Facebook and 5 million Twitter followers, and the kind of discussion that he held with the Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg, recently, where he chose to concentrate on the positive aspects of social media. He discussed ways to utilise Facebook for running a national cleanliness campaign on the eve of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth centenary. His mindset, focus and experience perhaps places him in the best position to seek global leadership on an issue where the world, particularly the US, lacks both leadership and direction. This is also an opportunity to gain global recognition by placing India as the country which can provide a neutral platform for global dialogue on all aspects of IG. In fact, if corruption and governance were the big platforms for the national elections, IG equals that—beyond climate change, global trade and disarmament—at an international level. However, there are several steps that need to be taken by Modi to be recognised as a statesman the world can trust.

One, like Switzerland acts on several contentious issues, India should become the ‘go-to’ country for discussions—to be seen as a consolidator of voices, rather than be seen as divisive through any extreme position on IG.

Two, full-scale, merit-based, multi-stakeholder consultation should take place within the country.

Three, cyber crime and IG are separate. Cyber crime is a significant but small part of cyber security. 

How e-governance can be Mr Modi’s fast track to global leadership

Prime Minister Modi’s upcoming visits to Brazil and the US are his first exposures to the big league of global diplomacy - BRICS, United Nations and the United States. It doesn’t get any bigger. Without doubt, his speeches and positions will help the world see him in the right light.

While there are several deals which he will need to close, dialogues that he will need to enhance and discussions that he will originate, there is at least one that provides Mr. Modi the opportunity to rapidly, in the not-so-distant future, be acknowledged as a global leader, who represents not just the aspirations of 1.2 billion people, but the citizens of the world at large.  This is the issue of Internet Governance (IG) – which impacts all 7 billion citizens on the earth – 3 billion online and 4 billion yet to be connected to the Web.

The fact that Mr. Modi thinks of the Internet space carefully and uses it strategically, is clear from his various statements about the Web; 19 million Facebook and 5 million Twitter followers. Above all, the quality of discussions that he held with the Facebook COO, Ms. Sheryl Sandberg, for over an hour recently.

Contrary to the sentiment that he would beat up on the US social media giant on issues of surveillance – which I am sure have figured in our diplomatic dialogue with the US Government – Mr. Modi chose to concentrate on the positive aspects of social media. He discussed, amongst others, the ways to utilize Facebook for running a national cleanliness campaign on the eve of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth centenary. His mindset, focus and personal experience perhaps places him in the best position to seek global leadership on an issue where the world, particularly the US, lacks both leadership and direction. This is a rare opportunity to gain global recognition by placing India front and center as the country which can provide a neutral platform for global dialogue on all aspects of IG. This, in turn, catapults Mr. Modi, within the next two years, as a global statesman who thinks strategically on an issue that impacts every global citizen, and especially, the poor, unconnected and youth. If corruption and governance were the big platforms for the national elections – IG equals that, beyond climate change, global trade and disarmament at an international level.

This because, every global citizen feels about this issue, unlike other challenges, with unparalleled passion and a sense of personal involvement.

However, there are several steps that need to be taken for Mr. Modi to be recognized as a statesman who the world can trust:

1.       India needs to change from its hard stance that has painted it into a corner along with countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and to an extent, China.

2.       Like Switzerland acts on several contentious issues, India should become the ‘go-to’ country for discussions. To be seen as a consolidator of voices, rather than be seen as divisive through any extreme position on IG.

3.       It needs to engage in a full-scale, merit-based, multi-stakeholder consultation within the country. This should be without attributing motives to those advancing their positions. Everyone should be invited, and only merit-based arguments should be accepted.

4.       Further, forensically separate issues of cyber crime that require inter-governmental mechanism and cooperation and seek a resolution on those, without mixing it with IG in general. Cyber crime is a significant, but very small part of cyber security, which in turn, is one of the many important aspects, along with access, multilingual content, critical Internet resources, Internet for growth, e-governance and emerging issues such as IPv6, Cloud and M2M. Do not confuse the small but important cyber crime space with the enormous and complex aspects of the IG dialogue.

5.       As a parallel step, pick the most articulate, influential, nationally and globally recognized resources working in tandem with the Department of Information & Technology as ambassadors to position India at global fora.

6.       Finally, give the world the confidence that by becoming a neutral destination for discussion, India will not sabotage the dialogue with its own agenda or preconceived positions. Remember, everyone else who has attempted this, has failed. Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff achieved some minimal success at Netmundial earlier this year, but it was still a very small conference as compared to the number of voices that need to be included in the IG space. Mr. Modi needs to think bigger. Much bigger.

India’s concerns about the US-based, NSA-led surveillance reports cannot be undermined. Those need to be firmly taken up with the US Government. But any attempt to paint the global IG dialogue, either with surveillance colours or an anti-West tirade where India hopes to lead the global South, is misplaced and does nothing for the Prime Minister. Sure, the MEA could leverage this as a negotiating strategy for diplomatic brownie points and make things difficult for a global consensus, but that’s all we can get in following such an approach. Such an approach makes India the world’s tallest dwarf, and not a global leader that Mr. Modi has every opportunity of becoming.

If the world can trust us for not taking sides, for being benevolent and a neutral platform, we have every opportunity of stating our piece after attempting a national consensus. We do not need to sacrifice our national interest, but it would be a pity to allow the definition of national interest to be captured, either under the prism of cyber crime or leave it in the hands of a few bureaucrats whose work since Independence, has left us as a struggling, developing country playing catch-up, rather than a global powerhouse of which the world should sit up and take notice.

The task is complex, but doable. Thankfully, we are positioned well and Mr. Modi has personal credibility as one of the leading political authorities who uses the Web for his personal communications. With 800 million mobile subscribers, 220 million Internet users –half of whom use social media such as Facebook - no one is better placed than Mr. Modi to occupy this space. All it needs is a clear, decisive and non-confrontational stance, of the kind that he has demonstrated during elections and a vision that he demonstrated during his meeting with the Facebook COO.

This is his time.

PM Narendra Modi meets Chinese President Xi Jinping, says meeting was 'very fruitful'

In a significant development, China on Tuesday invited India to attend a summit of Asia and Pacific (APEC) leaders as Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President Xi Jinping and discussed various issues including the need to resolve the boundary question in an amicable manner.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the bilateral meeting at Fortaleza in Brazil. (PTI photo)

The two leaders, who arrived almost at the same time here last evening for attending the BRICS summit, engaged shortly thereafter for what was described as "good discussions and good meeting".

The meeting was scheduled for 40 minutes but it went on for 80 as it was freewheeling discussion without any constraints.

Modi on Tuesday said that he had a "very fruitful meeting" with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Brazil.

"Had a very fruitful meeting with Chinese President (Mr) Xi Jinping. We  discussed a wide range of issues," Modi said in a tweet.

The two leaders appeared well prepared for the meeting as both of them referred to the statements made by the other before they assumed power, Akbaruddin said.

He quoted Xi as saying that "when India and China meet the world watches us".

President Xi in particular referred to Modi's experience in Gujarat as chief minister and his focus on development.

The discussions centred around all aspects of the bilateral relations, regional and international matters, he said.

The surprise invitation for the APEC summit as part of partnership and engagement came in the context of the two leaders discussing the need for the two countries to work together in international fora like BRICS and other fora.

Today's  meeting was the fourth high-level engagement between the two countries since the Modi government assumed charge six weeks ago.

First Xi's emissary Wang came to Delhi, followed by the visits of vice-president Hamid Ansari' and Army chief Gen Bikram Singh to China recently.

Xi acknowledged his visit to India in September and extended an invitation to Modi to visit China, which was accepted.

The dates will be decided by diplomatic channels, he said.

Asked if India has accepted the invitation for the APEC summit, Akbaruddin said November was a busy month with SAARC and G 20 meetings scheduled but New Delhi considers the invitation as a significant gesture which will be given very serious consideration.

Xi also told Modi that India should work more deeply with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation but the prime minister pointed out that New Delhi was only an observer. If other members were willing, India was  ready to work with SCO more closely.

On the boundary question, Modi said there was need for finding a solution and maintenance of peace and tranquillity on the border was essential for resolving the issue.

It was a substantive and a very cordial and warm meeting in which the two leaders struck a personal rapport which augurs well for the future, the spokesman said.

He said the prime minister emphasised that there should be no incidents on the border that would undermine the bilateral relations.

To a question on the incursions by the Chinese army on the border, Akbaruddin said India conveyed its concerns to China on the issue.

On his part, Modi also emphasised on the economic relations between the two countries and talked about cooperation in the infrastructure sector, industrial parks and investment.

He referred to the adverse trade imbalance against India and sought correction of the situation.

Xi acknowledged that there was a possibility of enhanced trade, particularly in the services sector from the Indian side and the increased Chinese tourist numbers to India.

Modi referred to the visit of Chinese travellers coming to Gujarat in the ancient period.

The possibility of additional Mansarovar yatra route was raised by Modi considering the fact that he had himself undertaken that pilgrimage in difficult conditions in the present route.

Xi gave an assurance that China will consider the request for the additional route.

Both the leaders touched on the historic and civilisational links between the two countries, especially the Buddhist links.

The Prime Minister referred to terrorism and extremism and said India and China should work together to fight the menace in the region in view of the common civilisational heritage they had.

Replying to questions whether any timeliness were discussed on resolving the border question, Akbaruddin said obviously since it was a first meeting between them they could not go beyond their initial references and stated positions.

PM Modi, Chinese President discuss border dispute

In a significant development, China today invited India to attend a summit of Asia and Pacific (APEC) leaders as Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President Xi Jinping and discussed various issues including the need to resolve the boundary question in an amicable manner.

The two leaders, who arrived almost at the same time here last evening for attending the BRICS summit, engaged shortly for what was described as "good discussions and good meeting".

"Had a very fruitful meeting with Chinese President (Mr) Xi Jinping. We discussed a wide range of issues," Modi said in a tweet.

The meeting was scheduled for 40 minutes but it went on for 80 as it was freewheeling discussion without any constraints.

The two leaders appeared well prepared for the meeting as both of them referred to the statements made by the other before they assumed power.

President Xi in particular referred to Modi's experience in Gujarat as Chief Minister and his focus on development.

The discussions centred around all aspects of the bilateral relations, regional and international matters.

The surprise invitation for the APEC summit as part of partnership and engagement came in the context of the two leaders discussing the need for the two countries to work together in international fora like BRICS and other fora.

Today's meeting was the fourth high-level engagement between the two countries since the Modi government assumed charge six weeks ago.

First Xi's emissary Wang came to Delhi, followed by the visits of Vice President Hamid Ansari and Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh to China recently.

Xi acknowledged his visit to India in September and extended an invitation to Modi to visit China, which was accepted.

The dates will be decided by diplomatic channels, MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.

Asked if India has accepted the invitation for the APEC summit, Akbaruddin said November was a busy month with SAARC and G20 meetings scheduled but New Delhi considers the invitation as a significant gesture which will be given very serious consideration

Under Modi, India finally sees progress on power shortages

Upgrading and expanding power grids is one of Modi's most pressing tasks. Only roughly 60% of electricity generated in India reaches companies and homes. 

MUMBAI -- Spurred to action by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's top state-run power transmission company has laid out concrete plans for expanding and upgrading power grids.

     Power Grid Corp. of India has decided to invest roughly 51.5 billion rupees ($933 million) to expand the power transmission network in the central state of Chhattisgarh over a period of slightly less than four years. It also plans to invest about 4 billion rupees in the power transmission facility of a thermal power plant that another state-run utility operates in the state.

     PGCIL also plans to upgrade power grids in the western state of Gujarat, with investment of around 58 billion rupees and a time frame of three to four years being considered.

     Since Modi's election victory, anticipation has been growing inside and outside India that he will deliver long-awaited economic reform to the South Asian country. Expectations for efforts to bolster the nation's electricity infrastructure are particularly high, given Modi's track record.

 In Gujarat, where he served as its chief minister from 2001 until his win in the national election, Modi spearheaded power utility reform, eliminating blackouts and giving the state one of the best power supply systems in India.

Already on it

The new government, which came into power in May, has already approved nine power transmission projects, including the one in Chhattisgarh, as well as others in the northern states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and the central state of Madhya Pradesh.

     These projects, whose total projected investment comes to 125 billion rupees, are expected to boost power transmission across state borders. Under the previous government, most of these projects had been sitting idle for months as they waited for approval.

     Improving power grids and lowering transmission losses are essential since some estimates suggest only around 60% of electricity generated at India's power plants actually reaches businesses and homes. Rectifying this is a top priority of the new government.

     The power supply in India has been running around 10% below demand, resulting in major blackouts in Delhi and other cities in 2012. The new government is expected to get push for improvements in power generation infrastructure and guarantee a more reliable supply.

     Power shortages have been one of the major weak spots for the Indian economy. If power infrastructure projects progress smoothly under the new government, the country will be better able to attract foreign manufacturers and other businesses.

India to set up digital library in Bhutan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday emphasized on the possibilities of greater educational contacts with Bhutan and suggested doubling the scholarships being provided to Bhutanese students in India. India will now provide scholarships worth Rs 2 crore. 

Modi said India will also assist Bhutan in setting up a digital library which will provide access to Bhutanese youth to two million books and periodicals. Modi said educational links were important for strengthening people-topeople contacts. He also inaugurated the Supreme Court building which has been built with Indian assistance. On Monday, he will address a joint session of Bhutan parliament. 

Modi described Bhutan as a natural choice for his first visit abroad as the two countries shared a "special relationship". "Our hydropower cooperation with Bhutan is a classic example of win-win cooperation and a model for the entire region. During the visit, we will lay the foundation stone of the 600MW Kholongchu hydropower project," he said. "I will review with the Bhutanese leadership our development cooperation programme to make it even more effective and responsive to the changing aspirations of the people of Bhutan." 

In a banquet held in his honour, Modi said India and Bhutan had a "made-for-each other relationship". He said while the world talks of GDP, Bhutan talks of national happiness, adding there could be many parameters to measure happiness, but he wished to suggest a new one — how is your neighbour? Among the parameters on which Bhutan measures happiness, having a good friend like India should be one of them, Modi said.

Modi to press for equal shareholding in proposed BRICS bank

India will press for equal shareholding for its five member countries in the proposed $50 billion BRICS Development Bank so that no shareholder dominates.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch his first multilateral engagement in this seaside city of Brazil, meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of Tuesday's BRICS Summit at which India will press for equal shareholding for its five member countries in the proposed $50 billion BRICS Development Bank so that no shareholder dominates. 

As the football world Cup fever recedes in this soccer crazy nation, Modi will join Putin, Xi, South African President Jacob Zuma and the host President Dilma Rousseff in deliberations over the proposed bank, international financial architecture and other issues at Fortaleza, one of the host cities of the World Cup which ended yesterday with Germany emerging the world champions. 

India is keen on the issue of equal share holding since it does not want a repeat of the distortions that have crept into Bretton Woods institutions like International Monetary Fund, World Bank and the Asian Development Bank in which rich countries like the US and Japan have a strangle hold. 

Modi will also discuss the possible outcomes of the two-day summit on other issues like reforms of the Un security council and international financial architecture. 

Sources said India's primary goal is equal shareholding for all the members — Brazil, Russia, India,China and South Africa. 

The BRICS Development bank, an idea which was conceived in Delhi in 2012 and approved in Durban last year, is to be set up with an initial corpus of $50 billion, with scope for expansion up to $100 billion when new members are added. 

For the initial $50 billion, India wants equal contribution by all the five members of $10 billion. This is because India doesn't want the development bank to fall into the ownership pattern of IMF and World Bank, with a distorted share holding. 

The other priority for India are about the presidency of the bank and the name to be given for it. Apparently, India would like it to be called the New Development Bank, an expression used by Modi in his departure statement yesterday.