Latest news with #Naidu
The Print
2 hours ago
- Business
- The Print
Narasimha Rao reason why coalition govts perform better than majority govts, says Naidu
'India witnessed coalition governments from 1989 to 2014. Because of economic reforms, coalition governments were able to produce better results that governments with clear majority were not able to produce,' Naidu said. But the rise of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister marked a 'turning point,' restoring not just political stability, but also a 'renewed sense of national pride,' he added, delivering a lecture on the life and legacy of Rao at the Prime Minister's Museum and Library (PMML). New Delhi: Successive coalition governments in India, which lasted for over two decades until 2014, were able to produce 'better results' than the preceding majority governments, largely due to the economic reforms introduced by P.V. Narasimha Rao as Prime Minister, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said Tuesday. In his lecture, delivered as part of the Prime Ministers' Lecture Series organised by the PMML (formerly Nehru Memorial Museum and Library), Naidu invoked Rao's qualities as a polyglot to briefly wade into a political hot potato—the language row in Maharashtra. 'He (Rao) was a scholar fluent in 17 languages. Now we are talking why we should learn Hindi. He learnt 17 languages. That is how he became a great man,' Naidu said, describing Rao as the 'Deng Xiaoping of India' for his role in the 1991 economic liberalisation, which marked a shift from India's earlier socialist model. Former principal secretary to PM Modi Nripendra Misra also described Rao, who was awarded (posthumously) India's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna in 2024, in similar terms in his introductory remarks at the event. 'He (Rao) was heading a minority government. To bring in bold reforms, political consensus is required. He managed to bring it due to his political acumen. To bring all in one platform was his greatest achievement,' Naidu said, drawing applause from a packed auditorium. The TDP supremo's remarks on Rao were largely confined to his role in unshackling the Indian economy, steering clear of any reference to the political circumstances, particularly his falling-out with Gandhi family, that led to him slipping into near-oblivion after his term as Prime Minister ended in 1996. A significant portion of Naidu's nearly 30-minute address focused on the achievements of Modi. The TDP is a key coalition partner in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the BJP, which fell short of securing a simple majority in the 2024 general election. Under Modi, India is taking strides on the world stage with 'confidence, clarity of purpose and bold decision making,' Naidu said. He also made it a point to recall Atal Bihari Vajpayee's role in transforming India's physical infrastructure and telecom sector. India, said Naidu, was primed to become an economic superpower, even surpassing the US and China, if it weds political stability with sound public policy. 'Hard work is no longer relevant, smart work is,' Naidu said, making a strong pitch for quantum computing. As CM, Naidu has taken up an ambitious project of developing a 'quantum city' in Amaravati. It is designed to include startups, MNCs, academia and research laboratories and will feature a building housing India's largest quantum computer, which, Naidu said, will arrive by 1 January, 2026. 'We are in inspiring times. The next 20 years are very crucial for India … With Modi at the helm of leadership, we will become the number one economy. It will happen through unity, hard work and a shared sense of purpose,' Naidu said. (Edited by Amrtansh Arora) Also Read: 'This secret will perish with me' — when Narasimha Rao was asked if India delayed nuclear test
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Business Standard
4 hours ago
- Business
- Business Standard
'India's Deng Xiaoping': Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu on Rao's reforms
Describing former Prime Minister (PM) P V Narasimha Rao as 'India's Deng Xiaoping', Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday said the economic reforms unveiled by the Rao-led minority government in 1991 were the reason India's coalition governments delivered better results than those with clear majorities. The Andhra CM is on a two-day visit to the national capital, where he is scheduled to meet PM Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and others. He met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday. In his meetings with the PM and Union ministers, Naidu will seek the Centre's support for projects in his state, release of pending funds, the Polavaram–Banakacherla river-linking project, and issues related to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) sources said. On Tuesday evening, Naidu delivered a lecture on 'The Life and Legacy of P V Narasimha Rao' at the Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) in the national capital. His lecture was the sixth in the PMML-organised Prime Ministers Lecture Series. He described Rao as a 'true Telugu bidda', or Telugu son of the soil, who 'reshaped the destiny' of India, and said the Telugu community is proud of his contributions. Rao, who passed away in December 2004, was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2024. Referring to the recent controversy over some states accusing the Centre of imposing Hindi, Naidu said Rao had mastered 17 languages and serves as an inspiration in the current context. The Andhra CM said Rao, despite leading a minority government, accomplished the near-impossible task of forging consensus on economic reforms among socialists, communists, and capitalists alike. Naidu credited Rao's prime ministerial tenure, and subsequently that of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, for India's first-mover advantage in the information technology sector and for building world-class infrastructure, especially in roads and telecommunications. Naidu said that in 1978, when Deng launched China's economic reforms, both India and China were $140 billion economies, while the US economy was 15x larger at $2.3 trillion. Now, the US economy is only 1.5x bigger than China's, and more than 7x bigger than India's. 'They (China) are catching up (with the US). We are behind,' Naidu said, stressing that the journey from being the world's fourth- or third-largest economy to one of the top two will be much more challenging. Naidu said 2014 was a turning point in India's growth story, with the country getting Modi as PM, who has 'ushered in a new era of bold and decisive leadership'. He said the goal is not just to grow fast, but to grow fairly, where every citizen, every region, and every sector shares the fruit of progress. Citing World Bank data, he said India is among the top four most income-equal countries but stressed that the country still needs to become more equitable. He urged the top 10 per cent of India's wealthy to uplift the bottom 20 per cent, appealing to them to follow tech billionaire Bill Gates' example and 'give back to society'. On his vision for Andhra, Naidu spoke about his government's Quantum Valley initiative in Amaravati. He urged youth to join politics and said the TDP's parliamentary party is the youngest in the Lok Sabha. He also noted that TDP's representative in the Union Cabinet, Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu, is the youngest minister at the Centre. During his visit to Delhi, Naidu and Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy are also scheduled to attend a meeting on water issues being facilitated by the Centre on Wednesday. The Telangana government is expected to press the Centre to grant approvals and funds for its long-pending projects. It had earlier conveyed its objection to the Centre regarding Andhra's Banakacherla river-linking project, saying that it hurts Telangana's interests.
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Business Standard
7 hours ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Rao's reforms enabled coalition govts to deliver better results: Naidu
Describing former Prime Minister (PM) P V Narasimha Rao as 'India's Deng Xiaoping', Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday said the economic reforms unveiled by the Rao-led minority government in 1991 were the reason India's coalition governments delivered better results than those with clear majorities. The Andhra CM is on a two-day visit to the national capital, where he is scheduled to meet PM Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and others. He met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday. In his meetings with the PM and Union ministers, Naidu will seek the Centre's support for projects in his state, release of pending funds, the Polavaram–Banakacherla river-linking project, and issues related to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) sources said. On Tuesday evening, Naidu delivered a lecture on 'The Life and Legacy of P V Narasimha Rao' at the Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) in the national capital. His lecture was the sixth in the PMML-organised Prime Ministers Lecture Series. He described Rao as a 'true Telugu bidda', or Telugu son of the soil, who 'reshaped the destiny' of India, and said the Telugu community is proud of his contributions. Rao, who passed away in December 2004, was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2024. Referring to the recent controversy over some states accusing the Centre of imposing Hindi, Naidu said Rao had mastered 17 languages and serves as an inspiration in the current context. The Andhra CM said Rao, despite leading a minority government, accomplished the near-impossible task of forging consensus on economic reforms among socialists, communists, and capitalists alike. Naidu credited Rao's prime ministerial tenure, and subsequently that of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, for India's first-mover advantage in the information technology sector and for building world-class infrastructure, especially in roads and telecommunications. Naidu said that in 1978, when Deng launched China's economic reforms, both India and China were $140 billion economies, while the US economy was 15x larger at $2.3 trillion. Now, the US economy is only 1.5x bigger than China's, and more than 7x bigger than India's. 'They (China) are catching up (with the US). We are behind,' Naidu said, stressing that the journey from being the world's fourth- or third-largest economy to one of the top two will be much more challenging. Naidu said 2014 was a turning point in India's growth story, with the country getting Modi as PM, who has 'ushered in a new era of bold and decisive leadership'. He said the goal is not just to grow fast, but to grow fairly, where every citizen, every region, and every sector shares the fruit of progress. Citing World Bank data, he said India is among the top four most income-equal countries but stressed that the country still needs to become more equitable. He urged the top 10 per cent of India's wealthy to uplift the bottom 20 per cent, appealing to them to follow tech billionaire Bill Gates' example and 'give back to society'. On his vision for Andhra, Naidu spoke about his government's Quantum Valley initiative in Amaravati. He urged youth to join politics and said the TDP's parliamentary party is the youngest in the Lok Sabha. He also noted that TDP's representative in the Union Cabinet, Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu, is the youngest minister at the Centre. During his visit to Delhi, Naidu and Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy are also scheduled to attend a meeting on water issues being facilitated by the Centre on Wednesday. The Telangana government is expected to press the Centre to grant approvals and funds for its long-pending projects. It had earlier conveyed its objection to the Centre regarding Andhra's Banakacherla river-linking project, saying that it hurts Telangana's interests.
News18
8 hours ago
- Business
- News18
'Narsimha Rao Learnt 17 Languages': Andhra CM Naidu Backs Hindi Adoption
Naidu hailed Rao as a 'great statesman' whose bold reforms continue to shape the country's progress even today Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday defended the importance of learning Hindi and praised former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao as a scholar who mastered 17 languages. Naidu made the comment while speaking at a lecture on 'The Life and Legacy of former PM Shri PV Narasimha Rao" in New Delhi. 'While today we are all asking, 'Why should we learn Hindi?', former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao was a scholar of 17 languages, he didn't just learn Hindi but other languages too and that's how he became a great man," the Andhra CM said. CM Chandrababu Naidu ( @ncbn) wades into the language row, says, 'While PV Narsimha Rao learnt 17 languages, we are questioning the importance of learning Hindi'While addressing a lecture on former PM PV Narsimha Rao in Delhi, CM Chandrababu Naidu defended learning Hindi… — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 15, 2025 Naidu's remarks come amid fresh debates over the promotion of Hindi in non-Hindi-speaking states and fears of language imposition. In his address, Naidu hailed Rao as a 'great statesman" whose bold reforms continue to shape the country's progress even today. He credited Rao with launching India's economic liberalisation during a time of deep financial crisis. 'Before 1991, India followed the socialist economic model. Economy saw 'licence raj', foreign investment was limited… was facing a major economic crisis. exchange reserves hit an all time low. We were forced to pledge our sovereign gold," he said. 'It was time to bring bold reforms, and usher in forward-looking policy. He became (Rao) PM in June 1991, he recognised the crisis was an opportunity, and that India needed bold economic reforms. He launched the historic economic reforms," Naidu said. 'He changed the future of India, we are all here today enjoying the fruits of this reform," he said. Naidu pointed out that Rao led a minority government, which made pushing such reforms even more remarkable. 'He (Rao) was heading a minority government, not a comfortable government. To bring in bold reforms, political consensus is required. He was able to convince all stakeholders," he said. He also praised former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for building infrastructure during his tenure and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ensuring political stability and driving economic growth. 'Modi ji brought not just political stability, but also a renewed sense of global pride," Naidu stated. (With inputs from PTI) view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
New Indian Express
18 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Swachhta Awards to promote Clean Andhra
VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has announced the launch of Swachhta Awards in Andhra Pradesh, modelled on the national Swachh Bharat Awards, to encourage healthy competition among local bodies and accelerate the vision of 'Swachh Andhra – Swarna Andhra'. The awards will be independently evaluated to ensure transparency. In a review held at the Secretariat, Naidu directed officials to organise special recognition events on July 21 in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Tirupati, and Rajamahendravaram—five cities lauded under the Swachh Bharat Mission. Emphasising the reduction of single-use plastic, Naidu instructed officials to involve self-help groups (SHGs) in manufacturing biodegradable bags and make all government offices plastic-free. The Chief Minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to building a circular, zero-waste economy driven by sustainable innovation. Swachhandhra Corporation Chairman Kommareddy Pattabhiram presented a pilot Swachh Ratham project from Lalpuram, Guntur, where residents receive utility goods in exchange for dry waste. Naidu asked for a detailed report to scale it statewide. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Municipal Minister Ponguru Narayana announced eight new waste-to-energy plants across Andhra Pradesh, aiming to process 6,000 tons of the 6,500 tons of daily waste. Plants in Nellore and Kakinada are in the final stages, while new units are planned in Vijayawada and Tirupati. Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) units will also be set up in rural areas, he added.
