21st century belongs to 1.4bnIndians, says Modi in Andhra Pradesh
The PM said the vision of Swarnandhra (Golden Andhra) was inspiring the vision of Viksit Bharat, and added that the world was watching the speed and scope of India and Andhra Pradesh.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the 21st century belongs to 1.4 billion Indians and that the country will become “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India) by 2047 even as he attacked the Congress and hailed the recent goods and services (GST) reforms.
Addressing a massive public rally titled “Super GST – Super Saving Utsav” at Nannur on the outskirts of Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool town, where he launched and dedicated a series of infrastructure, industrial, and energy projects worth ₹13,429 crore across the state, Modi said in the last 16 months, Andhra Pradesh achieved growth at a rapid pace.
He said a double-engine government of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was marching ahead on the path of progress. “As chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu said, looking at this rapid pace, I can say that in 2047, when it will be 100 years of independence, India will be fully developed,” he said.
The PM said the vision of Swarnandhra (Golden Andhra) was inspiring the vision of Viksit Bharat, and added that the world was watching the speed and scope of India and Andhra Pradesh.
“Two days ago, Google announced a major investment in Andhra Pradesh. Google is going to build India’s first artificial intelligence hub here in Andhra Pradesh. Yesterday, when I was talking to the CEO of Google, he told me that we have investments in many countries around the world, but we are going to make the largest investment in Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
“This new AI Hub includes powerful AI infrastructure, data centre capacity, large-scale energy sources, and an expanded fibre-optic network. A new international subsea gateway will be created. This will include several international subsea cables, which will reach Visakhapatnam on India’s eastern coast. This project will establish Visakhapatnam as an AI and connectivity hub. It will serve not only India but the entire world. I extend special congratulations to the people of Andhra Pradesh for this and highly commend Chandrababu Naidu for his vision,” he added.
Stating that his government was providing a “citizen-centric” development, the PM said the new GST regime helped people by making medicines, treatment and other consumables cheaper. “In Andhra Pradesh alone, it would result in savings of ₹8,000 crore per annum,” he said.
Modi called upon the people to celebrate this GST “savings campaign” with the slogan of “vocal for local” – encouraging purchase of only indigenously-made goods.
The Prime Minister described the state as a “key engine” of India’s economic revolution and praised Naidu and deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan for their “visionary leadership driving rapid development” with strong support from the central government.
Modi said a series of new projects — covering power transmission, railways, national highways, and industrial corridors, for which he had laid foundation and dedicated to the nation would “strengthen connectivity and drive industrial growth” in southern Andhra Pradesh.
“These projects will particularly benefit Kurnool and surrounding districts,” he said, adding that energy security was crucial for both the nation and the state.
He said the power transmission projects worth ₹3,000 crore were aimed at boosting national power capacity, and noted that India’s per capita electricity consumption had risen from under 1,000 units during the Congress era to 1,400 units today.
“From clean energy to modern manufacturing, India is achieving record production levels,” he said, dedicating the Srikakulam–Angul natural gas pipeline to the nation.
He added that with the support of the Centre, Andhra Pradesh was becoming a manufacturing hub under the Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self Reliant India) initiative. “Kurnool will soon emerge as a drone manufacturing hub, while the Nimmakuru Night Vision factory will play a vital role in India’s defence sector,” the Prime Minister announced.
Addressing the gathering, the chief minister lauded Modi as a leader with a vision for the 21st century. “India has moved from 11th to 4th position globally under Modi’s leadership. His reforms have transformed India’s economy and strengthened our position on the world stage,” Naidu said.
He added that the GST 2.0 reforms were a landmark in easing tax burdens. “99% of goods now fall under the 0–5% tax bracket, benefiting the poor, middle class, and small businesses. Every family is saving up to ₹15,000 annually due to GST cuts,” he said.
Deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan praised the PM as “a true Karmayogi” dedicated to serving the nation. “Through Atmanirbhar Bharat, he is shaping not just the present but also the future generations. The GST 2.0 reforms have provided major relief to the poor and middle classes,” he said.
Before the rally, the Prime Minister, along with Naidu and Pawan Kalyan, visited the Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy and Bhramaramba temples at Srisailam, offering prayers and receiving blessings from Vedic scholars. Modi also visited the Shivaji Inspiration Centre, including the meditation and assembly halls dedicated to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
