I want Mumbai to become the world’s fintech capital: PM Narendra Modi | Mumbai News

Mumbai: After launching a slew of infrastructure projects worth ₹29,400 crore in Mumbai on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he wants to make the city the world’s fintech capital. He also took a veiled dig at opposition parties that have criticised the government over issues like unemployment, saying they are spreading a false narrative and are against the country’s development.

In his first visit to Maharashtra after returning to power for a third term, Modi addressed a rally at the NESCO Ground in Goregaon after laying the foundation stone of several infrastructure projects. (Satish Bate/HT Photo) {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}}

In his first visit to Maharashtra after returning to power for a third term, Modi addressed a gathering at the NESCO Ground in Goregaon after laying the foundation stone of several infrastructure projects. The prime minister praised Maharashtra, saying it had contributed significantly to realising his government’s vision of a Viksit Bharat or developed India by 2047.

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“Maharashtra has the power of industry, agriculture and finance. With this, the state can become an economic powerhouse. Also, I want Mumbai to become the world capital of fintech,” Modi said.

His remarks are significant in the context of the controversy over the failure to build an international financial centre in Mumbai at the Bandra Kurla Complex, as proposed by successive Congress-Nationalist Congress Party and Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena governments.

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Opposition parties have criticized the BJP-led central government after the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, or GIFT City, was set up in Ahmedabad in Modi’s home state of Gujarat. During the Lok Sabha election campaign earlier this year, the Shiv Sena (UBT) said Mumbai was getting “stepmotherly treatment” from the Modi government.

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra suffered a setback in the Lok Sabha elections, winning only 17 of the 48 seats in the state. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) won 30. Saturday’s event marked the informal launch of the Mahayuti alliance’s campaign to retain power in the assembly elections, which are expected to be held in September-October this year.

Highlighting his government’s initiatives in the state, Modi noted that the Centre had approved the Vadhavan port in Dahanu a few days ago, saying the ₹76,000-crore project would generate more than a million jobs. He also unveiled several projects related to roads, railways and ports sectors.

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“These projects will increase connectivity in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region,” he said. “Our aim is to improve the quality of life for everyone in Mumbai and Maharashtra. We are trying to improve connectivity in the nearby areas of Mumbai.”

The Chief Minister spoke about the potential of Maharashtra as a tourist destination, highlighting the various forts of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the Konkan coast and the Sahyadri range. He said that Maharashtra could become a hub for convention and medical tourism.

Modi also highlighted the need for skill development and employment generation in the country. “Skill development and employment in large numbers are the needs of India at the moment. Our government is working steadily in this direction. Despite a pandemic like Covid-19, record numbers of jobs have been created. According to a recent RBI report on employment, around eight crore new jobs have been created in just three-four years,” he said.

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Taking aim at the opposition, Modi said the RBI figures had silenced those spreading false narratives about employment. “These people are enemies of investment and infrastructure development in the country. Their policies are aimed at undermining confidence and job opportunities for the youth. Now, their true intentions are being revealed after these reports. They are enemies of development, investment and also the country. They have betrayed the youth and blocked their job opportunities,” he said.

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