Job creation is focal point of development: Modi

Gandhinagar: BJP’s prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi today said creation of jobs remains a focal point of development even as he took a dig at Finance Minister P Chidambaram over fiscal management. “Job creation is the primary thing in Gujarat’s development model. When the entire world is passing from the era of ‘Job-war’.When China is attempting to take over the entire job market, we focused upon generating new job opportunities,” Modi said.[caption id=“attachment_1399215” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. PTI[/caption] The Gujarat chief minister was speaking at a seminar on Financial Services - a key driver for economic growth at the Gujarat International finance Tec (GIFT) City. “For better job opportunities, we need proper manpower and for that we have focused upon human resource development and skill development,” he said. Modi said India’s growth model was largely linked with low-end activities and should be moved towards high-end activities. “By and large, our country’s development model is linked with low-end activities. We have to think how we can gradually move towards the high end activities. Although, we have a bigger base of information and technology, we have remained limited up to BPO industries. On the other hand, Google and Microsoft developed in foreign countries. We have to change this stagnant situation,” Modi said. The Gujarat chief minister said the country was experiencing stagnancy in creation of new cities. “Newly emerging cities have remained as a residential accommodation even as we planned to make a finance city, medically-equipped city and knowledge city. We have to merge all those cities into one to make a world-class financial service hub,” he said. Modi, who is trading barbs with Chidambaram of late, said investors are unsure about their investments, especially after the interim budget was presented. “This is the time when election are coming in the near future. Each and every investor is in dilemma regarding his investment. They are waiting hardly and I know this time is not easy for investors, specially when the country has just witnessed a Vote on Account. What picture has been presented?..Our finance minister is doing hard work,” Modi said without naming Chidambaram. GIFT is an under-construction central business district in Gandhinagar district. It will be built on 986 acres of land. “We in Gujarat are having talented people in diamond industries but our labour just cut the diamond in proper shape and we export it out. Unless and until we don’t stop exporting our labour, we cannot bring change. To bring change, we require a good chunk of manpower and modern facilities,” Modi said. “With the help of new age cyber technology, we can provide real time services and we can also ensure data securities. We can provide real-time secure services to the entire world by merging information and communication technology with enterprising nature of a Gujarati,” the chief minister said. Modi also stressed upon the skill development undertaken by his government in the state. “The prime minister gave an award to government of Gujarat in the sector of skill development.Gujarat has taken the need of skill development as a mission. “We have been focusing hard on value addition for the educated youths. We have to give equal importance (to) the need of information technology and the human resource. With such a strategy we can serve our country together,” he said. ICICI Bank MD and CEO Chanda Kochar also attended the seminar. PTI