Burnpur (WB): Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday made a vigorous pitch for the Centre and states to work together as 'Team India' to take the country forward, a view endorsed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
And in comforting words to the fiery Trinamool Congress chief, Modi expressed confidence that West Bengal, whose progress, he said, had earlier determined the country's economic development, would surely bounce bank in the coming days and become an "important economic power".
Vowing to work with the states to "take India forward", the Prime Minister said it has been a "misfortune" that in the past there have been tensions between states and the Centre.
"I too have been a Chief Minister for many years and I know that this attitude (of the Centre) towards states will not help anyone. Our Constitution has given us a federal structure. But unfortunately Centre-state relations have always come under stress", he said after the inauguration of modernised IISCO Steel Plant here in the presence of Banerjee.
Asserting that PM and CMs would act as a team which would take India forward, he said, "Delhi alone will not rule India as has happened for 60 years. Delhi will not be the only pillar on which the country will stand, but it will be supported by 30 pillars (of states)" and cited the creation of Niti Aayog which has all states as partners.
Citing the recent Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh, Modi said it was the perfect example of the success of "Team India".
"We are proud that the states of West Bengal, Assam and Tripura had worked with Delhi in addressing the vexed issue which had remained unsolved for the past 41 years since the time of Mujibur Rahman.
"If there is Team India, we can solve problems of international issues and internal ones very easily," he said.
Turning to West Bengal, the Prime Minister said his government's effort was to make eastern India powerful. "For this, West Bengal needs to be strengthened first."
"Earlier, the economic development of India was decided by the progress made in Bengal... Bengal will have to climb the ladder of development in the interest of the nation," said Modi.
"Bengal will surely bounce bank in the coming days and become an important economic power," he hoped, adding "if Bengal and Kolkata cannot become strong, then no part of the country can become strong". "To take India forward, this land of Bengal will come to the country's help".
The Prime Minister said that political differences would remain, but it should not come in the way of country's development.
Earlier, Banerjee said, "If we can work together, the country moves ahead. When we divide, the country is doomed. We don't want division among people. Politics will be there and development will also be there.
The federal and central structure will be there and we will work together within the ambit of the Constitution".
Modi also took a dig at the previous UPA regime, saying the media was full of reports of "scams" of all kinds in that period.
"Now, the reports are not about coal scam but about coal auction," he quipped, adding there had been no report of any scam even as his government got ready to complete one year in office this month.
The convergence of Modi and Banerjee's views regarding cooperation between the states and the Centre comes in the wake of the Bengal chief minister's written plea to the prime minister yesterday seeking a complete debt waiver to help the state come out of the 'debt trap'.
Modi said that the second Green Revolution could be led by the eastern states -- the idea being to bring the eastern region to be in tandem with the western part of the country.
"If we want to make India strong, farmers' welfare has to be ensured and, if we want to feed the country, a second Green Revolution can be started from here and the economic situation can be changed," he said.
"You can see a flurry of economic activity in India's western part, but the eastern region remains neglected... If one part of India is ill, the country cannot become strong and our endeavour is to develop this part of the country," the prime minister said.
Referring to the coal block auctions, he said that the coal-bearing states in the eastern region, including West Bengal, would benefit from the proceeds of the same.
Modi added that the "garibo ki sarkar" had taken an important decision to create a foundation to promote the welfare of the tribals living in mining areas.
He said that the three goals which India would have to work towards were increasing production, adding value to mineral resources and developing the skills of the country's youths.
Commenting on the economic progress after his government came to power, Modi said that even one year ago, the world had assumed that India was sunk and would not revive again.
"But, today, international agencies like World Bank and IMF are saying that India was among the fastest-growing nations in the world," he said.
The modernisation of the steel plant was carried out at a cost of Rs 16,000 crore and Union mines minister Narendra Singh Tomar and SAIL chairman CS Verma were also present for its inauguration by Modi.
