Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday addressed the Rising India Summit, organized by Network 18.

Modi said that when we speak of a rise, in terms of a nation, it has a very broad context. He said that beyond the rise of the economy, he feels that Rising India implies the rise of self-respect among the people of India.

He said that with the collective willpower of the people, even the impossible can be accomplished.

Modi said, today, this collective willpower, is working to accomplish the resolve of New India.

The Prime Minister said that contrary to the common perception in many nations, that Governments lead development and change, while citizens follow; in India the trend has been reversed in the last four years. Now citizens lead, and the government follows, he added.

He said the Swachh Bharat Mission has become a mass movement in a short time. Citizens are using digital payments as a weapon against corruption and black money, he added.

He said the citizens of the country have inspired the Government to take big decisions and implement them. He said the transformational shift in India, is due to the resolve of its people. He said that as a vision, the Government is working to reduce the sense of imbalance at the national level.

Through the help of a video, he explained how the Ujjwala Yojana is transforming not just kitchens, but entire families. This, he explained, addresses a big imbalance in our social structures.

He said, the Government is working with the Mantra of ‘Act East And Act Fast For India’s East.’He said, this includes not just the North-East, but also Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha etc.

He gave examples of the gas cracker project in Assam;revival of fertilizer plants in Gorakhpur, Barauni and Sindri; the Jagdishpur Haldia gas pipeline; and the Dhola Sadia bridge, to show how emphasis is being given to kickstarting projects in the region. He said 12 new airports are being constructed in eastern India.

The Prime Minister said that out of the 18,000 villages that had been left unelectrified, about 13,000 were in eastern India, and 5000 in the North-East.

He said soon, the target of electrifying these villages will be accomplished. He said the Saubhagya Yojana would provide an electricity connection to each home. He said this march of Eastern India, from isolation, to integration, would give strength to "Rising India."