Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the whole world was looking at India with great expectations "but we are not ready", as he underlined the need for more good teachers and inspected the Swachh Bharat Mission's progress during his Varanasi visit on Thursday.
Modi launched a Rs 900-crore teachers' training programme at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), dedicating it to the institute's founder Madan Mohan Malviya on his 153rd birth anniversary, a day after the Centre conferred the Bharat Ratna on the late freedom fighter.
The Prime Minister spent the day in his Lok Sabha constituency as part of the nationwide Good Governance Day celebrations organised by his government.
Modi arrived in the temple town an hour behind schedule because of dense fog in Uttar Pradesh and freely mingled with the crowd that had gathered outside the university, shaking hands with many before boarding one of the bulletproof vehicles waiting for him.
"The 21st century is the century of knowledge and India has the responsibility to make its contribution. It is the demand of time," he said while addressing a function at BHU. "My experience of six months as Prime Minister says that the whole world is looking at India with expectations. But we are not ready. The world is ready but we are not ready."
Modi also ruled out privatisation of the railways and asked trade unions to stop worrying about foreign investments in the sector, saying these will be used for greater development of the national transporter.
{{/usCountry}}Modi also ruled out privatisation of the railways and asked trade unions to stop worrying about foreign investments in the sector, saying these will be used for greater development of the national transporter.
{{/usCountry}}"I want to make it clear that we are not privatising railways. We cannot go in this direction. You don't have to worry. It is neither our wish nor thinking," he said while inaugurating some railway projects.
The Prime Minister said the development of the nation and the railways should proceed together and called for the fulfilment of the nation's requirements through the Make in India initiative.
"Our government is committed to providing a transparent and accountable administration which works for the betterment and welfare of the common citizen," he said.
Modi expressed delight on seeing the spruced up ghats along the Ganga as he symbolically cleaned a narrow lane near Assi Ghat and nominated several celebrities as well as groups to promote the Clean India Campaign launched by his government on October 2.
Among those picked by the PM were former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, classical dancer Sonal Mansingh, former police officer Kiran Bedi and the Mumbai Dabbawala Association.
"These banks, which had become heaps of mud, have been restored to their old glory. I thank all the people who did this work," Modi said.
(With Agency inputs)