Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on Saturday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his demonetisation move and digital drives.
"Thanks to demonetisation, India has taken a big leap forward from a predominantly cash economy to a digitally enabled optimal cash economy. It has brought unproductive money into productive use, Ambani said while addressing the India Today Conclave.
He said so far credit in the country had been high value and low volume, available only to a few people. "In the coming years based on your Aadhaar identity, it will be possible to get a loan on your mobile in just a few minutes," the richest man in India told the gathering.
India underwent demonetisation drive from Nov 8 to Dec 30 of high-valued Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes to cleanse the country of black money.
Asked about Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party's landslide victory in the recent Uttar Pradesh elections, despite the demonetisation drive which affected common people as well, Ambani said: "We are blessed to have a leader who not only understands the countrymen but also understands the world and technology."
"What impressed me the most was when the prime minister visited the US (at the time Barrack Obama was the US President) and at the dinner they only discussed how technology can benefit the poor people and help develop a country."
It is time for reverse brain drain to India: Mukesh Ambani
Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Detailing his support for US President Donald Trump and his policies, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on Saturday said it is time for a reverse brain drain to happen.
"It is high time that our brightest and best brains work for the benefits of India and Indians. We will see a reverse brain drain coming without doubt," Ambani said while addressing at the India Today Conclave.
"We are really at the beginning of human history of fourth Industrial Revolution and this is the first technology-based revolution that will affect all of us as human beings. Some of our brightest people are working outside the country and by whatever faith if they are brought back to this country, and they work for our country, they work for 1.3 billions and they work to improve their lives and put together a new developmental model. There cannot be a better blessing in disguise," he added.
Indian IT firms are under pressure following Trump's stringent views on H1-B visa policy.
"All things happen in the world at the right time and the right place," Ambani said, adding that at Reliance, they bring back two or three leaders now from across the world every month.
"At the end of the day har ek ka dil hai hindustani. People wants to do thing for India, we have to give them an opportunity," he added.
Speaking about data and information, Ambani said: "Information in digital form can travel across the globe in a fraction of a second in negligible time. With the benefit of the Indian technology revolution, fully captured by India and Indians, we need to safeguard to ensure that most of the information generated in India remains within Indian border.
"Keeping data onshore will ensure, that talent technology know-how and investment will flow into India, rather than out of India and will create more jobs in India."
He sad "like the Digital India and Make in India programmes, we need a 'Keep in India' initiative to pitch Indian data Made in India. This in turn will ensure that India develops a human capital and knowledge assets that allow it to retain its leadership position for generations to come."
