Note-ban, GST became possible due to PM Modi's leadership: Manohar Parrikar

Mumbai: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said decisions such as demonetisation and the roll-out of the Goods and Services Tax could be implemented because of the "bold leadership" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"These decisions have the capacity to make India an economic giant in the years to come. Difficulties in their implementation were overcome because of Modi's bold leadership," Parrikar said, speaking at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).

Parrikar, himself an IIT alumnus, also said politics needs people who can lead. "Leaders with character, intelligence, vision are the need of the hour," he said, speaking at Leadership Summit at the institute, organised as a part of its ongoing Techfest event.

Those who indulge in caste politics are in prison and those with a vision are leading the country now, Parrikar said, without naming any leader, adding that the country's standing in the global arena has risen.

"People develop high expectations which are not easy to fulfil. Today's leaders are under tremendous pressure from people because the information highway is so wide due to technology development. Due to this people's expectations have multiplied. IIT qualification is a good booster. You can perform better at the administrative level," he said, addressing students.

"My qualification as an IIT engineer helped me in the administration. As a technocrat, I could understand the weapon system, which one is good, which one needs replacement and what are the bottlenecks," said the former defence minister.

Technology has made conventional employment redundant and created new jobs, thus generating both challenges and opportunities, Parrikar said.

The defence sector has seen some positive developments in the last three years, including the induction of the world-class lightweight fighter aircraft Tejas, encouragement to indigenous production and materialisation of Rafale deal, he said.

Availability level of fighter aircraft rose from 45 per cent to 70 per cent during his tenure as defence minister because of proper management, Parrikar said.