New Delhi, March 17: During meetings between them, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had keenly heard and praised his many ideas on development, but nothing came of them, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said, adding he was hopeful they would be acted upon "when some good person" comes to the centre.
Addressing the India Today Conclave here Saturday evening, Modi said he was sitting with the prime minister once. He started by speaking little and listening more (to the prime minister). But then he spoke, and he (the prime minister) spoke little, said Modi to laughter.
"I said this JNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission), can't this be changed and instead of making concrete jungles out of cities in the country with flyovers, airports, let us make a new model keeping Hindustan in mind."
"I suggested we select 500 towns for JNURM-2, with solid waste management and waste water treatment plants in order to recycle the waste and water. The water would be given back to farmers and to the towns and the processed waste as organic manure to farmers. This will help both ways, the cities will also be clean."
"The PM liked the idea, he said make a report. I made a 'two kg report', and then held a meeting in the Planning Commission with (PM's advisor) Sam Pitroda and (Palnning Commission Deputy Chairman) Montek Singh Ahluwalia.
"It is three years since that, and I was so enthusiastic about the idea.. But in my state I am implementing the scheme in 50 towns.. things can be changed," he said.
At another time, he suggested to the prime minister who was leaving for the G8 summit that "we are part of so many blocs... why should India not lead a bloc of countries".
"Why not India lead a bloc of countries which have the most sunlight, to stress on solar energy.. We will come out of the clutches of petroleum energy.. But nothing came of that too," said Modi, who describes himself as a proponent of renewal energy and a green warrior.
On another occasion, the prime minister called Modi over to tea. "I gave him another idea..I thought why take the tea for free..."
Modi said he suggested that the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat, which share borders with Pakistan, have to erect border fencing on desert soil.
"The fences break. I said the BSF (Border Security Force) have their own technical and engineering staff. Why not in the entire desert state make huge solar plants?.. The BSF will get something fruitful to do, and the country will get solar energy and the solar plants will prevent infiltration too.. With one project one can get so many things done.
"The PM praised the idea, but nothing has been done so far.. When some good person reaches there (PM post) will do something!", he said to laughter, taking a dig at the government's fabled indecisiveness on things that matter to the people or are consequential for the nation.
