By IANS,
New Delhi: Home Minister P. Chidambaram Tuesday admitted terror threats, but asserted that it would not affect the industrial development of the country.
“We are not more vulnerable than any other country,” Chidambaram said while addressing industry leaders at the World Economic Forum’s India Economic Summit here.
There are threats in various parts of the country, “but that does not affect our capacity to promote investment or industrial development”, he said.
“We have had many successes in thwarting attacks, and there were no attacks since 26/11.”
However, the minister said there are various roadblocks as well in India’s development.
“We are very tolerant of lethargy. If we have built the Metro within time, why can’t we build 20 km of road every day?” he asked.
The minister also lamented that the system did not hold people accountable for failure in delivering.
It is the primary reason for a gap between targets and outcome, said Chidambaram.
On China’s faster economic development, the home minister said: “We don’t have the government structures available in China. We find it difficult to add 10,000 to 12,000 MW of additional capacity of power every year, while China adds 100,000 MW every year.”
However, taking a dig at China’s single party-ruled political system, Chidambaram said: “We have vigilant courts, public interest litigation….None of this is present in China. I am not saying we should emulate the China system. I am quite happy to breath free air.”