Kurnool: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday was categorical in saying that the 21st century belongs to 140 crore Indians and that the country will become ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) by 2047 even as he attacked the Congress saying the grand old party neglected the power sector.

Speaking at ‘Super GST – Super Savings’ public meeting here, the Prime Minister hailed the ‘Make in India’ initiative and said, "We saw the might" of home-made equipment in Operation Sindoor, the military offensive launched at crossborder terror launchpads in Pakistan, post April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Referring to the recent developments such as the hike in Income Tax exemption to Rs 12 lakh and GST rate reforms, Modi said the vision of the NDA government is citizen-centric development and pointed out that continuous reforms are being taken up to make people's lives easy.

"As Chandrababu Naidu said, by 2047, the centenary year of independence, Viksit Bharat will happen. I can say confidently that the 21st century is going to be India's century. The 21st century belongs to 140 crore Indians," the PM said.

Modi said: “Today the world is seeing India as a new manufacturing centre of the 21st century and the basis of this success is the vision of a self-reliant India even as Andhra Pradesh is becoming a major centre for its success.” He alleged that 11 years ago, when the Congress government was in power, the per capita electricity consumption was less than 1,000 units and at that time, the country had to face challenges such as blackouts.

Electricity poles were not even installed in our villages. "Friends, from clean energy to the total energy production of the country, India is making new records in every sector. Today, electricity has reached every village in the country. Electricity consumption per capita has increased to 1,400 units," he said.

The PM further said Andhra Pradesh now has visionary leadership in Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and his deputy Pawan Kalyan and that there was full cooperation from the Central government to the state. He said with Google's AI Hub investment, a new international sub-sea gateway will be developed in which several countries' under-sea cable systems are linked. They will come up to Visakhapatnam on the eastern shore.

"Visakhapatnam will be established as an AI and connectivity hub. Not only India, but it will serve the whole world," Modi said. "In the last 16 months, the vehicle of development is moving very fast in Andhra Pradesh and unprecedented progress is taking place in the double engine government," he said. The PM said Andhra Pradesh is not only a land of self-respect and culture, but also the hub of science and innovation.

“Andhra Pradesh will play a key role in Atmanirbhar Bharat. Congress governments in the past ignored the potential of Andhra Pradesh which has the ability to lead the country towards progress. Under the NDA government, the face of Andhra Pradesh will change,” he said.

Several projects which were either inaugurated or laid foundation stone for today, will improve connectivity, support industries and better improve people' lives in the state, he further said. "The defense equipment that is manufactured here in Andhra Pradesh will not only increase India's defence exports, but we have seen the power of India's equipment in Operation Sindoor," Modi said.

Earlier, PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation for multiple projects worth Rs 13,430 crore here spreading across the state. The projects span across key sectors such as industry, power transmission, roads, railways, defence manufacturing, and petroleum and natural gas. Earlier in the day, he offered prayers at Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Varla Devasthanam at Srisailam in Nandyal district.