Government taking steps to uproot corruption: Modi

Addressing over 200 start-up entrepreneurs at 'Champions of Change' programme here, he said the government has already ended the systems of interviews for group III and IV employees in the government, ending the role of middlemen, who used to promise jobs for money.

"It is unfortunate that corruption had become institutionalised. Till you make a counter institutional arrangement, you cannot stop it," Modi said at the event organised by Niti Aayog.

He said as the middlemen are out of work now, they are the ones who are shouting the most about unemployment.

Modi, who met the entrepreneurs twice in as may days, further said that only governments and their initiatives will not make a New India.

"Change will be powered by each and every citizen of India," he stressed.

Prodding young entrepreneurs to innovate and suggest solutions to deal with different issues, Modi said he would like Champions of Change event to be an annual feature.

He said the different groups of entrepreneurs, which were set up to suggest policy initiatives, could be attached with the relevant ministries on a permanent basis.

The Prime Minister said his government has taken numerous measures, like introducing self-attestations of certificates and doing away with interviews for lower posts, to ease life of the common man.

Referring to the Padma awards, Modi said that in past the prestigious awards were given on ministers' recommendation, but the government has now made it open to anyone for nomination.

"Remember how Padma Awards were given earlier? We brought in a 'small' change - people can recommend names for awards, unlike the past," he said.

Stressing that the government wants to work together with all citizens towards a New India, Modi said: Every one of us is equally patriotic and wants India to scale new heights of progress. There is no difference in our love for the nation".