Bengaluru, Dec 25 (IANS): Former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a great visionary with a proactive approach towards development, C.N. Ashwath Narayan, Minister of Higher Education, IT/BT and Skill Development of Karnataka, said here on Saturday.

In his address at the event of 'Good Governance Day' observed in honour of Vajpayee on his 97th birth anniversary, he said projects envisaged by Vajpayee entirely changed the course of development in the country.

Moving in the path guided by Vajpayee, our government strongly believes in empowering citizens with quality education. Further, it has been decided to upgrade UVCE college in Bengaluru as 'University of Eminence' and every district of the state will be having at least one university in the near future, he said.

All the processes including teaching-learning in the higher education system has been digitized and priority is being given to impart futuristic skills to students. The government engineering colleges will be transformed as centres of excellence, the minister pointed out.

"Vajapayee introduced the concept of 'Minimum Government & Maximum Governance'. He implemented projects such as Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak, Golden Quadrilateral, was responsible for a revolution in the telecom sector, National Rural Health Mission, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan when others had not even imagined such possibilities," he explained.

The present union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi also believes in taking governance to the doorstep of citizens, he said.

Technology is being used to deliver every kind of service, starting from opening a bank account to delivering LPG cylinders to consumers and this is the hallmark of good governance, he opined.

Narendra Modi being inspired by the thoughts of Vajpayee, is responsible for the implementation of the GST system, facilitating ease of doing business, bringing in transparency in the system, eradication of corrupt practices, and creating a level playing market system for products across the country, he said.