Modi says govt programmes are redefining India’s future with a strong focus on youth

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said government programmes such as Skill India, Start-up India and Digital India were playing a role in accelerating social mobility and in turn helping redefine India’s future with a strong focus on the country’s youth.

There was a “New India” that had come into existence in the past four years that had resulted in major changes like the vaccination of three crore children and the construction of 1.75 lakh kilometres of rural roads, he said in New Delhi.

All these changes were being driven by the youth with young doctors, nurses and support staff spearheading the vaccination campaign, while young engineers were behind the transformative changes in rural connectivity, the prime minister said.

“Such big numbers were possible because of another big number—the 800 million people of India under the age of 35,” Modi said, lauding the contribution of the youth in nation building. “Any country that possesses such youth power can be the envy of anyone,” he said.

The prime minister took a dig at dynastic politics in the country and noted that before independence governance rested in the hands of some royal families. However, after India’s independence in 1947, a new type of royalty came into existence that has been in politics for three generations, Modi said, in a clear reference to the opposition Congress’ leadership.

“Governance rested in the hands of these few families,” Modi said, adding that “today the situation had changed” with people like him from common backgrounds being voted into the office of prime minister.

People who were from ordinary backgrounds like the chief ministers of Tripura, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar understood the aspirations of the common man, Modi said.

Government programmes such as Skill India and Start-up India, as well as the Atal Innovation Mission, were aimed at taking care of the rising aspirations of young people.

“We are future-proofing India in every way, enabling New India to take off,” Modi said.