Bharat now a Happening Place

Apart from the superb success of the G-20 summit under Indian Presidency and the immortal landing of the Indian spacecraft on the Moon, last 30 days have also witnessed many historic decisions and achievements by the Government of India

In the last 30 days, many steps have been taken for SC-ST-OBCs, poor and middle class to empower them. On Vishwakarma Jayanti on 17 September, PM Vishwakarma Yojana was launched. This scheme is for our craftsmen, skilled artisans and people involved in traditional work. By organizing Rozgar Melas, more than 1 lakh youngsters have been given government jobs in the Central Government in the last 30 days. Ever since this programme started, appointment letters have been given to more than 6 lakh young men and women.

In these 30 days, you have also seen the first Parliament session of the country in the new Parliament building. The first bill was passed in the new Parliament building of the country, which has filled the entire country with pride. Parliament happily embraced the importance of Women-led development through Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.

In the last 30 days itself, another major decision was taken to expand electric mobility in the country. Our government has approved an important scheme towards empowering Battery Energy Storage Systems. A few days ago, we dedicated to the nation Yashobhoomi International Convention Centre in Dwarka. To provide more opportunities to the youth in sports, I have also laid the foundation stone of the International Cricket Stadium in Varanasi. Two days ago, I flagged off 9 Vande Bharat Trains. The introduction of so many modern trains simultaneously in one day is also a proof of our speed and scale.

In these 30 days, we have taken another major step to increase Bharat’s self-reliance in the petrochemical sector. The foundation stone of a petrochemical complex has been laid in a refinery located in Madhya Pradesh. In Madhya Pradesh itself, work has started on renewable energy, IT park, a mega industrial park, and 6 new industrial areas. All these projects that I have listed are directly related to the skills of the youth and job creation for the youth. This list is so long that we will be out of time.

Youth can progress only where there is optimism, opportunities and openness. Friends, the way Bharat is progressing today, the sky is wide open for you to spread your wings and fly. This is what I would like to say to you – Think Big. There is nothing you cannot achieve. There is no such goal which the country will not support you in achieving. Don’t take any opportunity for granted. Rather, think of making that opportunity a new benchmark. We have also made G-20 so grand and huge with this approach. We too could have made the G-20 Presidency only a diplomatic and Delhi-centric affair. But Bharat made it a people-driven national movement. The strength of Bharat’s Diversity, Demography and Democracy took G-20 to new heights.

More than 200 meetings of G-20 were held in 60 cities. More than 1.5 crore citizens contributed to the activities of G-20. Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, where no international event had been organized before, also showed immense strength. And I would like to especially commend our youth for the G-20 at this event today. More than 100 universities and 1 lakh students participated in the G-20 through the University Connect programme. The government took G-20 to reach more than 5 crore students in schools, higher educational institutions, and skill development institutes. Our people thought big, but what they delivered was even grander.

Bharat is in its ‘Amritkaal’. This Amritkaal’ belongs to the golden generation like you. In 2047 we will complete 100 years of the country’s independence. That will be a historic moment for us. The period till 2047 is the same time in which youngsters like you will also build your future. That means the next 25 years are as important in your life as they are for the country. Therefore, this is the period in which many factors of the country’s development have come together. This kind of period has never come before in history, nor will there be a similar chance in the future, that is, neither the past nor the future.

Today we are the fastest growing economy in the world. You know that, right? In the shortest possible time, we became the 5th largest economy from the 10th largest economy. Today the world’s trust in Bharat is very high, and investment in Bharat has reached record levels. Today Bharat’s manufacturing and service sectors are reaching new heights. Our exports are creating new records. In just 5 years, more than 13.5 crore people have come out of poverty. This has become the neo-middle class of Bharat.

The creation of social infrastructure, physical infrastructure and digital infrastructure in the country has led to unprecedented pace in development. This year, Rs 10 lakh crore is being invested in physical infrastructure and such investment is increasing year after year. Just imagine, what a huge impact this will have on our economy and how many new opportunities will be created!

This is a period of opportunities for youngsters like you. After the year 2020, about 5 crore people have joined the EPFO Payrolls. Of these, there are about 3.5 crore people who have come under the ambit of EPFO for the first time and have got formal jobs for the first time. This means that opportunities for formal jobs for youth like you are continuously increasing in Bharat.

Before 2014, there were less than 100 startups in our country. Today their number has crossed one lakh. This wave of startups has given employment opportunities to many people. Today Bharat has become the second largest mobile manufacturer in the world. Today we have become exporters of mobile phones. Consequently, a large number of job opportunities has been created. There has been huge development in the field of Defence Manufacturing in the last few years. Defence exports have increased by about 23 times as compared to 2014. When such a massive change occurs, a large number of new jobs is created across the entire supply chain of the defence ecosystem.

I know that many of our young friends want to become job creators instead of job seekers. Small traders of the country get financial under the government’s Mudra Scheme. Today 8 crore people have started their own business as first-time entrepreneurs. 5 lakh Common Service Centres have also been opened in the last 9 years. In each of these centres, 2 to 5 people have got jobs.

All this is happening in Bharat because of political stability, policy clarity and our democratic values. There have been sincere efforts to control corruption in the last 9 years. Most of the students like you might be 10,12 or 14 years old in 2014, almost ten years back. Probably at that time they would not have known the headlines in the newspapers which were related to how corruption had ruined the country.

Today I can say with great pride that we have created new technology-based systems to prevent middlemen and leakages. A transparent system has been created by bringing several reforms and eliminating middlemen from the system. Dishonest people are being punished and honesty is being rewarded. I am surprised that there is an allegation against me these days that Modi puts people in jail. You tell me, if you have stolen the country’s wealth then where will you stay? Where should one stay? Shouldn’t they be sent to jails after hunting them out? I am doing what you want, right? Some people remain very disturbed.

To continue the journey of development, clean, clear and a stable governance is very important. If you are determined then no one can stop Bharat from becoming a developed, inclusive and self-reliant country by 2047.

We also have to keep one more thing in mind. Not only Bharat is expecting you to do better, the whole world is pinning its hopes on you. The world has come to know about both the potential and performance of Bharat and its youth. Now they do not have to be told about the efficiency of India’s sons and daughters. They understand, and accept it.

Bharat’s progress, and the progress of Bharat’s youth, is very essential for the progress of the world. I am able to give guarantees to the country without any hesitation even when it seems impossible, because of the strength of our countrymen, that is the strength of you, my friends. If I can fulfil those guarantees, it is solely because of the power of youth like you behind it. When I am able to present Bharat’s cause strongly on the world’s platforms, my inspiration is again my youth power. Therefore, the youth of Bharat is my real strength; my entire strength lies in it. And I assure you that I will keep working day and night for your better future.

(English rendering of PM’s address at G20 University Connect finale on 26 SEP 2023)