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PM addresses Rajya Sabha at the start of Winter Session of Parliament

Published By : Admin | December 7, 2022 | 15:12 IST
Welcomes Vice President to the Upper House
“I salute the armed forces on behalf of all members of the house on the occasion of Armed Forces Flag Day”
“Our Vice President is a Kisan Putra and he studied at a Sainik school. He is closely associated with Jawans and Kisans”
“Our democracy, our Parliament and our parliamentary system will have a critical role in this journey of Amrit Kaal”
“Your life is proof that one cannot accomplish anything only by resourceful means but by practice and realisations”
“Taking the lead is the real definition of leadership and it becomes more important in the context of Rajya Sabha”
“Serious democratic discussions in the House will give more strength to our pride as the mother of democracy”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the Rajya Sabha at the start of the Winter Session of the Parliament and welcomed the Vice President to the Upper House today.

The Prime Minister began his address by congratulating Shri Jagdeep Dhankar, Vice President of India & Chairman of Rajya Sabha on behalf of all members of the parliament as well as all the citizens of the country. Throwing light on the prestigious position of the Vice President of the country, the Prime Minister remarked that the seat in itself is a source of inspiration for millions.

Addressing the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, the Prime Minister expressed delight that today coincides with Armed Forces Flag Day and saluted the armed forces on behalf of all members of the house. Referring to Jhunjhunu which is the birthplace of the Vice President, the Prime Minister acknowledged the contributions of numerous families of Jhunjhunu that have played an advanced role towards the service of the nation. He highlighted the close association of the Vice President with Jawans and Kisans and said, “Our Vice President is a Kisan Putra and he studied at a Sainik school. Thus, he is closely associated with Jawans and Kisans.”

The Prime Minister highlighted that the esteemed upper house of the Parliament is welcoming the Vice President at a time when India has witnessed two monumental events. Shri Modi pointed out that India has entered into the Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal and also got the prestigious opportunity to host and preside over the G-20 Summit. He further added that India will play a key role in determining the direction of the world in the days to come other than marking a new era of development for New India. “Our democracy, our Parliament and our parliamentary system will have a critical role in this journey”, he added.

Underlining that today marks the formal beginning of the Vice President’s term as the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, the Prime Minister remarked that the responsibility enshrined upon the shoulders of the Upper House is associated with the concerns of the common man. “India understands its responsibilities during this period, and adheres to it”, he added. The Prime Minister also pointed out that the prestigious tribal society of India in the form of the President, Smt Draupadi Murmu is guiding the nation at this important juncture. He also threw light upon ex-President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind who reached the pinnacle position of the country after hailing from a marginalised community.

Looking up to the chair with reverence, the Prime Minister said, “Your life is proof that one cannot accomplish anything only by resourceful means but by practice and realisations.” Shining the spotlight on the Vice President’s experience as a senior lawyer for more than three decades, the Prime Minister on a lighter note said that he will not miss the court in the House because there are a large number of people in the Rajya Sabha who used to meet him in the Supreme Court. He continued, “You have also worked in the role from MLA to MP, Union Minister and Governor.” He further added that the common factor among all these roles is his devotion to the development of the country and democratic values. The Prime Minister also recalled the 75% vote share that the Vice President had gathered in the Vice Presidential Elections which was proof of everyone's affinity towards him. The Prime Minister remarked, “Taking the lead is the real definition of leadership and it becomes more important in the context of Rajya Sabha because the House has the responsibility of taking forward democratic decisions in a more refined manner.”

Referring to the responsibilities enshrined upon its members to uphold and enhance the dignity of this House, the Prime Minister said that the house has been a conductor of the country's great democratic heritage and has also been its strength. He further highlighted that many former Prime Ministers served as Rajya Sabha members at some point in time. The Prime Minister assured the members that under the guidance of the Vice President, this House will take forward its legacy and dignity. “Serious democratic discussions in the House will give more strength to our pride as the mother of democracy”, he added.

In concluding the address, the Prime Minister recalled the last session where the phraseology and rhymes of the former Vice President and former Chairman were a source of happiness and laughter for the members. “I am sure that your quick-witted nature will never let that shortcoming slip away and you will continue to give that benefit to the House”, the Prime Minister concluded.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi, earlier today. The three-day Conference was held in Pusa, Delhi from 26 to 28 December, 2025.

Prime Minister observed that this conference marks another decisive step in strengthening the spirit of cooperative federalism and deepening Centre-State partnership to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister emphasised that Human Capital comprising knowledge, skills, health and capabilities is the fundamental driver of economic growth and social progress and must be developed through a coordinated Whole-of-Government approach.

The Conference included discussions around the overarching theme of ‘Human Capital for Viksit Bharat’. Highlighting India's demographic advantage, the Prime Minister stated that nearly 70 percent of the population is in the working-age group, creating a unique historical opportunity which, when combined with economic progress, can significantly accelerate India's journey towards Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister said that India has boarded the “Reform Express”, driven primarily by the strength of its young population, and empowering this demographic remains the government’s key priority. Prime Minister noted that the Conference is being held at a time when the country is witnessing next-generation reforms and moving steadily towards becoming a major global economic power.

He further observed that Viksit Bharat is synonymous with quality and excellence and urged all stakeholders to move beyond average outcomes. Emphasising quality in governance, service delivery and manufacturing, the Prime Minister stated that the label "Made in India' must become a symbol of excellence and global competitiveness.

Prime Minister emphasised the need to strengthen Aatmanirbharta, stating that India must pursue self-reliance with zero defect in products and minimal environmental impact, making the label 'Made in India' synonymous with quality and strengthen our commitment to 'Zero Effect, Zero Defect.’ He urged the Centre and States to jointly identify 100 products for domestic manufacturing to reduce import dependence and strengthen economic resilience in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister emphasised the need to map skill demand at the State and global levels to better design skill development strategies. In higher education too, he suggested that there is a need for academia and industry to work together to create high quality talent.

For livelihoods of youth, Prime Minister observed that tourism can play a huge role. He highlighted that India has a rich heritage and history with a potential to be among the top global tourist destinations. He urged the States to prepare a roadmap for creating at least one global level tourist destination and nourishing an entire tourist ecosystem.

PM Modi said that it is important to align the Indian national sports calendar with the global sports calendar. India is working to host the 2036 Olympics. India needs to prepare infrastructure and sports ecosystem at par with global standards. He observed that young kids should be identified, nurtured and trained to compete at that time. He urged the States that the next 10 years must be invested in them, only then will India get desired results in such sports events. Organising and promoting sports events and tournaments at local and district level and keeping data of players will create a vibrant sports environment.

PM Modi said that soon India would be launching the National Manufacturing Mission (NMM). Every State must give this top priority and create infrastructure to attract global companies. He further said that it included Ease of Doing Business, especially with respect to land, utilities and social infrastructure. He also called upon states to encourage manufacturing, boost ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and strengthen the services sector. In the services sector, PM Modi said that there should be greater emphasis on other areas like Healthcare, education, transport, tourism, professional services, AI, etc. to make India a Global Services Giant.

Prime Minister also emphasized that as India aspires to be the food basket of the world, we need to shift to high value agriculture, dairy, fisheries, with a focus on exports. He pointed out that the PM Dhan Dhanya Scheme has identified 100 districts with lower productivity. Similarly, in learning outcomes States must identify the lowest 100 districts and must work on addressing the issues around the low indicators.

PM also urged the States to use Gyan Bharatam Mission for digitization of manuscripts. He said that States may start a Abhiyan to digitize such manuscripts available in States. Once these manuscripts are digitized, Al can be used for synthesizing the wisdom and knowledge available.

Prime Minister noted that the Conference reflects India’s tradition of collective thinking and constructive policy dialogue, and that the Chief Secretaries Conference, institutionalised by the Government of India, has become an effective platform for collective deliberation.

Prime Minister emphasised that States should work in tandem with the discussions and decisions emerging from both the Chief Secretaries and the DGPs Conferences to strengthen governance and implementation.

Prime Minister suggested that similar conferences could be replicated at the departmental level to promote a national perspective among officers and improve governance outcomes in pursuit of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister also said that all States and UTs must prepare capacity building plan along with the Capacity Building Commission. He said that use of Al in governance and awareness on cyber security is need of the hour. States and Centre have to put emphasis on cyber security for the security of every citizen.

Prime Minister said that the technology can provide secure and stable solutions through our entire life cycle. There is a need to utilise technology to bring about quality in governance.

In the conclusion, Prime Minister said that every State must create 10-year actionable plans based on the discussions of this Conference with 1, 2, 5 and 10 year target timelines wherein technology can be utilised for regular monitoring.

The three-day Conference emphasised on special themes which included Early Childhood Education; Schooling; Skilling; Higher Education; and Sports and Extracurricular Activities recognising their role in building a resilient, inclusive and future-ready workforce.

Discussion during the Conference

The discussions during the Conference reflected the spirit of Team India, where the Centre and States came together with a shared commitment to transform ideas into action. The deliberations emphasised the importance of ensuring time-bound implementation of agreed outcomes so that the vision of Viksit Bharat translates into tangible improvements in citizens’ lives. The sessions provided a comprehensive assessment of the current situation, key challenges and possible solutions across priority areas related to human capital development.

The Conference also facilitated focused deliberations over meals on Heritage & Manuscript Preservation and Digitisation; and Ayush for All with emphasis on integrating knowledge in primary healthcare delivery.

The deliberations also emphasised the importance of effective delivery, citizen-centric governance and outcome-oriented implementation to ensure that development initiatives translate into measurable on-ground impact. The discussions highlighted the need to strengthen institutional capacity, improve inter-departmental coordination and adopt data-driven monitoring frameworks to enhance service delivery. Focus was placed on simplifying processes, leveraging technology and ensuring last-mile reach so that benefits of development reach every citizen in a timely, transparent and inclusive manner, in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

The Conference featured a series of special sessions that enabled focused deliberations on cross-cutting and emerging priorities. These sessions examined policy pathways and best practices on Deregulation in States, Technology in Governance: Opportunities, Risks & Mitigation; AgriStack for Smart Supply Chain & Market Linkages; One State, One World Class Tourist Destination; Aatmanirbhar Bharat & Swadeshi; and Plans for a post-Left Wing Extremism future. The discussions highlighted the importance of cooperative federalism, replication of successful State-level initiatives and time-bound implementation to translate deliberations into measurable outcomes.

The Conference was attended by Chief Secretaries, senior officials of all States/Union Territories, domain experts and senior officers in the centre.