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PM addresses post-budget webinar on ‘Harnessing Youth Power - Skilling and Education’

Published By : Admin | February 25, 2023 | 09:55 IST
“This year’s budget strengthens the foundations of the education system by making it more practical and industry oriented”
“Equal emphasis is being given to both education and skilling as part of the New Educational Policy”
“Futuristic steps like Virtual Labs and National Digital Library are going to change the entire space of our education, skills and knowledge-science”
“Central government is focussed on providing internships and apprenticeships to give ‘outside the classroom exposure’ to its youth”
“Provision of a stipend has been made available for about 50 lakh youth under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme”
“Government is focussed on creating a skilled workforce for Industry 4.0 sectors like AI, Robotics, IoT, and Drones”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the post-budget webinar on ‘Harnessing Youth Power - Skilling and Education’ today. It is the third of a series of 12 post-budget webinars organized by the government to seek ideas and suggestions for the effective implementation of the initiatives announced in the Union Budget 2023.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister underlined that Skill and Education are the two principal tools during India’s Amrit Kaal and it is the youth who are leading the nation’s Amrit Yatra with the vision of a developed India. Highlighting the special emphasis given towards the youth and their future in the first budget of Amrit Kaal, the Prime Minister said that this year’s budget strengthens the foundations of the education system by making it more practical and industry oriented. The Prime Minister lamented the lack of flexibility in the education system over the years and mentioned the efforts of the government to bring about change. “Education and skilling have been reoriented according to the aptitude of the youth and the demands of the future”, the Prime Minister said. He further added that equal emphasis is being given to both education and skilling as part of the New Educational Policy and expressed delight that this step has garnered the support of teachers. The Prime Minister stated that the move encourages the government to undertake further reforms in the education and skilling sectors while unburdening our students from the regulations of the past.

Noting the experiences during the Covid pandemic, the Prime Minister underlined that new technology is helping create new types of classrooms. He noted that the government is focussing on tools that ensure ‘anywhere access to knowledge’ and gave the example of SWAYAM, an e-learning platform with 3 crore members. He pointed out the possibility of Virtual Labs and National Digital Library becoming a huge medium of knowledge. He also mentioned the opportunity to study in local languages through DTH channels and said that many such digital and technology-based initiatives are going on in the country which will get more strength from the National Digital University. “Such futuristic steps are going to change the entire space of our education, skills and knowledge-science”, the Prime Minister said, “Now the role of our teachers will not be limited only to the classroom.” He mentioned that more variety of teaching material will be available for our educational institutions from all over the country which will open new doors of opportunities for the teachers while filling the gap between village and city schools.

Throwing light on ‘on-the-job learning’ the Prime Minister noted the special emphasis by several countries and highlighted the efforts of the central government in providing focused internships and apprenticeships to give ‘outside the classroom exposure’ to its youth. “Today there are about 75 thousand employers on the National Internship Portal where requirements for 25 lakh internships have been posted so far”, the Prime Minister informed. He urged the industry and educational institutions to make maximum use of this portal and further expand the culture of internship in the country.

The Prime Minister expressed the belief that apprenticeships will make our youth future-ready and highlighted the efforts of the government in promoting apprenticeships in India. He mentioned that it will help the industries in the identification of the workforce with the right skills. Throwing light on this year’s budget, the Prime Minister highlighted the provision of a stipend that has been made available for about 50 lakh youth under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme. He said that it is creating an environment for apprenticeships and also helping the industry in payments.

Underlining the need for a skilled workforce, the Prime Minister underlined that the world is looking at India as a manufacturing hub and noted the enthusiasm of the world about investing in the country. He underlined the focus on skilling in this year’s budget and mentioned the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0 that will skill, reskill and upskill lakhs of youth in the coming years. He informed that tailor-made programs are being made according to the needs of tribals, differently-abled and women through this scheme. He also highlighted the focus on creating a skilled workforce for Industry 4.0 sectors like AI, Robotics, IoT, and Drones, thereby making it easier for international investors to scout talent without having to spend much energy and resources on re-skilling. The Prime Minister also gave the example of PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman Yojana where emphasis is laid on skill development of traditional artisans, handicraftsmen, and artists to prepare them for a new market and also help in availing better prices for their products.

The Prime Minister highlighted the importance of the role and partnership of academia and industry in bringing rapid changes in the education sector in India. He underlined that research will be made possible according to the needs of the market while also creating room for adequate funding from the research industry. Highlighting this year’s budget, the Prime Minister mentioned the 3 centers of excellence for AI and said that it will strengthen the industry-academia partnership. He also stated that ICMR Labs will now be made available to medical colleges and private sector R&D teams. The Prime Minister urged the private sector to take maximum advantage of every such step to strengthen the R&D ecosystem in the country.

Laying emphasis on the ‘whole of government’ approach of the government, the Prime Minister said that education and skilling are not limited to the concerned ministry or department but their possibilities remain in every sector The Prime Minister urged the stakeholders related to skilling and education to study these opportunities coming up in different sectors and help in creating the required workforce. Giving the example of India’s fast-expanding civil aviation sector, the Prime Minister said that it showcases the growing travel and tourism industry of India while opening doors to huge sources of employment. The Prime Minister expressed the desire to prepare an updated database of the youth who have been trained under the ‘Skill India Mission’. Concluding the address, the Prime Minister stressed that the trained workforce of India should not be left behind after the advent of digital technology and AI and urged industry experts to work in this direction.

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PM chairs 11th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog
June 11, 2026
Vision of Viksit Bharat should become the collective resolve of every State, district, block and village: PM
PM calls India's 70 crore youth its asset, urges States to transform this Demographic dividend into Development dividend
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PM draws attention to concerns arising from El Niño and urges States to conserve water and promote natural farming
CMs/LGs/Administrators congratulate PM Modi on completing 12 years in office
States express solidarity with the Centre to withstand the global geo-political crisis and to strengthen India’s resilience
All States and 5 UTs attend meeting; first time when CMs of all 28 States participate
Theme of meeting : Inclusive Human Development for Viksit Bharat@2047

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chaired the 11th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, New Delhi, earlier today. This year’s theme was Inclusive Human Development for Viksit Bharat@2047. It was attended by Chief Ministers, Lt. Governors and Administrators representing 28 States and 5 UTs. This was the first time when Chief Ministers of all 28 States participated in the Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog.

Prime Minister noted that at a time when many major economies are facing uncertainty and economic challenges, India’s growth story continues to inspire the world. He emphasized the need to further strengthen the nation’s resolve towards self-reliance and highlighted the importance of adopting and implementing global best practices, particularly in the renewable energy sector.

Underscoring the importance of cooperative federalism, Prime Minister stated that the Centre and the States must work together to achieve the goal of a Viksit Bharat. He stressed that the vision of Viksit Bharat should become the collective resolve of every State, district, block and village.

Highlighting the strength of India’s demographic profile, Prime Minister observed that the country’s youth constitute its greatest asset, with nearly 70 crore Indians below the age of 25 years. Calling this a demographic dividend, he urged States to focus on transforming it into a development dividend through education, skilling and capacity-building initiatives that prepare young people for future opportunities and challenges.

Referring to India’s recently concluded trade agreements with several countries, Prime Minister encouraged States to create opportunities for youth and MSMEs and to equip stakeholders to effectively leverage the benefits arising from these agreements. He also urged States to actively attract investments from partner countries.

Emphasizing women-led development, Prime Minister called upon States to work towards increasing the number of Lakhpati Didis from 3 crore to 6 crore and stressed the importance of ensuring a safe and secure environment for Nari Shakti.

Prime Minister urged States to focus on One District One Product (ODOP) initiatives and develop export-oriented strategies around it. He also identified defence manufacturing as an emerging sector where India is establishing a distinct identity and encouraged States to formulate policies to leverage the opportunities arising from its growth.

Prime Minister highlighted the need for coordinated efforts to address emerging social challenges such as drug abuse and cyber fraud through preventive measures, awareness campaigns and effective governance.

Prime Minister also drew attention to concerns arising from El Niño conditions and appealed to States to promote water conservation and encourage natural and organic farming practices. He noted that the purchase of 11 lakh tonnes of organic manure by farmers during the current Kharif season reflected growing confidence in sustainable agriculture.

Prime Minister emphasized the need to evaluate progress at the district level, particularly through aspirational district parameters. Prime Minister suggested that on similar lines, 100 districts should be identified in the field of agriculture to bring positive results. He urged the States to take lead in this pursuit so that a phenomenal change can be achieved through the aspirational approach.

Prime Minister emphasised the need for a monitoring framework and targeted 100-day and five-year goals towards achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.

Highlighting the importance of good governance, transparency, and infrastructure for attracting investment, he urged States to focus on branding, ease of doing business, and emerging opportunities in sectors such as data centres and artificial intelligence. He emphasized that AI should be viewed as an opportunity and called for greater efforts to equip people with the skills required for the future economy.

The Chief Ministers/Lt. Governors/Administrators congratulated Prime Minister Modi on completing 12 years in his office. They also expressed solidarity with the Centre to withstand the global geo-political crisis and to strengthen India’s resilience with respect to energy requirements, and sustain its growth trajectory.

Prime Minister noted that the discussions were constructive and reflected the aspirations, hopes, experiences, best practices, and challenges of the States. Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to all the CMs, LGs and Administrators for participating in the meeting and expressed confidence that Together, through cooperation, innovation, and a shared commitment to development, India can accelerate its journey towards a Viksit Bharat by 2047.