Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, asked the youth to come out of their comfort zones and embrace risks for a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047, underlining their role in shaping the nation's future.
On the occasion of National Youth Day, commemorating the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, PM Modi addressed 3,000 young leaders. He said while the goal of Viksit Bharat is significant, it is not impossible, dispelling the views of naysayers.
"With the collective efforts of millions of young people driving the wheels of progress, the nation will undoubtedly reach its target," he said.
PM Modi cautioned not to get comfortable and asked the youth to move out of their comfort zones.
"We must avoid getting used to our comfort zone. Comfort zones can be dangerous. Progress requires taking risks and pushing boundaries. The youth participating in this dialogue have already demonstrated this by stepping out of their comfort zones to be here. This life mantra will take you to new heights of success," PM Modi said.
"Many of the world's largest companies are being run by Indian youth. The whole world admires the potential of Indian youth. We have a 25-year golden period, an Amrit Kaal, and I am fully confident that India's Yuva Shakti will make India a developed nation," he said.
"Achieving big goals is not just the job of government machinery but requires collective effort from every citizen," PM Modi said while emphasizing deliberation, direction, and ownership in making national objectives real.
Speaking to those present, the Prime Minister said the process is best seen in the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue where the youth participated from quiz activities, essay competitions, to presentations.
He appreciated the youth for their broad thinking and for their active participation in discussions with experts, ministers, and policymakers.
The Prime Minister declared that the ideas and suggestions from the Young Leaders Dialogue will now become part of national policies, guiding the country's development.
He congratulated the youth and reiterated his commitment to bringing one lakh new young people into politics, encouraging them to participate actively in implementing their suggestions.
PM Modi praised the success of the new generation in the last decade as follows: "In just 10 years, you have positioned India as one of the world's top three startup ecosystems, taken India's manufacturing sector ahead, made the Digital India initiative globally popular, and achieved significant breakthroughs in sports. If India's youth can do the impossible, they will undoubtedly make Viksit Bharat a reality."
The Prime Minister reiterated the government's commitment to youth empowerment, focusing on efforts to increase educational infrastructure.
"A new university is coming up every week in India. A new ITI is opening every day. A new Atal Tinkering Lab is being inaugurated every third day. And, two new colleges are coming up every day. Now, there are 23 IITs in the country. In one decade, IIITs have come up from nine to 25, and IIMs from 13 to 21. AIIMS has tripled in number, and medical colleges almost doubled," he said.
He also referred to the international acknowledgement of institutions of higher learning across the country.
India is now almost a $4 trillion economy, he said and added that at today's rate, the infrastructure budget stands over Rs 11 lakh crore, nearly six times more than a decade ago, and more is spent on railways alone than was spent in the entire infrastructure budget of 2014.
This has reflected in India's changing landscape, and it is beautifully showcased in Bharat Mandapam.
"India is rapidly moving towards becoming a $5 trillion economy, which will greatly expand development and facilities," said PM Modi.
Expressing confidence that by the end of the next decade India will surpass the $10 trillion economy mark, PM Modi said that the young generation will not only drive the greatest transformation in the country's history but also be its biggest beneficiary.
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