Fulfilling the aspirations of the people is not just a topic of discussion but a core objective of the Union Budget, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said in a webinar on post-budget discussions.
He said that health, education, skills development, tourism, sports and culture are some of the sectors that serve as a means to achieve these aspirations. He asked for suggestions to enhance it.
Modi noted that India has made great strides in providing universal healthcare. He emphasized how initiatives such as telemedicine have made care available in remote areas.
“The health sector has been strengthened. Ayushman Bharat Yojana and Arogya Mandirs have increased penetration of health services in rural areas. We need to focus on the care economy as well. As the number of senior citizens increases, the demand for caregivers will also rise. Therefore, there will be a need to develop new training models,” he said.
Modi called for strengthening the training ecosystem and creating more awareness. “The mentality of young people has changed now…even in faraway places, they want to do something new. This is our biggest strength, and to capitalize on that, we need an updated approach linked to a truly global economic system.”
Modi called for accelerating the process of linking the education system with the real world economy. “There should be greater emphasis on artificial intelligence, automation, the digital economy, and design-led manufacturing.”
Modi said academic institutions should develop campuses in ways that allow students exposure to the real world. “Another important sector is science, technology, engineering and mathematics [Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics]. It is encouraging to see that the girls of our country have a keen interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Today, when we talk about future technologies, it is important that no daughter should hold back due to lack of opportunities.
Modi called for the creation of a research ecosystem in which young researchers get ample opportunities to work on new ideas. He said the government has incorporated sports into daily life to create a new sports ecosystem. “Youth power only becomes a national power when they are healthy, disciplined and full of self-confidence. For this reason, sports in the past few years have been seen as an important stream of national development.”
Modi called for enhancing sports facilities in view of upcoming international sporting events, such as the Commonwealth Games. “We need young athletes and prepare them for international events.”
Initiatives like Khelo India have injected new energy into the country’s sports ecosystem, he said. “Sports infrastructure is being strengthened across the country.” Modi called for focus on tourism ecosystems with emphasis on cleanliness, hospitality, etc.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Higher Education Department organized a webinar titled “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas – Realizing People’s Aspirations: Education, Skills and University Cities”. Policy makers, industry leaders, academia, startups and students attended the webinar to discuss implementation pathways to strengthen education, skills and creative economy ecosystem in India.
