Govt creating system that gives opportunity to every youngster: PM Modi

New Delhi, Oct 29 (PTI) Asserting that it is his government’s commitment to providing employment to a maximum number of youngsters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that a system is being created that gives opportunity to every youth and allows them to fulfil their aspirations.

Addressing a ‘Rozgar Mela’ after distributing appointment letters for government jobs to over 51,000 people, he spoke of his government’s efforts to boost the presence of new technologies and modern sectors such as space and semiconductors so that new employment opportunities are created.

In his video address, Modi said earlier governments lacked in policy and intent, leading to India falling behind the world in rising sectors, including in modern technologies. Old and outdated technologies used to be brought to the country, he added.

“A mindset existed that believed modern technologies cannot develop in our country. This mindset did us a lot of harm,” he said, stressing that if industries which generated employment in the modern world did not exist in the country, then creating new employment opportunities would be difficult.

“We began work to rid the country of this old mindset of earlier governments,” Modi said, adding that policies and decisions of the government have a direct bearing on employment.

So far, over 7.5 lakh people have been given appointment letters for government jobs since the launch of the Rozgar Mela scheme by the prime minister in 2022.

The prime minister said it is his government’s commitment to give jobs to the maximum number of people and cited the all-around infrastructure works such as the construction of expressways, highways, ports, rail networks and airports underway in the country.

Water and gas pipelines are being laid, and schools and universities are being opened, he said, asserting that development works are not only giving facilities to people but also creating employment opportunities.

Greeting people on the occasion of Dhanteras, he said this Diwali is going to be special as it will be the first when Lord Ram is placed in his grand temple in Ayodhya. Many generations passed waiting for this moment, he added.

“The current generation is extremely fortunate to witness and become a part of such celebrations.”

Highlighting his government’s efforts to create more employment opportunities, he referred to the Production-linked Incentives (PLI) scheme to encourage domestic manufacturing. A massive investment is taking place, leading to the creation of record opportunities, Modi said.

Over 1.5 lakh startups have been launched on this government’s watch, he said, while also pointing to the paid internship programme for youngsters which seeks to induct over one crore youth over the next five years.

India, Modi said, has entered into agreements with 21 countries to facilitate immigration and employment for Indian youths.

He asked government officials to conduct themselves in a way that they are cited as an example the world over. They are servants and not rulers, Modi added.

The prime minister said his dispensation has offered permanent government jobs to lakhs of youths and a large number of them were handed appointment letters even in the states being governed by the BJP and its allies.

A festive atmosphere prevails in Haryana where 26,000 youths were given jobs by the newly-formed government, Modi said while asserting that the BJP dispensation there is known for doing so without “kharchi” and “parchi” (bribe and recommendation).

Referring to the inauguration of an aircraft manufacturing facility in Vadodara, the prime minister said thousands of people would get direct employment while the MSME sector would hugely benefit by becoming a part of the manufacturing value chain.

Whenever a scheme is launched, the focus is not just only on the direct benefits to its target group but also on developing an entire ecosystem of employment generation, Modi said.

To make his point, he cited the examples of the massive rooftop solar scheme, which seeks to provide up to 300 units of electricity free, and the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ programme that aims to ensure annual income of Rs 1 lakh to 3 crore women associated with self-help groups.