“India’s Greatest Power is Knowledge and Skill”: PM Modi
PM Launches Youth-Focused Initiatives Worth ₹62,000 Crore at Kaushal Deekshant Samaroh
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 4th Oct: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today addressed the Kaushal Deekshant Samaroh at Vigyan Bhawan, launching multiple youth-centric initiatives worth over ₹62,000 crore, aimed at skill development, employment, and higher education across India, with special focus on Bihar.
Shri Modi greeted lakhs of ITI students and teachers, recalling the government’s initiative of large-scale convocation ceremonies for skill development institutions. Emphasizing that India is a nation of knowledge and skill, he described intellectual strength as the country’s greatest asset.
Key Announcements
- PM SETU Scheme (₹60,000 crore): Over 1,000 ITIs will be upgraded with new machinery, industry-aligned curricula, and expert training, connecting youth with global skill demands.
- Skill Labs: 1,200 labs inaugurated across Navodaya Vidyalayas and Eklavya Model Schools nationwide.
- Bihar Skill University: Named after Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur, it aims to advance education and skill development for disadvantaged sections.
- Youth Empowerment: Thousands of appointment letters for permanent government jobs distributed; scholarship amounts under the Student Credit Card scheme increased from ₹1,800 to ₹3,600, with interest-free loans.
- Educational Infrastructure: Expansion at IIT Patna, NIT Patna (Bihta campus), Patna University, Bhupendra Mandal University, Jai Prakash University, and Nalanda Open University.
PM Modi praised the achievements of ITI students, noting that over 1.5 crore youth have been trained in 170 trades over the past decade. Special recognition was given to students from rural areas, daughters, and Divyang participants.
He highlighted Bihar’s transformation under Chief Minister Shri Nitish Kumar, stating that nearly 10 lakh permanent government jobs were created recently, alongside large-scale teacher recruitments improving the quality of education. The Prime Minister also announced the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (₹1 lakh crore) to help 3.5 crore youth secure private sector employment.
Shri Modi noted that skill development strengthens self-reliance, manufacturing, exports, and employment, referencing India’s rise from the “Fragile Five” to a top-three global economy. He reiterated that Bihar’s youth and India’s young population are the nation’s greatest strength, urging them to embrace education, skill, and innovation for a Viksit Bharat.
Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, along with Union Ministers Jual Oram, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, and Sukanta Majumdar, joined the event via video conferencing.
