Modi unveils skill development plan aimed at ending poverty

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 15

Stressing that poverty and unemployment are major challenges in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that the youth of the country wanted a life of dignity and respect and not of pity.

Launching the Skill India campaign here on the occasion of the first World Youth Skills Day, after a meeting of NITI Aayog, Modi said, “We have strategically opened a war against poverty and we must win this fight”.

“I will form an army of poor, every poor is my soldier, we will win this war against poverty on behalf of their strength,” PM said while stressing that India can become world’s human resource capital.

“If China has this identity of being world’s manufacturing factory, then India can become world’s human resource capital”, he said.

The Prime Minister asserted that skill could instill confidence and also bring a new strength in life.

“It’s not that skill only brings money in your pocket, it instills you with a sense of confidence, brings a new strength in life,” said Modi.

The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy was the Guest of Honour at the function while Union ministers Arun Jaitley, Manohar Parrikar, Suresh Prabhu, Anant Geete, JP Nadda, Ananth Kumar, Narendra Singh Tomar, Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Piyush Goyal and Santosh Kumar Gangwar were also present.

Modi said, “I believe Indian youth has immense talent, they just want opportunities. Our training institutions must become dynamic. Look at the way technology is changing things”.

Pointing out that there was an urgent need to create a confident work force, Modi said that if the younger generation can’t face challenges, they themselves will become a challenge for the country.

“India’s first priority is to generate employment opportunities,” PM said.

“Parents from middle class, lower middle class and poor families ask their children to learn some skill so that they can stand on their feet,” Modi said while adding, “We want opportunities to increase. That is why we have not restricted ourselves to skills, we have focussed on entrepreneurship”.

“We have to create structures and mechanisms to nurture youngsters, enabling them to find employment,” he said.