Realizing the true potential of the Indian youth has been one of the key missions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who firmly believes that the youth of the country will decide its future. While addressing the valedictory function of the 2nd National Youth Parliament Festival recently, he put the onus of making India self-reliant on the young men and women of the country. He even called upon them to join politics to bring about tangible and positive change.
In the context of Atmanirbhar Bharat, or self-reliant India – his favourite theme and the most important mission of his government – Prime Minister has often invoked the ideals of Swami Vivekananda, the greatest ever youth idol of the country who underscored the importance of self-knowledge, self-realization, and self-empowerment.
For Modi, the youth’s participation in Atmanirbhar Bharat is crucial because the mission highlights the need for self-improvement and contributing to the greater good of the world. Instead of promoting protectionism and isolationism, it focuses on the Indian ideal of “vasudhaiv kutumbkam” (world is a family). The Prime Minister wants Indians to be self-reliant in true sense of the term.
Contrary to the notion pushed forward by critics that Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat is a product of his political compulsions, stemming from India’s confrontation with China in the Galwan Valley, the Prime Minister had started working on this mission long back. Even in his first term, Prime Minister Modi had taken several steps that were aimed at making the country self-dependent in some crucial sectors. His emphasis on infrastructure development and upgradation has been a key element of this mission whose seeds were undoubtedly sown during his first stint in office.
Significantly, the Prime Minister wants Indians at all levels to realize the goal of self-reliance. For that purpose, his government has been providing adequate support. If big concessions have been announced for the industry, especially the MSME sector, crucial support measures for the poor have also been put in place. In the immediate wake of the prolonged lockdown that had to be enforced in view of the corona pandemic, the Prime Minister had announced a huge financial package to bolster the Atmanirbhar Bharat Mission.
Details of this package were made known to the nation later by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and satisfied people belonging to all categories. The livelihood support measures for the poor were particularly invaluable as lakhs of migrant workers across the country had been rendered jobless due to the pandemic.
If anything, the confrontation with the Chinese in the Galwan Valley only accelerated the process of making the country self-reliant in all respects. A slew of Chinese mobile apps were banned and Indians soon started coming with their own inventions. Now the ever-increasing involvement of youth is going to make the mission even more successful.
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