New Delhi, Sept. 19 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the government was working on multiple fronts to expand employment opportunities for the youth, citing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), skilling initiatives and a Rs 1 lakh crore employment incentive scheme aimed at bringing two crore young people into the formal workforce.
Addressing a 'Rozgar Mela' (Jobs Fair) virtually, he said the talent and skills of India's youth have won the trust of the entire world, which has great expectations from Indian innovators, entrepreneurs and the country's youthful strength.
"India signed 40 Free Trade Agreements. These FTAs are opening new doors of possibilities for our youth. Such trade agreements pave the way for new partnerships for our entrepreneurs, open paths to new markets, and create new possibilities in careers for our youth," Modi said.
He distributed more than 51,000 appointment letters virtually to newly selected youth, who will join various government departments and organisations.
Referring to the just-concluded BRICS Summit, Modi said India's effort has been to ensure that BRICS cooperation does not remain limited to governments alone.
"Our entrepreneurs, our farmers, our women, our youth - everyone should become an active partner in this partnership," he said. He said initiatives such as BRICS CONNECT and the BRICS MSME Cooperation Portal were aimed at bringing entrepreneurs, farmers, women and youth into such partnerships.
Referring to the country's startup ecosystem, the prime minister said India's youth power is reflected in it and the startup ecosystem is no longer limited to big cities but has expanded to smaller cities as well.
"India is today the world's third-largest startup ecosystem. And India's startup story is no longer just the story of big cities. Today, nearly half of recognised startups are in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities," he said.
Modi also highlighted the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana, a Rs 1 lakh crore initiative aimed at bringing two crore youth into the formal workforce for the first time.
He said the scheme provides incentives of up to Rs 15,000 to first-time employees while also financially incentivising employers who create new jobs. "The government is working on every front to increase employment in the country," he said.
Modi also highlighted the government's skilling initiatives, including the National Education Policy, Skill India Mission and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana.
He said 1,000 government Industrial Training Institutes are being modernised under the PM-SETU scheme with an investment of Rs 60,000 crore and participation from industry. He cited a 7.8 per cent economic growth rate and a nearly 12 per cent rise in investments during the first quarter, and underlined upgrades to India's sovereign credit ratings amid global uncertainties.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.