New Delhi :- My heartiest congratulations to all of you for becoming the protectors of the country’s freedom and protectors of the crores of countrymen in this ‘Azaadi Ka Amritkaal’. I am calling you ‘Amrit Rakshaks’ because the youngsters who are getting appointment letters today will not only serve the country but also protect the country’s citizens. That’s why in a way you are the protectors of the people and also the ‘Amrit Rakshaks’ of the ‘Amritkaal’.
My family members,
This time, this Rozgar Mela is being organized in such an atmosphere wherein the country is full of pride and confidence. Our Chandrayaan and its rover Pragyan, are continuously sending pictures from the Moon that are creating history. In this moment of pride, you are about to embark on the most important journey of your life. I extend my best wishes to all the successful candidates and their families.
Friends,
Joining the army, joining the defence forces, joining the police service, every youth dreams of becoming a watchdog for the country’s defence. And therefore you have a great responsibility. That’s why our government has been very serious about your needs as well.
In the last few years, we have made several major changes in the recruitment process of paramilitary forces. The process from application to selection has been expedited. The examination for recruitment in paramilitary forces is now being conducted in 13 local languages too. Earlier there was an option to choose either Hindi or English in such examinations, but now the mother tongue has been given importance . This change has helped provide opportunities to lakhs of youngsters to get employment.
Last year hundreds of tribal youngsters were appointed in Naxal affected districts of Chhattisgarh. They were given an opportunity to get recruited in the defence forces by easing the rules so that they remain connected with the mainstream of development. Similarly, the quota has been increased in the constable recruitment exam for the youth of border districts and militancy affected districts. Due to the efforts of the government, the paramilitary forces are continuously getting strengthened.
Friends,
You play a significant role in ensuring the development of the country. The atmosphere of security and law & order accelerate the pace of development. You can take the example of UP. Once UP was far behind in terms of development and far ahead in terms of crime. But now with the rule of law being established, UP is touching new heights of development. A fear-free society is being established in Uttar Pradesh, which once lived in terror of goons and mafia. Such law and order instills confidence in the people. And when the crime rate was reduced, investment also started increasing in UP; investment started flowing in. On the contrary, we also see that in the states where crime rate is at its peak, investment starts decreasing proportionately; and all the work for livelihood comes to a standstill.
My family members,
Nowadays you constantly read that India is the fastest growing economy in the world. India will be among the top-3 economies in this decade. And when I give this guarantee to you, or Modi gives this guarantee to his countrymen and family members, it is done with a great responsibility. But when you read about this, a question comes to your mind: what will be its impact on the ordinary citizens of the country? And this question is very natural.
Friends,
For any economy to move forward, it is necessary for every sector of the country to develop. From the food sector to pharma, from space to startups, when every sector moves forward, the economy will also move forward. Let’s take the example of the pharma industry. India’s pharma industry was greatly appreciated during the pandemic. Today this industry is worth more than Rs 4 lakh crore. And it is being said that by 2030, India’s pharma industry will be worth about Rs 10 lakh crore. Now when this pharma industry moves forward, what does it mean? This means that in this decade the pharma industry will need several times more number of youngsters than today. Many new employment opportunities will be created.
Friends,
Today, automobile and auto components industries in the country are also witnessing rapid growth. At present, both these industries are worth more than Rs 12 lakh crore. It is expected to increase further in the coming years. To handle this growth, the automobile industry will also need a large number of new youngsters. New workers will be needed and innumerable employment opportunities will be created. You must have seen that these days there is a lot of discussion about the importance of the food processing industry. India’s food processing market was worth around Rs 26 lakh crore last year. Now in the next 3-3.5 years, this sector will be worth about Rs 35 lakh crore. That is, the more it expands, the more youngsters will be needed and more employment opportunities will be created.
Friends,
Infrastructure is developing rapidly in India today. In the last 9 years, the central government has invested more than Rs 30 lakh crore on infrastructure. This is expanding connectivity across the country; it has given rise to new possibilities in the tourism and hospitality sectors. And new possibilities simply mean that more and more employment opportunities are being created.
Friends,
By 2030, the contribution of the tourism sector in our economy is estimated to be more than Rs 20 lakh crore. It is believed that 13 to 14 crore people are going to get new jobs from this industry alone. From all these examples, you can understand that India’s development is not just a race of numbers. This development will have an impact on the lives of every citizen of India. This means that a large number of employment opportunities are being created. And this is ensuring an increase in income and quality of life. We also see within a family of farmers, if there is a bumper crop and they get good prices for their crops, then the house is filled with joy. They buy new clothes; they feel like going out and buying new things. If the income of the household increases, then there is a positive change in the lives of the family members too. Just like in the family, it is the same with the country. As the income of the country increases, the power of the country increases, and the wealth increases; the citizens of the country too will start becoming prosperous.
Friends,
With our efforts during the last 9 years, another new phase of change has started appearing. Last year India made record exports. This is an indication that the demand for Indian goods is continuously increasing in the world markets. This means that our production has increased, and at the same time jobs have also increased due to the need for new youngsters in the production process. And naturally, the income of the family is also increasing. Today India is the second largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world. The demand for mobile phones is also increasing continuously in the country. The efforts of the government have also increased mobile manufacturing manifold. Now the country is moving beyond mobiles and focusing on other electronic gadgets as well.
In the field of IT hardware production, we are going to repeat the same success that we have achieved in the field of mobiles. The day is not far when the best quality laptops, tablets and personal computers made in India will enhance our glory around the world just like mobiles. Following the mantra of Vocal for Local, the Government of India is also emphasizing upon buying several products like Made in India Laptops and Computers. As a result, manufacturing has increased and new employment opportunities are also being created for the youth. That’s why I will once again repeat, all of you have a huge responsibility and that is to handle and protect this whole cycle of the economy. And as you all are starting out as security personnel, you can imagine the kind of responsibility that you have.
My family members,
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana was launched 9 years ago on this day. This scheme has played a major role in the economic empowerment of the villages and the poor as well as in employment generation. 9 years ago, a large number of people in the country did not even have a bank account. But due to Jan Dhan Yojana, more than 50 crore new bank accounts have been opened in the last 9 years. This scheme has not only helped in providing government benefits directly to the poor and villagers, but also has given a lot of strength to the women, dalits, backward people and tribals in terms of employment and self-employment.
When bank accounts were opened in every village, lakhs of youngsters got job opportunities as banking correspondents and as Bank Mitras. Thousands of our sons and daughters got employment in the form of Bank Mitra, Bank Sakhi. Today, more than 21 lakh young friends are serving in every village as Banking Correspondents, or Bank Mitra or Bank Sakhi. A large number of digital sakhis are connecting women and senior citizens with banking services.
Similarly, Jan Dhan Yojana gave impetus to another massive campaign for employment and self-employment, and that is Mudra Yojana. This made it easier for those sections, including women, to take loans for small businesses, who could never even think of it before. These people did not have any guarantee to give to the banks. In such a scenario, the government itself took the guarantee on their behalf. Loans worth more than Rs 24 lakh crore have been given so far under Mudra Yojana. Among the beneficiaries there are about 8 crore people who have started their business for the first time. Under the PM Svanidhi scheme, around 43 lakh street vendors have been sanctioned loans without any guarantee from banks for the first time. A large number of women, dalits, backward and my tribal youth are among the beneficiaries of Mudra and Svanidhi.
Jan Dhan accounts have also helped a lot in strengthening the women self help groups in the villages. Nowadays, when I go to the village, when I meet the sisters of women’s self-help groups, many of them come and say that ‘I am a lakhpati Didi’. Everything has become possible because of this. The financial assistance provided by the government is now directly deposited in the bank accounts of women associated with women self-help groups. The role played by Jan Dhan Yojana in speeding up social and economic change in the country is indeed a subject of research for the top universities.
Friends,
So far I have addressed lakhs of youngsters in various events of Rozgar Mela. Those youngsters have got jobs in public service or other sectors. All of you young friends are my greatest strength in the mission of bringing a change in Government and Governance. You all belong to that generation where everything is just a click away. So, you can understand that people want fast delivery of every service. You are well aware that today’s generation does not want piecemeal solutions to problems. They want permanent solutions. Therefore, being public servants, you have to take such decisions, fulfil such responsibilities, and be ready every moment in such a way, which is beneficial to the people in the long run.
The generation you belong to is determined to achieve success. This generation does not want anyone’s favour. It just wants one thing and that is, no one should become an obstacle in their way. Therefore, it is very important for you as public servants to understand that the government is always there to serve the public and to fulfil the aspirations of the public. If you work with this in mind, then it will be easier for you in maintaining law and order.
Friends,
While fulfilling your important responsibility in the paramilitary forces, you must also maintain the attitude of continuous learning. There are more than 600 different courses available on the IGoT Karmayogi portal for Karmayogis like you. There are certificate courses. More than 20 lakh government employees have registered on this portal. They are studying online and writing exams.
I urge you all to join this portal from day one and decide from day one that you would try your best, complete as many certificate courses as possible, and obtain as many certificates as possible. And you see, whatever you learn, know and understand is not just limited to the exams. But it is to carry out your duties in your lives in the best possible way. It holds the potential to turn into a great opportunity for you.
Friends,
Your field belongs to the world of uniforms. I would urge all of you not to compromise in physical fitness at all because your work is not limited to a particular time-frame. You have to face all the vagaries of the weather. Physical fitness is very important for those working in your department. Half of the work is done with physical fitness. If you stand strong then you do not have to do anything extra to maintain law and order; just your presence there is enough.
Secondly, you might face certain stressful moments during your duty. There might be stress over small things. In my opinion, Yoga should be a daily practice in your life. You will see that a balanced mind will immensely boost up your work. Yoga is not just a physical exercise. It is very important to make it a part of life for a healthy mind, for a balanced mind and for people like you to be free from stress during duty.
Friends,
When the country will celebrate 100 years of independence in 2047, then you would have reached a very high position in the government. The 25 years of the country and these 25 years of your life, has such a wonderful connection! So, you should not miss this opportunity now. Develop your full power, potential, as much as you can, and dedicate yourself as much as you can. The more you dedicate your lives for the common man, the more satisfied you will feel in life; it will bring you wonderful joy. And success in your personal life will give you immense overall satisfaction.
My best wishes to you, many congratulations to your family members! Thank you very much.
DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of PM’s speech. Original speech was delivered in Hindi.
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