Namaskar!

This journey of 'Rozgar Mela' has reached a crucial stage this month. Last year, 'Rozgar Mela' had started in the month of October itself. Since then, Rozgar Melas are being organized on a regular basis, time and again, at the Centre and in the NDA-ruled and BJP-ruled states. So far lakhs of youngsters have been given appointment letters for government jobs. Even today, more than 50,000 youngsters have been given government jobs. There are still a few days left for Diwali, but for the families of 50,000 youngsters who have received appointment letters, this occasion is no less than a Diwali. You all have achieved this position with your hard work. For this, all of you, my young friends, especially our daughters, deserve heartfelt appreciation. My best wishes to your families as well!

Friends,

The Rozgar Melas organized in different states and Union Territories of the country are a proof of our commitment towards the youth. Our government is working in mission mode keeping in mind the future of the youth. We are not only providing employment, but also are ensuring that the entire system is transparent, due to which the youth have confidence in the appointment process. We have not only streamlined the recruitment process but also restructured some examinations. The time taken for the recruitment cycle of Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has now almost halved. That is, the time from issue of circular letter to issuance of appointment letter has been reduced significantly. This has saved a lot of time for the youth. The government has made another important reform in the interest of the youth. SSC has started conducting some exams in Hindi, English and 13 regional languages. This is giving an opportunity to a large number of youngsters who had a language barrier in their way to apply for jobs.

Friends,

Today, the direction in which Bharat is moving and the speed at which it is moving, have helped in creating new employment opportunities in every sector. You must have heard of the Dhordo village of Gujarat. You might know that Dhordo is a village in Kutch district bordering Pakistan. This Dhordo village has been given the honour of the Best Tourism Village by the United Nations. Earlier, Hoysala temples of Karnataka, and Santiniketan of West Bengal have got the recognition of World Heritage Site. You can imagine how much this has increased the potential for tourism and expansion of the economy here. First, expansion in tourism directly means that new employment opportunities will increase rapidly. As a result of tourism, the benefits will go to the nearby hotels, small shopkeepers, bus drivers, taxi drivers and auto rickshaw drivers. Everyone benefits, including drivers and even tourist guides. Similarly, sports sector is also a sector which is creating new employment opportunities. Our players are exhibiting unprecedented performances in national and international games. These achievements are also a sign of major changes and development in the sports landscape of our country. And when the sports sector develops, it not only produces better players but also creates many new opportunities for trainers, physios, referees and sports nutritionists.

Friends,

We are strengthening the traditional sectors that provide employment. And besides this, we are promoting new sectors like renewable energy, space, automation and defence exports. New doors of possibilities have opened in drone technology. Today, the use of farmer drones in crop assessment and spraying of nutrients is gradually increasing. Under the Swamitva scheme, drones are being used in land mapping. You might have seen a video a few days ago. In Lahaul-Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, ICMR transported medicines from one place to another with the help of drones. Earlier this work used to take two hours but with the help of drones it can be done in 20, 25, 30 minutes or even less than that. Drones have also given rise to a large number of startups. The investment made in this sector is helping the youth in designing new types of drones.

My family members,

In this month, we have also celebrated the birth anniversary of Pujya Bapu. Gandhiji used the charkha as a powerful symbol of Swadeshi and Karmayoga. Khadi's shine which was lost before has now been brought back. 10 years ago the sales of Khadi were around Rs 30 thousand crores. Now it has crossed Rs 1.25 lakh crore. This has created many new employment opportunities in the Khadi and Village Industries sector. Women, in particular, have got a lot of benefit from this.

Friends,

Every country has different types of capabilities. Some have natural resources; some are endowed with minerals; some have the strength of a long coastline. But to utilize this potential, the greatest strength that is required is the power of our youth. The stronger the youth power, the more the country will develop. Today Bharat is preparing its youth to take advantage of new opportunities through skilling and education. Keeping in view the modern needs of the future, modern National Education Policy is being implemented in the country. A large number of new medical colleges, skill development institutes like IITs, IIMs or IIITs have been opened in the country. Crores of youngsters have been given training under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana. Crores of artisans in our country earn their livelihood through their traditional occupations. PM Vishwakarma Yojana has also been started for such Vishwakarma artisans. Today, in the era of technology, everything is changing rapidly, so everyone has to keep updating their skills and knowledge. After learning any new skill, it is very important to continuously upskill and re-skill it. Under the PM Vishwakarma Yojana, traditional skills of artisans are being linked with modern technology and tools.

My family members,

Creating employment opportunities for the youth is an important part of the process of nation building. This is a vital step towards achieving the goal of a developed Bharat. As a government employee, you have to take all such schemes forward and implement them on the ground. Today, all of you are joining us as important partners in our journey of nation building. You are fulfilling your dreams today but at the same time you are also taking responsibility for the dreams of your countrymen. Your active and proactive contribution is very important in making this journey successful. So, I urge you to also keep expanding your knowledge-base on I-GoT portal. Your every step will help in taking the country forward rapidly on the path of development. 

Once again, my best wishes to all of you. Best wishes to your family members! Today is Sharad Purnima. The upcoming days mark the period of festivals. Wherever you might be; you might be engaged in government work, but make sure to propagate this mantra of 'vocal for local' everywhere. Tell your family members that we will be committed to 'vocal for local' and that is a crucial way for increasing employment opportunities. It is also a way to provide new opportunities. Once again, my best wishes to all of you! Thank you very much.

DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of PM’s speech. Original speech was delivered in Hindi.

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DS/VJ /VK/AK