Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the startup sector in India is getting very vibrant and this bodes well for the country in the days to come.
Addressing the nation through his monthly radio programme " Mann Ki Baat ' 's 80th episode, Modi said that the startup culture is expanding even to smaller cities and this is an indication of a bright future.
"Ask any youngster what he or she wants to do and a common answer will be startup", Modi said.
He highlighted the entrepreneurship around toy industry, where India is now looking to make a mark in the markets abroad.
"Just a few days ago, toys in our country were being discussed. Within no time, when this caught the attention of our youth, they too resolutely decided to work towards positioning Indian toys in the world with a distinct identity", Modi said.
The world is a huge market for toys, a market of ₹ 6-7 lakh crore, he added.
"Today India's share is miniscule. But, how to craft toys, what diversity to be lent to toys, what technology to be used, how toys should be compatible with child psychology . ..these are where the youth of the country is applying minds to. .wishing to contribute something", he said.
He also highlighted that the recent space sector reforms have captured the imagination of the youth. He said that Indian youth now want to do something new and at large scale.
Skill Development
PM Modi also said that it is time to give importance to skill development. He highlighted that the whole world is emphasising the most on skill. " We have to respect talent, we have to work hard to be skilled. We should be proud to be skilled. There is no dearth of opportunities for skilled people in the world today. We must also give full respect to skilled people, no matter what work they do", he said.
Sports Momentum
Highlighting that there is renewed momentum about sports in the country after India's commendable performance in the Olympics, Modi said that every medal that India wins is special.
"Every medal is special. When India won a medal in hockey, the nation rejoiced. Major Dyan Chand Ji would have been so happy. India's youth wants to do something new and on a large scale", he said.
The Prime Minister said that India must take advantage of the current momentum in the area of sports and ensure that "our field (sports grounds in villages, towns, cities ) must be full of players".
"Olympics has boosted our confidence. When there is such momentum, we must not stop
We must make the momentum permanent. Let every one play, let everyone blossom. We must take advantage of this momentum", he said.
Swachh Bharat
Modi hailed the initiatives towards creating a ' Swachh Bharat'. He highlighted that Indore continues to be number one in 'Swachhata' rankings for last many years. Now, the people of Indore have resolved to make their city a 'Water plus City'.
"In our country, cleanliness will improve with the number of 'Water Plus' cities. We should not let the efforts towards furthering Swachh Bharat Abhiyan lose pace", he added.
Covid Vaccination
Modi said that more than 62 crore vaccine doses have been administered in the country, but still one would have to be careful, be vigilant.
Sivaganga district
Modi lauded the efforts of the Kanjirangal Panchayat of Sivaganga district in Tamil Nadu for its model of creating wealth from waste.
This gram panchayat along with the local people has started an indigenous project to generate electricity from waste in their village.
"The garbage is collected from the entire village, electricity is generated from it and the residual products are also sold as pesticides. The electricity generated from this power plant is utilised for streetlights and other needs of the village", he said.