India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his virtual address to participants of the Smart India Hackathon, highlighted the crucial role of the country's youth in driving innovation and progress. He emphasized the need to invest in their resources for building a developed India, including initiatives like the National Education Policy and Atal Tinkering Labs. He also announced the upcoming "Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue" in 2025, where young Indians will share their ideas for shaping the country's development.
India's Prime Minister Modi Highlights Youth's Role in Nation-Building
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently recognized the vital role played by the country's youth in driving innovation and progress. In his virtual address to participants of the Smart India Hackathon, he reiterated this belief and announced several initiatives aimed at supporting and empowering young Indians.
Background
India has a large and growing youth population, with approximately 600 million people under the age of 25. This demographic dividend presents both opportunities and challenges for the country. On the one hand, it can drive economic growth and development. On the other hand, if not properly addressed, youth unemployment and social unrest can become major issues.
Recognizing the importance of investing in youth, the Modi government has implemented several programs and initiatives over the years. These include the National Education Policy, which aims to reform the educational system and make it more relevant to the 21st-century job market, and the Atal Tinkering Labs, which provide students with access to technology and innovation resources.
Recent Developments
In his Smart India Hackathon address, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the success of these initiatives and announced new ones. These include:
Top 5 FAQs
1. What is the Smart India Hackathon? The Smart India Hackathon is a national-level competitive programming competition organized by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), in which students from around the country compete to solve real-world problems using technology.
2. When was the National Education Policy launched? The National Education Policy was launched in 2020, replacing the previous policy which had been in place since 1986.
3. What are Atal Tinkering Labs? Atal Tinkering Labs are innovation hubs established in schools and higher education institutions across India, where students can access equipment and resources to develop their creativity and problem-solving skills.
4. When will the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue be held? The Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue will be held in 2025.
5. How can I submit my ideas for building a developed India? Young Indians can submit their ideas for building a developed India by 2047 on the MyGov India website: https://innovateindia.mygov.in/sustainable-development-goals-and-challenge-areas/
In a move that could transform the country's electoral process, the Union Cabinet has given its approval to the 'One Nation, One Election' legislation, which aims to hold simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The bill, which is expected to be introduced in the ongoing winter session of Parliament, has been met with pushback from the Opposition, with many parties expressing concerns about its potential impact on regional parties. However, the government remains determined to move forward with its core ideological agenda, and will also launch a public campaign to garner support for the legislation. The success of this initiative will ultimately depend on the government's ability to address concerns and build consensus among all political stakeholders.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be heading the Union Cabinet meeting to discuss the implementation of the One Nation One Election plan, the approval of PAN 2.0, and three railway projects to improve connectivity and efficiency. The heavy rains in Tamil Nadu and the ongoing opposition in the Assembly may also be on the agenda for discussion during the meeting.
The tension between Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar seems to have diffused as both of them visited Delhi for their respective meetings. There have been reports of differences over the power-sharing agreement between the ruling alliance in Maharashtra. Meanwhile, Pawar has hinted at a probable Cabinet expansion on Sunday, which would be the first time he and his uncle Sharad Pawar will be meeting publicly in months. The two leaders were estranged after Ajit Pawar joined hands with the Shinde-Fadnavis government in July last year.
Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party National convenor, Arvind Kejriwal, fulfilled his poll promise by announcing a Rs 2100 honorarium for all women in the city. This move is aimed at addressing concerns about the sufficiency of the previous amount of Rs 1000 in light of rising inflation. The announcement, made in a press conference, received praise from party leaders including Chief Minister Atishi and senior leader Manish Sisodia, who stated that the AAP's focus remains on the welfare of the common man.
Ex-Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, has announced a welfare scheme called "Mahila Samman Yojana" where women in Delhi will receive Rs 1000 per month, with the potential to increase to Rs 2100 after the elections. Kejriwal promises that if the AAP forms the government in 2025, the amount will be increased to Rs 2100. However, currently only the possibility of the scheme is being discussed, with the actual implementation dependent on the election outcome.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited the family of a Dalit woman who was allegedly gangraped and died in Uttar Pradesh's Bool Garhi village. This is Gandhi's second visit to the village after the incident in September 2020. While he spent 35 minutes with the family, UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak and Minister for Minorities Welfare Om Prakash Rajbhar criticized his visit, stating that the case has already been investigated by the CBI. Gandhi's supporter Chandragupt Vikramaditya argued that the Congress leaders are in touch with aggrieved people and will continue to fight for justice.
Protests have broken out in Tripura over the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das and the ongoing atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh. Community leaders from various organizations have condemned the actions and are calling for action from both the Indian government and the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission. Meanwhile, the BMC's use of graded M-20 concrete for road repair has sparked concerns among residents of Parsi Colony.
The Collector of Hyderabad has declared a public holiday for November 29 and 30, 2023 due to the Telangana assembly elections. All schools and colleges in Hyderabad will be closed for two days, with regular activities resuming on December 1. The state government had previously announced November 30 as a public holiday for workers and employees. Parents and guardians have received notices from schools and colleges providing details about the closure. Meanwhile, Hyderabad is gearing up for polling on November 30 and vote counting on Sunday.
Opposition parties in the INDIA bloc are gathering signatures to impeach a High Court judge who made derogatory comments about Muslims. The motion is unlikely to pass due to the NDA bloc's majority, but this is the fifth attempt in recent years to impeach a judge, with past attempts failing as well. Video clips and transcripts of the judge's speech will be included in the complaint.