New Delhi, Mar 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that meeting the aspirations of citizens is a core objective of the Union Budget, emphasising that key sectors such as health, education, skill development, tourism, sports and culture play a vital role in achieving this goal.
Speaking at a post-budget webinar, the Prime Minister invited suggestions from stakeholders on how these sectors can be further strengthened to support inclusive and sustainable development.
Modi noted that India has made significant progress in expanding access to healthcare through initiatives aimed at delivering services to remote and underserved regions. He highlighted programmes such as Ayushman Bharat and the establishment of Arogya Mandirs, which have helped extend medical facilities to rural communities.
He also stressed the importance of building a strong care economy as India’s elderly population continues to grow. According to the Prime Minister, the rising demand for caregivers will require new training models and improved capacity-building efforts in the health sector.
Focusing on education and skills, Modi said young people across the country are increasingly eager to innovate and explore new opportunities. He underlined the need for modernising the curriculum to better align academic learning with the demands of the real-world economy.
The Prime Minister called for greater emphasis on emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, automation, the digital economy and design-driven manufacturing, saying these fields will shape the country’s future growth.
He also urged academic institutions to develop campuses in ways that provide students with practical exposure and real-world experience. Special attention should be given to strengthening the STEM ecosystem, he added, noting that more women are showing interest in science and technology fields.
Modi emphasised that no girl should be deprived of opportunities in emerging technologies due to a lack of resources or support. Encouraging greater participation of young researchers, he advocated the creation of a stronger research ecosystem that enables innovation and experimentation.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of sports in nation-building. He said efforts have been made in recent years to integrate sports into everyday life and create a vibrant sporting ecosystem across the country.
A healthy and confident youth population, he said, is essential for national development. With several international competitions approaching, including the Commonwealth Games, he stressed the need to nurture young athletes and strengthen sporting infrastructure.
Initiatives such as Khelo India have helped energise the sports landscape, he said, while improved facilities across the country are creating new opportunities for aspiring sportspersons.
Modi also called for strengthening tourism by developing better ecosystems focused on cleanliness, hospitality and infrastructure to attract visitors and generate employment.
The webinar titled “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas Fulfilling Aspirations of People: Education, Skills and University Townships” was organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Department of Higher Education. Policymakers, industry representatives, academic leaders, startup founders and students participated in discussions on implementing the budget’s vision for education, skill development and the creative economy.