PM Modi Calls on Youth to Spearhead the Vision of Viksit Bharat

New Delhi, July 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday emphasised the urgent need to address the growing challenge of drug abuse among young people, urging government departments to work in closer coordination to ensure the effective implementation of youth-focused programmes. He said breaking administrative silos and creating an institutional mechanism for better collaboration would strengthen efforts aimed at empowering India’s youth and advancing the vision of a developed nation.

Chairing a high-level meeting at his residence at Lok Kalyan Marg, the Prime Minister reviewed the progress of key initiatives related to rural development, agriculture, social welfare and allied sectors as part of the government’s roadmap for achieving the goals of Viksit Bharat. The meeting was attended by the Cabinet Secretary, senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Office and secretaries of several major ministries.

During the discussions, Modi stressed that the aspiration of transforming India into a developed country should evolve into a nationwide public movement involving every section of society. He said young citizens must remain at the centre of this transformation, describing them as the driving force behind the country’s long-term growth and progress.

Highlighting the importance of protecting the nation’s youth, the Prime Minister called for stronger institutional cooperation to tackle drug abuse effectively. He observed that ministries and departments working independently often limit the impact of welfare initiatives and suggested developing a coordinated framework that encourages information sharing, joint planning and seamless execution of youth-centric programmes.

The meeting also focused on expanding India’s sporting ecosystem. Modi reiterated the government’s ambition to establish the country as a global destination for major international sporting events. He underlined that sports should be viewed not only as a source of national pride but also as an important contributor to economic growth, employment generation and international recognition.

The Prime Minister encouraged policymakers to adopt an integrated strategy for sports development by improving infrastructure, strengthening grassroots talent identification and increasing investment in sports science and technology. He also highlighted the growing role of startups and innovation in transforming the sports sector, calling for greater support to entrepreneurs developing advanced sports technologies, analytics and athlete support systems.

Agriculture remained another major area of discussion during the review meeting. Modi highlighted the transformative potential of the PM-KUSUM scheme, stating that wider adoption of solar-powered agricultural pumps could significantly improve farm productivity while reducing dependence on conventional energy sources.

The PM-KUSUM initiative, among the world’s largest clean-energy programmes for agriculture, aims to solarise millions of irrigation pumps across the country. Besides promoting renewable energy, the scheme is expected to create substantial employment opportunities in manufacturing, installation and maintenance of solar infrastructure while lowering farmers’ operational costs.

The Prime Minister also emphasised the need to prepare India’s workforce for emerging global opportunities. He called for comprehensive mapping of international skill requirements so that training programmes in India remain aligned with future employment trends and evolving industry demands across the world.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the review meeting featured extensive discussions on improving governance, strengthening coordination among ministries and accelerating implementation of development programmes across multiple sectors.

The PMO said the Prime Minister shared his vision for future policy direction while encouraging ministries to work with greater convergence to deliver faster and more effective outcomes. The discussions centred on ensuring that government initiatives reach beneficiaries efficiently and contribute meaningfully towards achieving the objectives of Viksit Bharat.

Officials reviewed progress across several flagship programmes and explored ways to enhance synergy among departments dealing with agriculture, rural livelihoods, social welfare, youth development and related sectors. The emphasis remained on improving policy execution through better coordination, innovation and technology-driven governance.

The meeting reflected the government’s broader strategy of integrating social welfare, sustainable agriculture, youth empowerment and sports development into a unified framework aimed at accelerating India’s long-term economic and social transformation.

Reaffirming his vision for the future, Modi urged all stakeholders to work collectively to convert the dream of a developed India into a people’s movement, saying the active participation of the country’s youth would be instrumental in shaping the nation’s growth trajectory in the coming decades.