Take ownership of ‘Viksit Bharat’ goal: PM To Youth

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Sunday that though the target of making India a developed nation by 2047 may appear formidable to experts, a country achieves great success only by dreaming big and having resolutions. Reaching out to the youth to make this aim a reality, the PM cited the example of the US emerging from the Great Depression in the 1930s with the New Deal enacted by Franklin D Roosevelt and Singapore becoming a thriving city from a small, nondescript village of fishermen.
Addressing a gathering of youth who had congregated here for the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2025, Modi said they will be the biggest beneficiaries of a vibrant, economically strong India in 2047 if the goals set are achieved.
“A developed India will be one which is empowered economically, strategically, socially and culturally,” he said, adding that the country has achieved several goals ahead of the deadline set for them. He underlined that youth have immense scope for innovation and new ideas as well as the energy to reach the target. “Experts who analyse data and figures feel the goal of a Viksit Bharat by 2047 is huge. It may be significant but is not impossible to achieve. Millions of youth working towards it will definitely help the nation reach its target,” he said.
“History teaches and inspires us… In the US there was a deep economic crisis (Great Depression) but they agreed to work on the New Deal and not only overcame the crisis but also achieved high growth. Similarly, Singapore was a small, nondescript village of fishermen but it got a good leadership. By following rules, discipline and having a team spirit, it emerged as a global financial and trade hub,” Modi said.
India’s freedom struggle is another example where the country took a pledge to free itself from foreign rule and proved itself to the world.
“Our farmers freed India from hunger and food shortage… Many of you here may not be aware but soon after Independence, PL-480 wheat used to be imported to feed the people. A big pledge was taken then to come out of that crisis and this was achieved,” he said.
The PM emphasised that in the last decade several goals were met well before the deadline, be it making the country open defecation-free which was achieved in 60 months (5 years), providing banking service, gas connections, or vaccines during Covid-19. India also became the first country to meet the Paris Agreement commitments on green energy nine years before the set time and is well on its way to achieving the target of 20% ethanol blending in petrol before the deadline of 2030 set for it, he said. He insisted that it is not just the government’s job to work towards these goals but requires the effort of all sections.