Focus on the Roadmap for Speedy Implementation of New Schemes: PM

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Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on March 3 addressed a webinar on implementation of Budget Provisions in education sector. In his address, he said, Now, we have to focus on the roadmap for the speedy implementation of new schemes, how they can reach across the country, to the last person, to get rid of minor hurdles in the implementation from April 1 for the next 365 days. Highlights of the address are as follow:

• Confidence among the youth of the country is as essential for building a self-reliant India. Confidence comes only when the youth have full faith in their education, knowledge and skills. Confidence comes only when he realizes that his education is giving him the opportunity to do his job and also providing the necessary skill.

• The new National Education Policy has been formulated with this mindset. We now have to work fast for early implementation of every provision of the National Education Policy from pre-nursery to Ph.D. If the speed was slowed down due to Corona, it is necessary to speed up things and move forward.

• The second biggest focus after health in this year’s budget is on education, skill, research and innovation. Better synergy in the universities, colleges and R&D institutions has become the biggest need of our country today. In view of this, Glue Grant has been provided under which necessary mechanisms can be prepared in nine cities.

• The emphasis given on apprenticeship, skill development and upgradation in this budget is also unprecedented. All the provisions made in this budget will lead to a massive shift in the country’s approach to higher education. The budget further expands the efforts that have been made to connect education with employability and entrepreneurial capabilities over the years.

• It is the result of these experiments that India figures in the top three countries today in terms of scientific publications. We are also among the top three countries in the world in terms of the number of PhDs and the start-up ecosystem.

• India is among the world’s top 50 innovative countries in the Global Innovation Index and is doing better continuously. With the sustained promotion of higher education, research and innovation, new opportunities for our students and young scientists are developing very much. And the good thing is that there is satisfactory growth in the participation of daughters in R&D.

• For the first time, there is greater focus on Atal Tinkering Labs in schools to Atal Incubation Centers in higher institutions in the country. The new tradition of Hackathons for start-ups has become a major force for both the youth and industry of the country. More than 3,500 start-ups have been nurtured through the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovation.

• Similarly, three supercomputers, namelyParamShivay, Param Shakti and Param Brahma, have been set up at IIT BHU, IIT-Kharagpurand IISER, Pune under the National SuperComputing Mission. Plans are afoot to set up such supercomputers in more than a dozen institutions in the country this year. Three Sophisticated Analytical and Technical Help Institutes (SATHIs) are also serving in IITKharagpur, IIT Delhi and BHU.

• Two more major steps have been taken recently, which will greatly benefit the entire ecosystem of innovation, research and development. For the first time, the country has got Indian solutions which meet the international standards associated with meteorology and the system is being strengthened regularly. This will greatly improve the global competency of R&D and our products.

• This year’s budget has put more emphasis on Institution Making and Access. The National Research Foundation is being set up for the first time in the country. A provision of Rs. 50,000 crore has been made for this. This will give impetus to the interrelationship of the governance structure of research-related institutions to R&D, academia and industry. The more than 100 percent increase in the budget for biotechnology-related research reflects the priorities of the government.

• India’s researchers engaged in pharma and vaccines have ensured both safety and respect for the country. The government has already declared seven National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education &Research as institutions of national importance to further strengthen its potential. The role of our private sector and industry in this sector’s R&D is very commendable. I am confident that this role will expand further in the future.

• Future Fuel and Green Energy is vital for self-sufficiency in our energy sector. Therefore, the Hydrogen Mission announced in the budget is a huge resolution. India has tested hydrogen vehicles. Now we have to move forward together to make hydrogen a utility as a fuel for transport and make it industry ready. In addition, we also have to increase our potential in marine wealth research. The government is also going to launch the Deep Sea Mission. This mission will be goal-oriented and based on a multi-sectoral approach so that we can unlock Blue Economy’s potential completely.

• We have to strengthen the collaboration of educational institutions, research institutions and industry. Not only do we have to focus on publishing new research papers, time demands how we ensure that research papers published all over the world are easily available to India’s researchers and students. The government is working on it at its level, but the industry will also have to contribute to it.

• I must urge you that there is no dearth of talent in our country. If somebody is from a village or poor who does not know anything but his language, it does not mean that he lacks in talent. We should not let his talent die just only because of the language. He should not be deprived of the development journey of the country. There is talent in the villages, in the poor people and also in the children who have been deprived of one of the major languages. Therefore, it is very important to use that talent for such a big country. Therefore, we have to work on a mission mode to take him out of the language barrier and give an opportunity to his talent to flourish in his language. The National Language Translation Mission announced in the budget will be a great encouragement.

• Now,we have to focus on the roadmap for the speedy implementation of new schemes, how they can reach across the country, to the last person, to get rid of minor hurdles in the implementation from April 1 for the next 365 days. We intend to use as much time as we have for effective implementation of the budget provisions from April 1.