Introduction
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the annual NCC Rally in Delhi, speaking about empowering women and India's youth. His speech touched upon the increasing participation of women in various fields, the role of youth in nation-building, and the government's efforts towards skill development and economic empowerment.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi at the NCC Rally, in New Delhi on January 28, 2018. The Union Minister for Defence, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Subhash Ramrao Bhamre the three Service Chiefs: Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa, General Bipin Rawat & Admiral Sunil Lanba and the DG, NCC, Lt. Gen. B.S. Sahrawat are also seen.
(credit : Press Information Bureau on behalf of Prime Minister's Office, Government of India)
Women Breaking Barriers
Highlighting the Republic Day celebrations dedicated to women empowerment, PM Modi noted that women were previously confined to cultural programs but are now entering domains that were earlier barred or limited for them.
He pointed out that in the last 10 years, the government has opened up key areas like the three defense services to women. Women are now being granted permanent commissions in defense forces and given combat roles and command positions.
PM Modi celebrated the doubling of women numbers in the Central Armed Forces in the last decade. States are also being encouraged to recruit more women police officers.
With women participation increasing in sectors like banking, insurance, startups, and self-help groups, the Prime Minister remarked that the whole world is witness to Indian daughters proving their mettle in the fields of water, land, sky and space.
While women have always embodied 'Shakti' in Indian tradition, PM Modi credited the continuous efforts of the last 10 years for strengthening women power and increasing their talent pool.
Youth - Architects of Developed India
Addressing the young participants, PM Modi outlined his vision for India's youth as the key beneficiaries and architects of India's development journey in the upcoming 25 years.
Underscoring their pivotal role, he urged the youth to strive for excellence through consistent hard work to fully harness this transformative era.
Over the last decade, the Prime Minister noted that significant efforts have been undertaken towards skill development, employment and entrepreneurship for the youth.
PM Modi elaborated on various initiatives aligned with the aspirations of young Indians. He mentioned the new National Education Policy and the Smart School Campaign to modernize education infrastructure.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the unprecedented expansion in higher education institutes like colleges, universities and institutions for professional education in the last 10 years. He noted the record increase in medical colleges and seats, along with new IIMs, IITs and AIIMS across multiple states.
Further, sectors like defense, space and mapping have been opened up for young talent. New laws are boosting research efforts across disciplines.
Empowering Youth Through Digital India
Touching upon India's digital revolution, PM Modi credited the exponential growth in the digital economy with creating new employment opportunities for the youth.
He praised the entrepreneurial enthusiasm among young Indians, with India now home to over 1.25 lakh registered startups and over a hundred unicorns.
The Prime Minister celebrated the expansion of digital services like e-commerce, e-shopping, home delivery, online education and telemedicine. He pointed out that digital content creation and Common Service Centers in rural areas have opened up new livelihood options.
PM Modi urged the youth to fully leverage the prospects of Digital India.
Building Towards a Prosperous India
In his address, PM Modi emphasized a forward-looking policy approach for building a Viksit Bharat. He explained that border villages are now seen as 'vibrant villages' and future tourist hubs.
The Prime Minister invited the youth to actively participate in nation-building efforts by sharing ideas and registering with 'MY Bharat' organization.
He expressed full confidence in the ability of young Indians to shape the country's future and build a prosperous India over the next 25 years.
The Indian government has introduced various programs and schemes aimed at empowering girls, improving child sex ratio, and promoting gender equality. These initiatives provide financial assistance, incentives, healthcare benefits and focus on education to uplift girls belonging to economically weaker sections.
Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao
In 2015, Prime Minister Modi launched the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' campaign in Panipat to address the declining child sex ratio and women’s empowerment challenges. This national scheme focuses on preventing gender-biased sex selection while advocating for girls' education. After witnessing improvements in 161 districts, PM Modi expanded the program across India in 2018.
The initiative involves collaboration between the Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare and Human Resource Development. Funds are directly provided to districts for effective implementation without any immediate cash transfers.
Udaan Scheme by CBSE
The Udaan scheme, managed by the Central Board of Secondary Education and the Ministry of HRD, aims to promote enrollment of girls in premier engineering and technical institutions across India.
Balika Samridhi Yojana
The Balika Samridhi Yojana offers financial assistance to support girls and their families facing economic hardship. The program aims to elevate the social standing, defer the age of marriage, and encourage educational pursuits for girls by offering financial incentives upon their birth and annual scholarships throughout their schooling.
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana
The Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana encourages parents to save for their daughters’ future education and marriage expenses. This savings scheme has gained popularity with over 1.26 crore accounts opened amounting to Rs. 20,000 crores within 3 years.
Ladli Scheme and Kanya Kosh Scheme in Haryana
To address Haryana's skewed child sex ratio, the state government introduced the Ladli and Kanya Kosh schemes offering financial rewards upon the birth of first and second girl children in a family. The Kanya Kosh scheme deposits Rs. 21,000 upon the birth of the first girl child, amounting to Rs. 1 lakh by the time she turns 18.
National Scheme of Incentive for Girls’ Secondary Education
This nationwide initiative by the Ministry of HRD provides underprivileged girls a fixed deposit of Rs. 3000 which can be withdrawn at 18 years along with interest accrued, upon successfully passing 10th grade exams.
Ladli Laxmi Yojana in Madhya Pradesh
The Ladli Laxmi Yojana by the Madhya Pradesh government aims to improve girls' health and education while combating female foeticide and child marriage practices. Beneficiaries receive annual National Saving Certificates worth Rs. 6000 for 5 years, culminating in a lump sum amount at 21 years, provided they remain unmarried till 18 years.
Bhagyashree Scheme in Karnataka
The Karnataka government's Bhagyashree scheme promotes female births in poor households through financial assistance, annual scholarships up to grade 10 and healthcare coverage of Rs. 25,000 per year.
Namo Drone Didi Initiative
In 2023, PM Modi launched this scheme to provide 15,000 women self-help groups with drones during 2024-2026 to offer rental services to farmers for agricultural purposes. This initiative aims to empower women and integrate drone technologies in the agriculture sector.
Expansion of Jan Aushadhi Kendras
During the launch of Namo Drone Didi, PM Modi also initiated the expansion of Jan Aushadhi Kendras providing affordable medicines from 10,000 to 25,000 centers. He dedicated the 10,000th center at AIIMS Deoghar to the nation.
Through specialized schemes and incentives, the Indian government aims to transform gender attitudes, uplift the girl child and unlock her full potential for the nation’s development.
Key Attendees and Event Highlights
The NCC PM Rally witnessed the participation of over 2,200 NCC cadets, including around 400 sarpanches from Vibrant Villages and over 100 women from self-help groups across India.
Young cadets from 24 foreign countries also took part, highlighting the spirit of 'One World, One Family, One Future' as per PM Modi.
The Defense Minister, NCC Director General, CDS, Army Chief, Air Force Chief, Navy Chief, Defence Secretary marked their presence at the event.
The rally included a cultural program based on the theme 'Amrit Kaal Ki NCC', showcasing the contribution and empowerment of the 'Amrit Peedhi' or the youth.
In his concluding remarks, PM Modi congratulated all participants and wished them success, reaffirming his faith in the youth to build a 'Viksit Bharat'.
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