'Youth Power Key To Viksit Bharat': Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai Urges Youth To Drive State And National Development

Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday said the active participation of youths is crucial to build a developed Chhattisgarh and a developed India.

Youth power is the nation's key strength, he said while interacting with the second batch of 36 fellows under the Chief Minister's Good Governance Fellowship, which is being implemented by the state's Good Governance and Convergence department along with IIM Raipur and Transform Rural India.

Sai urged them to use the opportunity to not just understand the government's functioning but also to bring positive changes to people's lives through their knowledge, skills and innovative ideas, an official statement said.

Youth possess education, energy, talent and fresh ideas, which can become the foundation for significant change when channelled towards public welfare and social improvement, the statement quoted Sai as saying.

"Clear goals, sustained hard work and discharging responsibilities with dedication and honesty bring both success and personal satisfaction. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a goal of making India a developed nation by 2047. Chhattisgarh has been moving forward in line with this national vision," he said.

Youth will play a decisive role in accelerating India's progress and strengthening its position globally, Sai added.

He urged the fellows to continuously improve capabilities, contribute innovative ideas and work with the administration to develop practical solutions to issues concerning public welfare.

"Fellows should understand local conditions and people's actual needs while working in districts. They should coordinate with the concerned departments and offer suggestions based on data, evidence and field experience to improve the implementation of government schemes and delivery of public services," he said.

The CM answered questions from the fellows and shared experiences from his student days, personal struggles, family responsibilities and journey in public service, the release said.

Sai recalled the limited educational facilities available in rural areas during his childhood and said he had to travel 6 kilometres from his native village Bagia (Jashpur district) to another village to appear for his Class 5 board examination.

"The situation has changed considerably now, with Chhattisgarh having prestigious institutions such as Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and a law university," the CM said.

Students are provided textbooks, uniforms and mid-day meals in schools, while state-run 'Prayas' residential schools offer access to quality education and preparation for competitive examinations, he said.

"Chhattisgarh's new industrial policy has accorded special priority to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for local youth. Special incentives are being provided to women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities to establish industries," he said.

The government's objective is not merely to secure investment proposals but to convert them into actual projects and employment opportunities, he said.

The implementation of investment agreements is being regularly reviewed, the CM added.

A total of 36 candidates, including youth from 14 districts of Chhattisgarh like Dantewada, Bastar and Jashpur, have been selected for the second batch through a process involving Common Admission Test (CAT) scores and the IIM selection procedure, the release said.

Rahul Bhagat, secretary of the Department of Good Governance and Convergence and secretary to the CM, said the selected fellows come from diverse academic backgrounds, including engineering, science, management, mathematics, commerce and economics. Some of them also run their own start-ups, he said.

"The two-year fellowship comprises five months of academic study and training and 19 months of field experience. After an initial three-month training programme at IIM Raipur, the fellows will work with district administrations to understand the implementation of government schemes, administrative procedures and delivery of public services," the release said.