Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, January 1, said that now is the best time to be youngsters in the country, claiming that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the last 10 years has laid the groundwork for them to reap benefits.
Speaking at the 38th Convocation ceremony of the Bharathidasan University in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, he said, “In the last few years, we have worked to match you in speed and scale so that we can help you benefit.” He further laid emphasis on the need for students to unlearn, reskill and upskill.
Addressing the graduating students, the PM said, “In the last 10 years the number of airports have doubled from 74 to nearly 150. Tamil Nadu has a vibrant coast line and so you should be happy to know that the total carbon handling capacity has doubled since 2014. The speed of road and highway construction has doubled in 10 years. Number of registered startups has gone up to 1 lakh every year while it was less than 100 in 2014.”
He said that the country has also witnessed an increase in the number of trade deals. “These deals will open new markets for our goods and services. These create countless opportunities for our youth, whether it is strengthening institutions like the G20, fighting climate change, or playing a bigger role in the global supply chain, India is being welcomed as a part of every global solution. In many ways due to local and global factors this is the best time to be a youth in India.”
He also said that the youth will drive India’s growth and will contribute to India being a developed country by 2047. “Universities play a crucial role in giving direction to any nation. When universities are vibrant, the nation and our civilization will be vibrant. When the nation is attacked our knowledge system is targeted,” he added. He further credited the number of Indian universities which have been receiving global rankings over the years for India being ranked as the fastest growing economy.
The Prime Minister in his address, also credited Tamil Nadu’s Kancheepuram, Gangai Konda Cholapuram and Madurai for acting as knowledge hubs in ancient India and for contributing to significant growth of poetry and literature. He also acknowledged the importance of universities started by Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya and Annamalai Chettiyar among others which played an important role in India’s freedom struggle.
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, Chief Minister MK Stalin and Bharathidasan University’s Vice Chancellor M Selvan were among the others who partook in the ceremony.
In lieu of the PM’s visit, Trichy police had issued several traffic advisories. From 6:00 am to 3:00 pm, vehicles heading to Salem on the Trichy-Pudukottai highway had been instructed to take alternative routes. Only school and college buses were permitted on this road.
Approximately 3,300 police personnel were deployed for the convocation ceremony. 18 bomb detection squads and police dog teams were also been deployed in Trichy city and surrounding neighbourhoods. Over a 100 CCTV cameras were also installed on a temporary basis. Further a Special Task Force (STF) had been called in from Sathiyamangalam.
Trichy police had further conducted security checks in lodges and mansions located in Trichy city, and on the roads leading to Bharathidasan University. Police personnel were stationed on high-rise buildings for additional security as well.