Govt focusing on four 'E's to help youth: Modi

Bengaluru: Asserting that the development of youth was central to his government’s policy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, December 28 said it focused on four ‘E’s– education, employment, entrepreneurship and excellence–to help them.

In the last four years, he said, the government set up seven IITs, seven IIMs, one NIT, 14 IIITs, 103 Kendriya Vidyalayas.

The number of undergraduate medical seats increased from 50,000 in 2013-14 to 70,000 now. Postgraduate seats went up, too, from 25,000 in2013-14 to 33,000 now.

He said 2,400 Atal Tinkering Centres were created to boost innovation.

Modi was interacting with BJP’s booth-level workers of Belagavi, Bidar, Dharwad, Haveri and Davangere through video conferencing as part of the party’s ‘Mera Booth Sabse Majboot’ programme aimed at energising them ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

On the employment front, Modi said, the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) data shows that lakhs of regular jobs were created every year in infrastructure development projects such as rail, road and airports.

Speaking about entrepreneurship, the prime minister said, “Today’s youth wants to be job creators and not just job seekers. They want someone to believe in them. Today, we have three lakh youth common service centres in the country.”

“In terms of excellence, India has the second largest startup ecosystem in the world. With this comprehensive 4E approach we are progressing.

Responding to a question by a Davangere-based worker Shankar Gowda Biradar on the measures taken for tourism development, Modi said his government’s initiatives resulted in increase in foreign exchange revenue from the sector from USD 18 bn in 2013-14 to USD 27 bn in 2017.

The prime minister said the tourism industry can grow even further with the help of 3Ts – tradition, talent and trade.

He said there was need to educate people about the potential the tourism sector has to improve local trade and promote cultural traditions.