PM Modi unveils Rs 62,000 cr youth-centric projects, with focus on Bihar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (October 4) inaugurated several youth-centric initiatives worth more than Rs 62,000 crore, with a special emphasis on poll-bound Bihar, as he took a veiled dig at the earlier non-NDA governments in Bihar, accusing them of not doing enough for improving the state’s educational infrastructure.

Dig at earlier govts over education

Addressing students in Delhi, the Prime Minister argued that migration from Bihar to other states began due to a lack of educational opportunities in Bihar, which forced parents to send their children to other states.

"Thousands of young people from Bihar have joined us through this program. This generation may not realise how devastated the education system in Bihar was two and a half decades ago. Schools were not open, and recruitment was not conducted. Which parent doesn't want their child to study and progress here? But out of compulsion, millions of children were forced to leave Bihar and go to Varanasi, Delhi, and Mumbai. This was the real beginning of the migration...,” said Modi.

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Lauds CM Nitish Kumar

“Fortunately, the people of Bihar entrusted Nitish Kumar with the responsibility of government, and we are all witnesses to how the entire NDA team together brought the deteriorating system back on track...I am happy that Bihar has received a new Skill University at today's Skill Convocation. Nitish Kumar's government has named this university after Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur..." he added as quoted by ANI.

Lauding the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar, the Prime Minister said that the state government has been supporting children in pursuing higher education through the Student Credit Card and has now made an interest-free education loan available through the Student Credit Card.

“This is a decision of the Bihar government. Furthermore, scholarships for students have also been increased from Rs 1,800 to Rs 3,600. Today India is one of the world's youngest countries, and Bihar is among the states with the highest youth population. Therefore, when the potential of Bihar's youth increases, the strength of the country naturally increases as well,” said Modi.

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Modi launches PM-SETU scheme

"The NDA government is working with full commitment to further enhance the potential of Bihar's youth. Bihar's education budget has been increased several times compared to the RJD-Congress regime. Today, there is a school in almost every village in Bihar. Be it engineering colleges or medical colleges, their number has also increased manifold. Recently, the Central Government has approved Kendriya Vidyalayas for 19 districts of Bihar,” he added.

The Prime Minister launched the PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs), a centrally sponsored scheme worth Rs 60,000 crore. The scheme focuses on upgrading 1,000 government ITIs in a hub-and-spoke model comprising 200 hub ITIs and 800 spoke ITIs.

"Collectively, PM-SETU will redefine India's ITI ecosystem, making it government-owned but industry-managed, with global co-financing support from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank," the PMO said in a statement.

Earlier, the PMO had stated that collectively the PM-SETU initiative would redefine India's ITI ecosystem, making it government-owned but industry-managed, with global co-financing support from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.

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Focus on transformative projects

The scheme in its first phase, will focus on ITIs in Patna and Darbhanga in Bihar, the government said adding that there will be a special emphasis of the programme will be on transformative projects in Bihar, reflecting the state's rich legacy and youthful demographic.

The Prime Minister launched Bihar's revamped 'Mukhyamantri Nishchay Svyam Sahayata Bhatta Yojana', under which nearly five lakh graduates will receive a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 each for two years, along with free skill training.

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Revamped Bihar Student Credit Card launched

He also launched the redesigned Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme, which will provide interest-free education loans of up to Rs 4 lakh, significantly easing the financial burden of higher education.

More than 3.92 lakh students have already availed loans worth more than Rs 7,880 crore under the scheme.

Further strengthening youth empowerment in the state, Bihar Yuva Ayog, a statutory commission for people between the ages of 18 and 45, was formally inaugurated by Modi to "channelise and harness" the potential of the state's young population, it said.

Bihar has been at the focus of several development and welfare initiatives of the NDA governments at the Centre and the state.

PM Modi also inaugurated the Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Skill University, which has been envisioned to impart industry-oriented courses and vocational education to create a globally competitive workforce.

(With agency inputs)