India's young will power its rise to becoming developed by 2047: PM Modi

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Sunday that the capabilities of India's young population will power the country's rise to becoming developed.

Addressing the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue here, he said some people may find the goal of India becoming developed difficult but it is not impossible.

No power can stop India from becoming a developed country if the spirit of 'Viksit Bharat' guides its every step, policy and decision, he said, highlighting the strength and numbers of the country's young population.

"Big targets have to be set for a country to march forward... This is what today's India is doing," Modi said, adding that the country is accomplishing numerous goals in different sectors ahead of time.

India has set the target of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol by 2030 and will meet the goal before that, he said.

The prime minister added that the government alone cannot drive the country forward and told youngsters drawn from across the country that the ownership in 'Viksit Bharat' is not Modi's alone but also of them.

Their ideas will be part of the country's policies and give it direction, he said.

Achieving ambitious goals requires the active participation and collective effort of every citizen of the nation, he added.

The prime minister cited the rise of the USA following its economic crisis in the 1930s and Singapore's rise from a backward region lacking basic facilities to a major economic power to stress the need for setting big goals and sincerely working towards them.

He noted how India became an open defecation-free country, manufactured Covid vaccines and inoculated its population against the virus.

Asserting that the 25 years till 2047 are India's golden period (Amrit Kaal), Modi said he has full confidence that the young population will realise the dream of 'Viksit Bharat'.

This is the time for a quantum jump, he said.

The country also hopes to host the Olympics in the next decade and is working towards it with full dedication, he added.

Swami Vivekananda had a lot of faith in the young generation and said the youth will find solutions to all problems, Modi said. He added that he has absolute faith, "blind faith" in his words.

The event was held on the occasion of Swami Vivekananda's birth anniversary, which is observed as the National Youth Festival.

Stressing the role of high growth in India's development, Modi recounted how the country's capacity and budget in different fields have risen with the growth of its economy.

The budget for infrastructure has grown six times in 10 years, he said.

Asserting that the Indian economy is on its way to becoming the third biggest in the world, the prime minister said it will cross USD 10 trillion by the next decade.