Youth voices acknowledged in Union Budget: Viksit Bharat Dialogue participant thanks Modi govt
Nainital, Feb 7
Anagh Saxena, a participant in the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders' Dialogue 2026, on Saturday welcomed the Union Budget 2026 and said that suggestions put forward by young leaders have been reflected in the government's financial road map, expressing gratitude to the Modi government for acknowledging youth perspectives.
Saxena, a resident of Uttarakhand's Nainital, said that the aspirations and policy proposals presented by young Indians during the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders' Dialogue 2026 appear to have influenced key elements of the Union Budget 2026-27.
Speaking to IANS, Saxena said, "The government has incorporated our ideas into the budget."
Describing his experience at the national-level event, he added, "It was a very big movement for me, as I represented the voices of 50 young leaders from across the country and presented all our ideas to the Prime Minister for the Viksit Bharat initiative."
He further highlighted that the initiative strengthened the participation of young citizens in policy-making processes aligned with India's long-term developmental vision.
"Our resolve was to fulfil the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. Our ideas were being heard, which was the most proud moment for us," Saxena said.
Sharing his broader perspective, Saxena stated, "In my view, this is the first time that the voices of youth were heard on such a large platform and directly included in the budget. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that this is a youth-driven budget. I would like to thank her and the Prime Minister for it."
The Viksit Bharat Young Leaders' Dialogue 2026 was organised in New Delhi from January 9 to January 12 and witnessed participation from around 3,000 young leaders representing different regions of the country.
During the multi-day programme, participants took part in digital quizzes, essay competitions, and policy presentations.
Select recommendations emerging from these engagements were later incorporated into national policy discussions and the Union Budget framework.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Sitharaman have underlined that the Union Budget 2026-27 seeks to recognise the aspirations of India's youth by transforming deliberations from the Dialogue into implementable policy initiatives.
The government has also emphasised that the budget aims to create opportunities for young Indians while advancing the broader goal of building a Viksit and Atmairbhar Bharat.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Feeling so proud! It's heartening to know that 3000 young voices from across India were heard. This is what a participatory democracy should look like. Kudos to Anagh Saxena and all the participants for representing us. Jai Hind!
As an observer of Indian politics, this is a fascinating model of youth engagement. Incorporating dialogue outputs directly into the budgetary process is quite innovative. The key will be transparent tracking of how these "youth-driven" allocations are actually spent.
Good initiative, but I hope the selection of these 3000 "young leaders" was truly diverse and merit-based, not just from certain colleges or backgrounds. The real test is whether a student from a small town in Bihar or a tribal area has an equal chance to be heard.
Finally! Our generation is tired of being called the future. We want to shape the present. If the budget truly has our imprint on job creation and tech innovation, it's a big win. Let's see the details now. 💪
Representing 50 voices is a huge responsibility. Well done to Anagh. This dialogue model should be expanded to the district level. Every *zilla* should have such a platform so local youth issues get direct funding in the budget.
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