Key Points

The Kaushal Deekshant Samaroh was the fourth edition of the National Skill Convocation, where the toppers from the ITIs under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship are felicitated.

Calling ITIs "workshops of Atmanirbhar Bharat", PM Modi said, "ITIs are not only premier institutions of industrial education; they are also the workshops of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Our focus is on upgrading them, along with increasing their numbers. There were 10,000 ITIs till 2014, and in the last decade, 5,000 new ITIs have been established."

The Prime Minister added that India needs to take forward the "local talent, local skills, and local knowledge".

"Today, this is a mega program of empowerment of Bihar's youth. This shows how the NDA government prioritises youth and women in Bihar. India is a country of knowledge and skill. This intellectual strength is our greatest power. The 21st century demands that, keeping India's needs in mind, we have to take forward local talent, skills, and knowledge. The ITIs will play a role in it. More than 1.5 crore youth have been trained in the last 11 years. They have been taught the skills in their local languages," he said.

During his address, the Prime Minister also alleged that the schools were not opened and no recruitments took place under the Congress-RJD regime in Bihar.

He said, "This generation may not realise how devastated the education system in Bihar was two and a half decades ago. Schools were not open, nor were recruitments 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."

Further lauding Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the NDA government for improving the education system in the state, he added, "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".

Notably, the Prime Minister also launched various youth-focused initiatives worth more than Rs 62,000 crore, including the inauguration of the Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Skill University in Bihar.

"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", the Prime Minister said after the inauguration. The Prime Minister hailed the Bihar government for generating 10 lakh permanent government jobs and raising the education budget as compared to the RJD-Congress regime.

PM Modi said, "In the last two decades, the Bihar Government has connected 50 lakh youth with employment in Bihar. In the last few years alone, about 10 lakh permanent government jobs have been given to the youth of Bihar."

Further, PM Modi said that the youth have even planned to purchase two-wheelers on the occasion of Dhanteras amid the ongoing 'GST Bachat Utsav' after the implementation of the next-gen GST reforms.

He said, "'GST Bachat Utsav' is currently underway in the country. Someone told me that the youth of Bihar are very happy with the reduction in GST on bikes and scooters. The youth have even planned to buy them this Dhanteras. I also heartily congratulate the youth of Bihar and the country for the reduction in GST on most of the things they need."

"Before 2014, India was considered a fragile economy, meaning growth was low. Employment was also very low. Today, India is poised to become one of the top three economies," the Prime Minister added.

PM Modi also launched the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU), a centrally sponsored scheme with an investment of Rs 60,000 crore.

The scheme envisages the upgradation of 1,000 Government ITIs across the country in a hub-and-spoke model comprising 200 hub ITIs and 800 spoke ITIs. Each hub will be connected to four spokes on average, creating clusters equipped with advanced infrastructure, modern trades, digital learning systems and incubation facilities.

The PM-SETU aims to redefine the ITI ecosystem, making it government-owned but industry-managed, with global co-financing support from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. In the first phase of the scheme implementation, there will be special focus on ITIs in Patna and Darbhanga. PM Modi also inaugurated 1,200 Vocational Skill Labs established in 400 Navodaya Vidyalayas and 200 Eklavya Model Residential Schools across 34 States and Union Territories.

Ahead of the Assembly elections in Bihar, PM Modi launched Bihar's revamped Mukhyamantri Nishchay Svyam Sahayata Bhatta Yojana, under which nearly five lakh graduate youth every year will receive a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 for two years, along with free skill training.

He also launched the redesigned Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme, which will provide completely 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.

PM Modi dedicated to the nation the Bihta campus of NIT Patna. With the capacity to host 6,500 students, the campus houses advanced facilities, including a 5G use case lab, a Regional Academic Centre for Space established in collaboration with ISRO, and an Innovation and Incubation Centre that has already supported nine start-ups.

The Prime Minister distributed appointment letters to more than 4,000 newly recruited candidates in the Government of Bihar and released Rs 450 crores in scholarships through Direct Benefit Transfer to 25 lakh students of Class 9 and 10 under the Mukhyamantri Balak/Balika Scholarship Scheme.

In a post on X, PM Modi also lauded the successful completion of the 'Swasth Nari Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan' and appreciated those who worked on the ground to make it "impactful" and "beneficial" for women.

"Commendable effort! Compliments to those who have worked on the ground to make it so impactful and beneficial to our Nari Shakti. This is a great example of Jan Bhagidari to improve lives", the PM's post read.

BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda shared the campaign's achievements, highlighting the scale and impact of the health initiative.

The campaign concluded with widespread participation across India, benefiting lakhs of women, children, and families through comprehensive health services, according to an official statement from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

By the end of October 2, over 18 lakh health camps (comprising both screening and speciality camps) were held under the Abhiyaan, registering a footfall of nearly 10 crore citizens nationwide.

Earlier today, the Prime Minister also paid tribute to two prominent freedom fighters from Tamil Nadu, Tiruppur Kumaran and Subramaniya Siva, highlighting their sacrifices and contributions to India's independence.

- ANI