As India looks forward to inclusive growth, health, education and skill development will remain the focus, President Pratibha Patil said on Monday while calling upon the diaspora to partner in India’s growth story.
Delivering the valedictory address at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas here on
Monday, President Patil said though much development had been done, there was a long way to go.
“In the last few decades, India has lifted tens of millions of its people out of abject poverty. We are in a position to feed our population better, to educate our people better and to widen their economic choices. We still have a very long way to go,” she said.
In his speech, minister for overseas Indian affairs Vayalar Ravi said his ministry has drafted a plan scheme for skill development to position India as a global supplier of skilled and trained work force and leverage its demographic dividend.
“The Swarnapravas Yojana aims to train 10 million youth over the next two five-year plans. This would enable our workers to move up the value chain and access better jobs overseas. We hope to launch the project next year,” he said. He announced that the regional PBD for 2012 would be held in Dubai.
President Patil said private investment was required in health, education and skill development and that the country would engage with the overseas Indian community as partners in the development and progress of India.