Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asked the top government official to engage with the youth more during a high-level meeting with top government officials.
PM Modi chaired the third high-level meeting with Secretaries to the Government of India at his residence. He discussed the future action agenda of ministries and departments dealing with infrastructure and connectivity, security and external affairs, and governance, according to a press release.
“Noting that deliberations had already been held with two groups of Secretaries, Prime Minister said that Secretaries, in addition to thinking about immediate issues and statistics, should also think with a long-term perspective on how the country’s future should be shaped,” the release stated.
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During the meeting, Modi stressed that silos are not merely an organisational problem but also a problem of mindset, according to the government statement.
“He said silos can be both horizontal and vertical. He stressed that officials must take ownership of their responsibilities and work with a spirit of belongingness,” it added.
He also called for ‘greater engagement’ between government departments, universities and young people to bring fresh perspectives in policymaking. “He said wider engagement with universities and young people can bring new and unconventional ideas,” the statement noted.
{{/usCountry}}He also called for ‘greater engagement’ between government departments, universities and young people to bring fresh perspectives in policymaking. “He said wider engagement with universities and young people can bring new and unconventional ideas,” the statement noted.
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Modi also stressed on the importance of collective effort, citing the example of Covid-19 pandemic and challenges created by the West Asia war where officials worked together effectively. “He said that such coordination mechanisms should become a natural part of the government’s work culture,” the statement added.
Effective use of Artificial Intelligence was also discussed in the high-level meeting with PM Modi calling for effective use of the technology while ensuring human intervention and judgement. He called for exploring innovative ways of combining the capabilities of AI with human expertise, the statement added.
Modi termed data as a national asset and a resource for the future, while noting that the government invests resources in collecting, storing and managing data. However, he noted that its full potential is not always realised because of departmental silos and fragmented systems.
PM Modi has lately been prominently mentioning youth-related issues in his speeches and statements. While delivering the 80th Independence Day speech from Red Fort on August 15, he referred to the youth of the country roughly 50 times.
With the youth of India in focus, in his 75-minute-long Independence Day address, PM Modi announced series of initiatives with the youth of the country in focus.
Modi announced free online coaching classes for aspirants of competitive exams, along with an AI skilling programme for the youth.
He also announced the launch of a nationwide sports talent hunt for children aged 5 to 15 who will be trained to become world-class athletes.