‘Next Unicorn can be from Nagaland or NE’
Dimapur, May 6: Union Minister of State for Electronics & IT and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Rajeev Chandrashekhar today emphasized on the importance of ‘digital India’ for transforming the lives of the people and for creating opportunities for the youth.
Speaking at the inauguration of National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) Centre at Dimapur as well as unveiling the plaque of NEILIT Extension Centres at Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Pasighat and Senapati virtually, Chandrashekhar said that with the use of technology in transforming lives and governance there been has tremendous progress in the country.
When the PM launched Digital India in 2014, he had three objectives, he said. First was using technology to transform the lives of ordinary citizens, thereby improving governance and democracy and the second, to create more opportunities for our youth, expand our digital economy and investments. The third objective was about creating global leadership capabilities in India.
He said during the Covid pandemic, technology has enabled the government to deliver every money meant for every beneficiary directly to his or her account without any corruption, without any leakage and without any delay. “That is the power of technology,” he stressed.
Quoting a former leader in the late 1980s who had reportedly said that for every 100 rupees that left Delhi, only 15 rupees reaches the citizens, the Union Minister of State said that was the case 20 years ago and was taken as granted or was the characteristics of the democracy.
However, he said things have changed now with technology as money reaches directly to the people.
Stating that technology creates opportunities, he said it is clear from the last two years of the unprecedented Covid pandemic and India’s response to it that if it was not for technology, the country’s response would have been a far different response and many lives and many more livelihoods and much more economic destruction would have happened.
The Minister claimed that India is the fastest growing economy in the world, fastest start-up and innovation system in the world.
“We have created 100 unicorns and we have received highest FDI of any country in the world, vaccinated 1.8 billion people and we for all practical purposes crossed the risks and crossed the turmoil/challenges posed by the pandemic,” he said.
Stating that technology has a defining role in rise of India and rise of Indians, Chandrashekhar said for this reason digital India is important.
“So why is digital India ka digital Nagaland? Why is digital India ka digital Northeast? These are new narratives. Why are those important?” he asked.
He claimed that in the last one year, India has created almost 10 lakhs new jobs in IT and electronics.
Remembering his earlier visit, the MoS said “there was only one entrepreneur in Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) Kohima about seven months ago when he visited. Now the STPI Kohima is packed with entrepreneurs. And that’s the symbol or the sign of the future of Nagaland and the future of the north east.”
Taking example of STPI (Software Technology Park in India) at Kohima, where the numbers have grown in the last few months, the Minister said it is pointing to a direction and a trend which is that in the post Covid reality, digital skills are critical and conversely students who have digital skills, digital trainings, who specialized in digital areas would get tremendous opportunities in jobs and entrepreneurships.
“We are a country that has created, in last two years, 100 unicorns, which means 100 billionaires. These are youngsters who studied hard, worked hard, created innovations and created wealth for themselves and that is the new India,” he said.
Quoting Prime Minister NarendraModi’s slogan of “New India, new opportunities and new prosperities,” the Minister said it means that the next unicorn can be from Nagaland-it can be from Dimapur, Kohima, Pasighat, Jorhat and anywhere.
” It does not matter in this new world, who was father was, grandfather was, whether you are connected with the local MLA or MP or minister, It is purely your capabilities,” he added.
Institutions like NIELIT are enablers for your prosperity, for your future,” he told the students.
The Minister said in the Northeast, youths’ first preference is government jobs and that was almost a life mission, adding that is nothing wrong in it. “But to give yourself more option as youngster, to be able to stand own and be able to deliver and build your own future on your own capabilities, these types of skills are the answer,” he added.
Quoting Prime Minister who said that the future of India is technology and that the next 10 years is India’s ‘techade’, the Minister said to make India’s ‘techade’ into reality, it would require youths from Nagaland and the Northeast and every other part of India to join the digital India revolution, the digital India movement.
On the opportunities for the youths, Chandrashekhar said, “It is the mission of Government of India, it is an article of faith for us and it is a task given by Prime Minister that institutions like NIELIT, STPI, NIC that are all actively working with state governments will provide to the youths that are being trained here, that are being skilled here and the opportunities will be either in employment and/or entrepreneurship.
He urged the students in NIELIT all the Northeast and the country to use this opportunity well. “This is not a gateway to a certificate, this is a gateway to new life,” he said.
The country and the world is looking at India as the trusted partner in the digital products and services. We are today a country that is going to do a 400 billion dollars of electronic manufacturing and supply to the world.
“The world is looking at India as a trusted partner of digital products and services. We are today a country that is going to do 400 billion dollars of electronic manufacturing and reach almost 12 % of global supply chains on electronics. We have grown 16% on a base of 200 billion dollars last year on technology services. It is time to be part of that revolution and grab the opportunities. The world of opportunities is just in front of you and be prepared and be determined to avail them,” theMoS said.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar also launched the NECB2.0 project, for capacity building and training in digital skill sets and current industry demanding technologies for various sections of society in the north eastern states. The project is funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India. National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) is the Implementing agency, through its centers at Agartala, Aizwal, Gangtok Guwahati, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima&Shillong.
Earlier in the day, the Minister visited the Nagaland Tool Room & Training Centre (NTTC) at Dimapur. He had inspected the facilities and ongoing projects there and assured all support and assistance from MeitY and Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) for grooming young entrepreneurs from the remote districts of Mon and Kiphire through the proposed extension centers.
The Minister also made a visit to IISC training Centre in Dimapur and interacted with the trainers. The centre has successfully placed 7500 students in different sectors including in hospitality aviation.
Others who spoke during the programme include Advisor, Industries & Commerce, Imnatiba, Advisor, Information & Technology, MmhonlumoKikon, DrJaideep Kumar Mishra, Joint Secretary, MeitY and welcome address was delivered by Dr M MTripathi, Director General, NIELIT.
(Page News Service)
