PM Urges states to align with Viksit Bharat Vision, Focus on Youth, AI and Exports
New Delhi, June 11 (TNT): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called upon States to work in close coordination with the Centre to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047, stressing the need to focus on youth empowerment, women-led development, exports, artificial intelligence and sustainable growth.
Chairing the 11th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog in New Delhi, Modi said India’s growth story continued to inspire the world despite global economic uncertainties and urged States to strengthen efforts towards self-reliance.
The meeting, held under the theme “Inclusive Human Development for Viksit Bharat@2047”, was attended by Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors and Administrators representing 28 States and five Union Territories.
It marked the first time that Chief Ministers of all 28 States participated in a Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog.
Emphasising cooperative federalism, the Prime Minister said the Centre and States must work together to realise the vision of a developed India and ensure that the goal becomes a collective resolve at every level, from villages to districts and States.
Highlighting India’s demographic advantage, Modi said nearly 70 crore Indians are below the age of 25 and described them as the country’s greatest asset.
He urged States to invest in education, skilling and capacity-building initiatives to convert the demographic dividend into a development dividend.
Referring to India’s recent trade agreements with several countries, he called on States to create opportunities for youth and MSMEs and help them benefit from emerging export and investment prospects.
The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of women-led development and urged States to work towards increasing the number of Lakhpati Didis from three crore to six crore while ensuring a safe and secure environment for women.
Calling for greater focus on One District One Product (ODOP) initiatives, Modi encouraged States to develop export-oriented strategies around local products.
He also identified defence manufacturing as a key growth sector and urged States to formulate policies to leverage emerging opportunities.
The Prime Minister highlighted challenges such as drug abuse and cyber fraud and called for preventive measures, public awareness campaigns and effective governance mechanisms to address them.
Expressing concern over possible El Niño conditions, Modi urged States to promote water conservation and encourage natural and organic farming practices. He noted the growing acceptance of sustainable agriculture among farmers.
He also emphasised the need for district-level monitoring of development indicators and suggested identifying 100 districts in the agriculture sector on the lines of the Aspirational Districts Programme to accelerate growth and improve outcomes.
Modi called for a robust monitoring framework with clearly defined 100-day and five-year targets to advance the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.
Highlighting the importance of good governance, transparency and infrastructure in attracting investment, he urged States to focus on ease of doing business, branding and emerging sectors such as data centres and artificial intelligence.
The Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors and Administrators congratulated Modi on completing 12 years in office and reaffirmed their commitment to work with the Centre to strengthen India’s resilience amid global geopolitical challenges and sustain economic growth.
Concluding the meeting, the Prime Minister said the discussions reflected the aspirations, experiences and best practices of the States and expressed confidence that cooperation, innovation and shared commitment would accelerate India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.
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