Union Budget will be of great help in implementing National Education Policy: PM Modi

New Delhi, Feb 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking on the positive impact of Union Budget 2022 on the education sector said that empowering today's young generation means empowering India's future.

"A lot of emphasis has been laid on 5 things related to the education sector in Union Budget 2022. First is Universalization of quality education, Second is skill development, third is urban planning and design," said PM Modi.

"Fourth is internationalisation- world-class foreign universities in India and fifth is AVGC- Animation Visual Effects Gaming Comic," PM Modi added.

"This budget will help in implementing National Education Policy. National Digital University is an unprecedented step.The problem of shortage of seats can be resolved. There will be unlimited seats. I urge all stakeholders to ensure digital uni starts as soon as possible," the prime minister further said.

The Prime Minister mentioned that it was digital connectivity that kept the country's education system going during the pandemic. He noted the decreasing digital divide in India. "Innovation is ensuring inclusion in our country. Now going even further, country is moving towards integration", he said.

He stressed that measures like e-Vidya, One Class One Channel, digital labs, digital universities are creating an educational infrastructure which will go a long way in helping the youth of the country.

"This is an attempt to provide better education solutions to villages, poor, Dalits, backwards and tribal people in the country's socio-economic set up", he added. In the recently announced National Digital University, the Prime Minister saw an innovative and unprecedented step that has the potential of fully addressing the problem of seats in the universities.

He called upon Education Ministry, UGC and AICTE and all the stakeholders of the Digital University to work with speed on the project. He emphasized the need to keep international standards in mind while creating institutes.

On the International Mother Language Day today, the Prime Minister underlined the link between education in the medium of mother language and the mental development of children. He informed that in many states medical and technical education is also being imparted in the local languages. The Prime Minister called for momentum in creating best content in digital format in local Indian languages. He emphasized that such content needs to be available via Internet, Mobile phones, TV and radio. He reiterated the requirement to keep the work with regard to content in sign languages going with due priority.

The Prime Minister said "dynamic skilling is critical from the point of view of global talent demand for Aatmnirbhar Bharat." He highlighted the need to prepare the 'demographic dividend' of the country as per the demands of the changing job roles. Digital Ecosystem for skilling and Livelihood and e-Skilling labs were announced in the budget with this vison in mind, he said.

In conclusion, the Prime Minister explained how recent changes in the budgetary process are turning budget as a tool of transformation. He asked the stakeholders to implement the budget provisions seamlessly on the ground. He said that by advancing budget by one month in recent times, it is being ensured that when it is implemented from first April, all preparation and discussion is already undertaken. He asked the stakeholders to ensure optimum outcome from the budget provisions.

"In the context of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and National Education, this is the first budget, which we want to implement quickly for laying down the foundation of the Amrit Kaal", he continued "budget is not just an account of statistics, budget, if implemented properly, can bring great transformation even with limited resources", he concluded.