Every citizen's contribution needed to transform India: PM Modi

Raising the pitch to improve the quality of education in the country, Modi said youngsters should be motivated to take the profession of teaching.

Asserting that every citizen can contribute towards the growth of the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said suggestion from every individual must be integrated to strengthen country's growth.

Addressing a group of entrepreneurs at a programme organised by NITI Aayog, Modi called for a change in process to select people for Padma Awards.

"Remember how Padma Awards were given earlier? We brought in a 'small' change- people can recommend names for awards, unlike the past," he said.

"The Padma Awards given this year include exemplary success stories, who have been working silently and tirelessly on the ground," he added.

Expressing happiness at senior government officials recognising innovative ideas being shared, the Prime Minister said both young and the old must work together for India's betterment.

Policy makers in Government are relatively senior...the group I am meeting today is young. I want both to work together for India's good... I have found senior officials in the Government seeing opportunities in the new ideas shared," he said.

He said it was unfortunate that corruption was institutionalised, adding that time had come to change it.

"Middlemen are out of work in this Government and they are the ones who are most unhappy," he added.

Raising the pitch to improve the quality of education in the country, Modi said youngsters should be motivated to take the profession of teaching.

"We need to create an atmosphere where our youngsters want to be teachers and educate others... We have big placements in leading business schools, the same way why can't we have placements recruiting teachers with good pay packages," he said.

He also said just the government's initiatives were not sufficient to transform the nation, but every citizen must contribute.

"As CEOs, you can sit with your teams and discuss with them- what can we do for the next five years, for a New India," Modi told the gathering of entrepreneurs.

OneIndia News