Modi govt selected unsung heroes for Padma awards: Venkaiah

Hyderabad, Feb 19: The Modi government has identified "unrecognised" and "unsung heroes" and honoured them with the prestigious Padma awards for this year, Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu said here on Sunday.

Speaking after felicitating Padma award winners from Telangana at Swarna Bharat Trust (SBT), Hyderabad chapter, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi selected "unsung heroes" from rural areas who are doing selfless service to the society in their respective fields and awarded them.

"Recognising the 'unrecognised' and 'unsung heroes'...that is the speciality of this year's list of Padma awardees," the Information and Broadcasting Minister said. Venkaiah was joined by Union Minister for Skill Development Rajiv Pratap Rudy at the event. Rudy also said it is for the first time in the country's history that talent from 'Bharat' has been identified and honoured with Padma awards, which was "earlier restricted to Delhi". "Those in Delhi speaking English and used to do networking ...were getting Padma awards.

Check the list (Padma awardees) of the last 30 years and last two years. Compare and you will clearly see. This is the difference the Prime Minister has made," Rudy said. Earlier, Venkaiah and Rudy inaugurated various Skill Development courses and said skills and computer education have huge potential to improve employability and make available quality human resource to the industry.

Stressing on the need for imparting job skills, Venkaiah said, "Modiji has given us 'three S mantras' - skill, scale and speed along with reform, perform and transform mantra." Referring to MUDRA Bank, which provides loans at low rates to micro-finance and non-banking financial institutions, Venkaiah said the PM is regularky monitoring whom the loans have been given to.

He said the PM wants that loans are disbursed among common people. He said activities of Swarna Bharat Trust are directed towards the slogan given by the Prime Minister on 'Make in India' and his mantra of 'Scale, Speed and Skill'.

Venkaiah also complimented management of SBT for empowering women, youth, farmers and vulnerable sections of society by imparting skills and providing free medical aid. Rudy praised Venkaiah for his initiative on Swarna Bharat Trust and said, "People like Venkaiahji work towards giving back to society."

PTI