Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a gathering while disbursing incentives under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana in New Delhi, highlighting the scheme's significant impact on employment generation and youth empowerment.
The scheme has created approximately 7 million jobs so far, with around 7 million first-time employees receiving social security coverage. About 2 million youth have completed six months in their first job, and nearly 1 million of these beneficiaries have received incentives totaling more than ₹2,000 crore directly transferred to their bank accounts. The PM emphasized that this amount represents respect for hard work and the nation's faith in youth's future.
The program serves as a bridge between youth and industries, encouraging both job seekers and employers. The government supports first-time employees, which changes industrialists' perspectives toward hiring young workers. The scheme specifically addresses previous hesitations about business growth due to regulatory restrictions, encouraging expansion rather than maintaining small-scale operations.
Additional employment initiatives were highlighted: over ₹12 lakh crore infrastructure investment creating foundation for millions of youth, ₹33 lakh crore assistance under Mudra Yojana enabling crores of young people to start their own work, over 10 crore women connected with Self Help Groups including over 3 crore 'Lakhpati Didis', and programs like SVANidhi and PM Vishwakarma supporting small entrepreneurs and traditional artisans.
The digital economy has created new opportunities in gig economy, platform economy, content creation, and technology services. The startup ecosystem has grown from about 500 startups to more than 200,000 registered startups across every district. Emerging sectors like drone manufacturing (for medicine supply, pesticide spraying, SVAMITVA mapping, and defense) and the opened space sector are creating new job opportunities.
The government has implemented labor reforms through new labor codes providing greater security, transparency, and rights to workers, including legal recognition of appointment letters, equal facilities for fixed-term employees, and expanded minimum wage scope. EPFO system modernization has made pension arrangements simpler and more accessible, while millions of new workers have been connected with health insurance and affordable treatment facilities.
Women's participation is being strengthened through changed restrictions on night shifts, work-from-home facilities, and safe workplaces. India has signed free trade agreements with nearly 40 countries, creating new markets and opportunities for Make in India brands globally.
The PM urged industrialists to embrace opportunities, reach new markets, create new products, and compete with world's best companies, emphasizing that quality across education, skill, service, product, and packaging must meet highest global standards to survive and excel in global markets.