Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day address highlights a fresh focus on youth, sports, and employment schemes aimed at realising India’s vision of becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047, including plans to host the 2036 Olympics and create millions of jobs.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his Independence Day address on Friday to place sport, jobs and youth at the centre of India’s long-term development push, saying the country’s path to becoming a “Viksit Bharat” by 2047 depends heavily on younger Indians.
Speaking from the Red Fort in New Delhi, Modi said India’s sporting ecosystem has improved sharply, pointing to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, Khelo India competitions, university, winter and beach games, and wider investment in coaching, sports medicine, nutrition and infrastructure. He said the sector is creating opportunities not only for athletes but also for people working around the sporting system.
The Prime Minister also unveiled the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana, a jobs programme he said is worth Rs 1 lakh crore and aimed at creating about 3.5 crore jobs. According to the scheme details reported by several Indian publications, first-time private-sector workers will receive Rs 15,000, while employers will get incentives for generating fresh employment. Reports said the programme will cover jobs created between August 1, 2025, and July 31, 2027.
Modi linked India’s sporting ambitions to a bigger international push, saying the country is positioning itself to host the 2036 Olympics and the 2030 Commonwealth Games. He said India must broaden participation in events where it currently has little presence and called for a talent hunt across villages, cities and schools to identify children aged five to 15 for specialist training. Earlier reporting on the Target Olympic Podium Scheme said it is already being overhauled to focus on sports with stronger medal prospects, including aquatics and cycling, with quarterly athlete reviews.
He also highlighted the challenge of drug abuse among the young and described a drug-free India as a shared national duty. Alongside that, he pointed to the growth of Startup India, saying there are now more than 2.5 lakh registered start-ups, and announced free online coaching for students preparing for examinations, arguing that middle-class families are under growing pressure from private coaching costs.
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