India can supply manpower for industries globally: PM

Highlighting the growing youth population of the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said India can supply manpower for running the industries across the globe.

"The world has money and industries but no youth to run them. After 2030, India can globally supply manpower for running the industries. That day is not far," Modi said after laying the foundation stone of Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Guwahati.

"For our human resources, let there be manpower development in the global perspective," he said.

Referring to the presence of talented and skilled Indians in the US, he said: "In Silicon Valley, CEOs of most companies are Indians and 60 to 70 per cent youth employed there are Indians".

Pointing out that India imports various electronic goods, including mobile phones, Modi said: "Not a good idea for a country, which has such good institutions as the IITs. This has to change. We can manufacture and sell electronic goods to the world. Keeping in mind this need, we can take forward the Make in India policy to make India a manufacturing hub."

Modi said the country's successful Mars Orbit Mission made India the first country in the world to be successful at the first attempt and at a very cheap rate "due to our youth's talent and desire to do so. Make in India will fulfil this dream".

The PM urged the IITs, IIITs and other technical institutes to create an environment so that students are encouraged to go for manufacturing as the Centre's 'Start up India, Stand up India' campaign was a new thought to the youth to start their own business and become job creators and not job seekers.

Stating that India is the world's youth base, the PM said, "65 per cent of our population are below 35 years. India has been world leader in progressing through knowledge. The youth want to succeed and we have to give importance to them." Referring to IMF and credit rating agencies showing India to be economically progressing among all developed countries, Modi said, "The world is passing through economic crisis today but India stands alone and progressing speedily".

The Prime Minister also launched an Electronics and ICT Academy at the IIT-G for faculty training, consultancy services for industry, technical incubation and entrepreneurship, besides continuing education for students and professionals.

IIIT-G is one of the 20 IIITs set up by the central government in NPPP (not-for-profit public private partnership) mode. Preliminary construction work has started and buildings are expected to be ready by the end of 2017, said its Mentor Director Dr Gautam Barua.

He said the institute, which began in August 2013, is currently operating from its temporary premises in Assam Textile Institute campus at Ambari in Guwahati.