Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the youth and the new generation of India should wring out preconceived notions and march ahead into a new world with a clean slate and a clean heart in order to succeed. He was virtually addressing the eighth convocation of the Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU) in Gandhinagar.
The prime minister in his address to the around 2,600 students who received degrees and diplomas at the University said: “You, the new generation, have to come out of the ‘Hota hai, Chalta hai, Yahan per to Aisa Hi Hota hai, Nothing will improve’ attitude.
“That is the attitude of a loser. There is a need for a clean slate and a clean heart. Today’s new generation of the 21st century, should go ahead with a clean slate and a clean heart and wring out all preconceived notions that things won’t change.”
About his clean slate, Modi recalled about his entry into the Gujarat politics 20 years back when he became the chief minister. He entered with a clean slate and totally revamped the electricity scenario, where 70 to 80 percent of people complained about the power.
“Almost all of them requested me after I become the CM, to do at least one thing so that they wouldn’t have to have their dinner in darkness.
“Despite most of the administration and bureaucracy going against my suggestion of separating the power feeders for agriculture and for domestic purposes, we tried it in 45 villages and succeeded. Thereafter this innovative idea was replicated across the state,” the PM recalled.
“Most of the people were used to power failures during the evening while they were having dinner. If I had gone with the preconceived notion, that situation will not have improved, we wouldn’t be having 24-hour electricity in the state,” added the PM.
The Prime Minister also urged the PDPU administration to change the name of the university from a Petroleum University to an Energy University. “This will also express the PDPU’s larger vision,” he said.
Talking to the students the PM said, “When you step out of the university in to the industry, in these pandemic times, there are vast opportunities in the energy sector growth, enterprise spirit, employment.
“So you are in the right place at the right time. Even in the only oil and gas sector, lakhs of rupees are to be invested. Today India has set an aim of reducing it’s carbon footprint by 30 to 35 per cent. Everybody wondered whether India can do it, when I presented the same to the world.”
“We are going to quadruple the natural gas sector and within 5 years the work is going to double our oil refining capacity. In all of these, opportunities lies ahead of you. We are also enhancing the start-up ecosystem. For the budding start-ups, for such students like you and professors, a special fund is being set up. If you have any ideas, product or a concept and if you want it to incubate, this fund is not only an opportunity for you but a gift from the government,” the PM said.
The PM also challenged the youth to gear up and take up the challenge in these pandemic times. “Your strength and capabilities are far greater than these challenges. Problems are not important but it is very important that you have a specific purpose, your preferences are set and you have a perfect plan for that. It’s not that you are facing the difficulties for the first time nor are these challenges for the last time. But those who defeat challenges and solve them succeed in life,” the PM said.
Comparing these times with that of hundred years back the PM reminisced, “The youth of that time and everybody from all strata of the society, had only one aim – freedom. And whatever different roads they had, their ultimate goal was to attain freedom, and sacrificed their lives for that. Today also, the same opportunities lie ahead of you. You have to be a soldier to build the new India, ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.
“You are in a golden period, when the country will be celebrating 75 years of independence in 2022. The coming 25 years are the most important years of your life, after which the country will be celebrating 100 years of freedom,” the PM said.
“You also owe the country for what you are today. whatever you have attained, it is not only because of your good scores, your families’ money behind it, or your talents, but others also have a contribution to your success.
“Even the poor people who built this building of the university, the government, the common man with whose money this university was set up,” the PM told the students.
“Remember one thing, people who succeed have a tremendous sense of responsibility. The losers don’t have much sense of responsibility, but they have a sense of burden under which they get crushed. The sense of responsibility in a person gives birth to a sense of opportunity. They will never see obstacles in life but see opportunities everywhere. The sense of responsibility and the purpose of life are two rail tracks on which the vehicle of your resolutions will move rapidly ahead,” Modi told the students.
“Today the country is moving rapidly in many sectors. There are many things to do and the country has lots to receive from you,” added the PM.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also virtually laid the foundation stone of the 45 MW generation plant of ‘Monocrystalline Solar Photo Voltaic Panel’ and center of Excellence on Water Technology’ at the University. He also inaugurated the ‘Innovation and Incubation Center’ at the university.
