Minister lists Five Point Action Plan for IIT students to unleash golden era
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has told IIT students that technology can play a very big role in taking prosperity to the remotest corners of India, and can really help democratize basic amenities, such as Healthcare through Telemedicine, Education through EdTech.
“For example, why are we making the ONDC, the Open Network for Digital Commerce? The idea is that the small retailers should also be protected,” he said after addressing the Policy Conclave 2022 on 13 Feb 2022, which organised by IIT Kanpur.
“We are OK with the large eCommerce contributing to the nation’s economy and working their way through. But should the small retailers be allowed to become extinct like in the Western world, where Mom & Pop stores are almost gone? Or should we not protect livelihoods (these small businesses)?”
“Unless you have ambitious targets, unless you dream big, unless you have significantly large hopes, aspirations, desires, you can never achieve greatness. Our demographic dividend gives us huge opportunities, opens the doors to a very bright future for the country! And therefore we need a holistic vision which envisions growth in all sectors, makes it easier to do business, promotes innovation, research, development, modernity and yet also respects family values, our culture, makes it easier to live. That we call Ease of Living for every single citizen,” he said.
Goyal said India’s tryst with destiny must not merely remain a wishful rendezvous but must transform into prosperity, progress and development. “And in that journey, IIT-Kanpur and all the other IITs will be at the forefront, I have no doubt in that,” he said.
The Minister listed a Five Point Action Plan for IIT students to unleash India’s golden era:
In all your ventures, make Scale, Quality, & Job Creation the focal point;
Provide innovative solutions for farmers, artisans & weavers, small retailers, etc & help realise the goals of Aatmanirbhar Bharat & Make in India for the World;
Study digital platforms (e.g. Single Window, PM GatiShakti, ONDC) & give ideas to enhance facilities;
Help set the agenda/themes for India’s G20 presidency starting in Dec’22;
Make Seva & Samarpan your guiding philosophy & give back to the nation;
Goyal said IIT-K is the pride of India and the world from being the 1st institute in India to offer Computer Science stream to being home to distinguished alumni like Narayana Murthy (Founder, Infosys), Arvind Krishna (CEO, IBM) and Mukesh Bansal (Founder, Myntra & CEO Cure.fit) to name a few. fiinews.com
