'Dream big, aim high', Commerce Minister's mantra to youth

New Delhi, Jan 4 (IANS) When we aspired for $400 billion exports, people would laugh at us, but now here we are at $300 bn in the first nine months of the current financial year, even in the pandemic we dream big about exports and making India vibrant with boundless business opportunities, said Minister for Commerce & Industry, Textiles, Consumer Affairs and Food & Public Distribution, Piyush Goyal.

Goyal was addressing a group of university students affiliated to Vadodara based 'Chhatra Sansad' who are on the 'Intern Nation Leadership Tour 2022', a ten-day Good Governance tour.

"The Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an inspirational leader for the nation's youth, who has brought about sweeping changes in India's history such as 'Swachh Bharat' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' by involving all the people with his motto of "Sabka Prayas. We are having the world's biggest Food Security programme - NFSA, and food grains are being given to almost 80 cr people to ensure no one goes hungry," said the Minister.

"Students bring energy that brings great changes. We need to give-up 'chalta hai' (let it go) attitude to 'Kuchh karna hai' (Let's do it). The Josh and excitement that youth bring to the table is vital to achieve great results. Dream big. Don't think in terms of small aims, youth are the agents of positive change, the Independence Movement and the Fight Against Emergency, mass movements are created on the back of the youth of the times, remember, 'Koshish karne walon ki kabhi haar nahin hoti," Goyal quipped.

The civil society should not only work on improving social conditions but also work towards improving political processes as well which encourages honesty in Governance. Integrity, transparency and honesty is the need of the hour which the civil society is now beginning to see from initiatives of Government. Civil society should always be proactive and bring dignity to vulnerable sections of society. We must decide about the positive outcomes and go all out with full force about it," said the Union Commerce Minister while interacting with students.

Responding to a question by one of the participants about how he manages to arrive at good management solutions, Goyal replied, it's important to hear and listen to all the views with honest intentions without getting biased and prejudiced about anything. Solutions emerge when such an approach is implemented. Piyush Goyal gave the example of implementation of the jewellery hallmarking which was stuck for many years for the lack of deeper insights.

Indian Youth has made a great impact on the global scale. International organisations now look up to India and Indian youth to make changes and bring growth. We are celebrating 75 years of Freedom, Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, and it's time the nation achieve the global status it rightly deserves. Today no international organisation or event is possible to be conceived without India, said Goyal pointing out that India has started leaving its mark on the global stage including the Olympics and Paralympics.