- Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai attends the State-level Foundation Day and Award Ceremony of the National Service Scheme (NSS)
- Chief Minister states: NSS is shaping responsible citizens by instilling values of service, discipline, and leadership
- NSS volunteers should play a major role in the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ (Service Pledge Campaign); inspire society regarding cleanliness, blood donation, tree plantation, water conservation, and de-addiction
- Opportunities for youth are continuously expanding in sectors such as education, government service, employment, startups, AI, and sports
- AI training to be provided to six lakh students through the Chief Minister’s AI Mission; a provision of ₹500 crore made for the mission
- Target set to encourage 5,000 startups in the state by 2030; youth should become job creators, not just job seekers: Chief Minister Shri Sai
- Priority given to local youth employment in the new industrial development policy; investment proposals worth over ₹8.25 lakh crore received in the last one and a half years
- ‘Nalanda Parisar’ (study complexes) being developed in the state; youth preparing for competitive exams will benefit from a better environment
- Chief Minister honors NSS volunteers for their outstanding work
Youth power is the greatest strength in building a developed India and a developed Chhattisgarh. Significant changes can be brought about in society and the nation by channeling the energy, talent, innovative capacity, and spirit of service of the youth in the right direction. The National Service Scheme (NSS) is a powerful medium for fostering values of service, discipline, leadership, social responsibility, and a spirit of nation-building among the youth. Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai made these remarks while addressing the State-level Foundation Day and Award Ceremony of the NSS, held at the Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium in the capital, Raipur. He extended his best wishes to all volunteers on the NSS Foundation Day and honored those who had performed outstanding service in various fields. It is noteworthy that the state-level ceremony was organized by the NSS Cell of the Higher Education Department.
Chief Minister Shri Sai stated that the National Service Scheme has today become a vast campaign connecting lakhs of the country’s youth with social service and nation-building. A young person joining the NSS does not merely participate in activities; they learn to understand society and their surroundings with greater sensitivity. Comprehending the problems faced by people, assuming responsibility, working as a team, and stepping forward to provide solutions—these are the values that empower youth in every sphere of life.
He stated that no act of service should be considered insignificant. Often, even a small effort by a young person can inspire the entire society. Initiatives such as promoting cleanliness in a village, donating blood for the needy, planting and nurturing a sapling, raising awareness about water conservation, or encouraging someone to stay away from substance abuse—such efforts lay the foundation for significant societal change.
The Chief Minister noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, a comprehensive platform named ‘Mera Yuva Bharat’ has been created with the aim of making the country’s youth more active participants in the nation-building process. Through this platform, young people are gaining opportunities for leadership, skill development, and experiential learning. Referring to the Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, he mentioned that the Minister himself was an NSS volunteer during his student days. This exemplifies how the values of service and leadership instilled by the NSS remain with an individual throughout their life.
- Youth to Play a Major Role in the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’
Calling upon the youth, Chief Minister Shri Sai urged NSS volunteers to actively participate in the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ (Service Pledge Campaign) currently underway in the state. He remarked that the core spirit of both the NSS and the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ is the same: stepping forward to serve and engaging society in acts of service.
The Chief Minister stated that a month-long ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ is being conducted in the state from September 17 (Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s birthday) to October 17, marking the completion of his 25 years of public service. NSS youth can play a pivotal role in transforming issues such as cleanliness, blood donation, tree plantation, water conservation, de-addiction, and health awareness into mass movements. He urged volunteers to connect people with these campaigns—not only within their college and university campuses but also in villages, settlements, and cities.
He stated that the youth possess immense potential to inspire society. When young people step forward for a noble cause, their families, society, and the community join them. Therefore, even a small initiative by NSS volunteers can become a catalyst for widespread and positive social change.
- Strengthening Youth Confidence: A Government Priority
Chief Minister Shri Sai stated that the youth constitute Chhattisgarh’s greatest strength. The state government is continuously expanding opportunities in the fields of education, government service, employment, entrepreneurship, sports, and modern technology to align with the aspirations of the youth.
He added that strengthening the confidence of the youth regarding recruitment examinations has been a priority for the government. Class III and Class IV.The Chhattisgarh Staff Selection Board has been constituted to handle recruitment for various posts. Strict measures have been implemented to curb cheating and the use of unfair means in recruitment examinations, ensuring that deserving youth have the opportunity to progress based on hard work and talent.
The Chief Minister stated that approximately 7,000 youths have been recruited into the police department. Recruitment processes for the posts of Lecturers, Teachers, and Assistant Teachers are currently underway. Recruitment for 1,235 posts in power companies is also progressing, creating new opportunities for youth with diverse qualifications, including those with backgrounds in engineering and technical education. In the higher education sector, appointment letters have been issued to 430 lab attendants. Efforts are also being made to boost employment opportunities in the private sector, and job fairs will be organized following the monsoon season.
- New Industrial Policy to Open New Avenues of Employment for Youth
Chief Minister Shri Sai stated that the state’s new Industrial Development Policy (2024-30) places special emphasis on job creation alongside investment. He noted that the state has received investment proposals worth over ₹8.25 lakh crore in the last year and a half, and work on the ground has already commenced for several projects.
He mentioned that while formulating the industrial policy, special care was taken to ensure that the youth of Chhattisgarh directly benefit from incoming investments. The policy includes specific provisions to encourage the employment of local youth. Special incentives have been arranged for enterprises that provide employment to one thousand local residents. This initiative will generate large-scale employment opportunities across the state in the coming years.
- Youth Gaining a Better Environment for Competitive Exam Preparation
Chief Minister Shri Sai stated that the government is also focusing on providing the necessary resources and environment for talented youth to excel. The capacity of the Tribal Youth Hostel in Delhi, which caters to tribal youth preparing for competitive examinations, has been increased to 200 seats. Expressing his happiness, he noted that 13 students from the hostel have cleared the UPSC preliminary examination this time.
He explained that ‘Nalanda Campuses’ are being constructed to provide a conducive study environment, books, and modern facilities for the state’s youth preparing for competitive examinations. The government aims to ensure that neither economic nor geographical circumstances hinder the dreams of talented young people.
- Youth should become job creators, not just job seekers
Chief Minister Shri Sai stated that in changing times, our perspective on employment needs to broaden. The youth of Chhattisgarh should not merely be job seekers but should also become job creators through their innovation, talent, and entrepreneurship. The state government is fostering an environment favorable for startups and entrepreneurship to achieve this.
He mentioned that under the ‘Innovation and Startup Promotion Policy 2025-30,’ a target has been set to promote 5,000 startups in the state by 2030. Through the ‘Chief Minister Startup and Nipun Mission,’ youth are being connected with entrepreneurship, skill development, and new technologies. The government wants the state’s youth to transform their ideas into enterprises and play a leading role in building Chhattisgarh’s new economy.
- Chhattisgarh’s youth to advance in future technologies, including AI
The Chief Minister remarked that the world is rapidly moving towards Artificial Intelligence and new technologies. In the near future, the role of these technologies will expand across almost every sector, including education, industry, healthcare, agriculture, and administration. Therefore, it is essential to prepare the youth of Chhattisgarh to meet future demands.
He stated that, with this objective in mind, a provision of ₹500 crore has been made for the ‘Chief Minister AI Mission.’ This initiative aims to provide Artificial Intelligence training to six lakh students across the state. This will help students gain an understanding of new technologies and prepare them for future employment and entrepreneurial opportunities.
- Talent of sportspersons also being recognized
Chief Minister Shri Sai noted that alongside education and employment, opportunities for talented youth are also being expanded in the field of sports. The path to government employment has been cleared for 156 outstanding sportspersons from the state. The government desires that athletes who bring glory to the state and the country through their hard work on the field receive recognition commensurate with their performance, as well as ample opportunities for advancement.
- Youth to Play a Pivotal Role in the Journey Towards a Developed India
Chief Minister Shri Sai stated that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has resolved to transform India into a developed nation by the year 2047. This goal of a ‘Developed India’ is not merely the government’s objective but a shared resolve of every citizen of the country, especially the youth.
He remarked that a developed Chhattisgarh would play a significant role in building a developed India. The energy, talent, diligence, spirit of innovation, and dedication to service possessed by the youth of Chhattisgarh constitute the greatest strength of this journey. The values of service and social responsibility that young people are cultivating today through the NSS will equip them to provide capable leadership for nation-building in the future.
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