New Delhi, May 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India’s international partnerships are purposefully structured to serve the country’s youth and leaders of global corporations, representing dozens of nations, have talked about India’s youth and its technological advancement.

After virtually distributing appointment letters for central government jobs to more than 51,000 youths at a ‘Rozgar Mela’, Modi also said the youth will play a crucial role in realising the vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (developed India) in the years to come.

Sharing insights from his just-concluded five-country tour, the prime minister conveyed the excitement that leaders of global corporations, representing dozens of nations, had expressed about India’s youth and its technological advancement.

“The world wants to be a part of India’s development journey,” he said.

Modi made it clear that India’s international partnerships are purposefully structured to serve its youth.

“The purpose is that India’s youth get employment and global exposure,” he said.

Elaborating on the diplomatic and economic outcomes of his visits to the UAE, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy, the PM outlined sector-specific agreements forged and dialogues held with each nation.

He said discussions were held on semiconductors, water, agriculture and advanced manufacturing with the Netherlands; on cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation with Sweden; on green technology and maritime cooperation with Norway; MoUs signed on strategic energy and technology partnerships with the UAE; and agreements signed on defence, critical minerals and science and technology with Italy.

Modi underlined the long-range significance of these collaborations and said these are the sectors that will shape industries, defining global growth for the next 25 years.

Citing the ASML-Tata Electronics agreement as a concrete example of India’s growing stature as a trusted global supply chain partner, he pointed out that India is among only a handful of countries with which the Dutch semiconductor giant has signed an accord.

He said partnerships with Sweden on AI and cooperation with the UAE on supercomputing would similarly bolster India’s technological capabilities.

“This ASML-Tata Electronics agreement alone will create thousands of new employment opportunities in India,” he said.

Highlighting the rapid rise of clean energy, critical minerals, green hydrogen and sustainable manufacturing as sectors of immense opportunity, the PM noted that growing collaboration with Sweden, Norway and Italy in green transition and sustainable technology would position India strongly in the clean manufacturing industries of the future.

“These partnerships are opening the doors of a new economy and new opportunities,” he said.

Pointing to accelerated work on ports, shipping and maritime infrastructure agreements, Modi observed that partnerships with the UAE and Norway would fortify India’s shipbuilding ecosystem, directly expanding the horizon of opportunity for the country’s engineers, technicians and skilled workers.

“New opportunities will be created for India’s engineers, technicians and skilled workers,” he said.

Noting that each new partnership simultaneously widens global connectivity for Indian startups, researchers and young professionals, the PM reflected on a world today that respects nations which innovate, build, and deliver at scale.

He exuded pride that India is advancing on all three fronts. “The greatest force behind this transformation is India’s youth, all of you,” he said.

Welcoming the new entrants into government service, Modi underscored their imminent contribution to India’s development across sectors, including railways, banking, defence, health and education.

Honouring the dedication and rigorous preparation that brought the appointees to this milestone, the prime minister extended his heartfelt congratulations to each one of them.

Conveying the direct relevance of each international agreement to employment generation, Modi emphasised that every new investment, every technology partnership, and every industrial collaboration ultimately creates fresh opportunities for India’s young people.

Anchoring the moment within the larger national mission, he spoke of the collective resolve to build a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, affirming that cross-sectoral investment by the government is generating millions of new employment opportunities as a direct consequence of this ambition.

Describing India’s rise as a major electronics manufacturer, Modi pointed to the Production Linked Incentive scheme as the engine driving record electronics production and generating millions of jobs for the youth, with the entire electronics value chain being built domestically.

He also called upon the newly appointed government employees to remain mindful of their role in facilitating business and enterprise. “Ease of Doing Business is a great priority for the country,” he said.

Underscoring the foundational role of infrastructure in driving employment generation and inclusive growth, the PM observed that the true dividend of national progress reaches its full potential only when villages, small towns and remote regions are integrated into the development fabric.

Celebrating the emergence of a new culture of self-employment and entrepreneurship across the country, he noted that India has become the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, with over 2.3 lakh recognised startups and that this transformation is no longer confined to metropolitan centres.

He also noted that the youth from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are entering the world of startups and innovation in large numbers, and that this movement has become an important component of the national economy. He further highlighted the growing and decisive role of India’s women in this entrepreneurial surge.

In keeping with the prime minister’s commitment to prioritising employment generation, the ‘Rozgar Mela’ is a major initiative aimed at translating this vision into a reality, officials said.

The ‘Rozgar Mela’ was held at 47 locations across the country on Saturday.

The appointees, selected from all parts of India, will join various ministries and departments, including railways, home affairs, health and family welfare, and departments of financial services and higher education, among others.

New Delhi, May 23: After the third fuel price hike in eight days, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday alleged that the government was “looting” the public’s earnings in instalments.

In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge claimed that there was a leadership crisis in the government , saying that while other countries are providing relief to their people, the BJP government here continues to “loot” them.

“Petrol has now crossed Rs 100, this time around…Looting the public’s earnings in instalments!

“The BJP’s appetite isn’t satisfied even after slapping a central tax of Rs 1,000 crore daily on petrol-diesel… When international prices were low, they didn’t pass on the benefits to the people – instead, they looted them relentlessly,” he said in his post.

Kharge claimed that when the crisis hit, the BJP leadership got involved in elections and after the elections, and they preached sacrifice. “Then, in just 8 days, they hiked petrol-diesel prices three times,” he said. “We were told that prices in India are the lowest compared to foreign countries.”

“When the war in West Asia broke out and PM Modi was busy feeding us Indians the ‘everything’s fine’ sedative, other countries were providing relief to their citizens,” he claimed.

The Congress chief cited the example of Italy saying it cut excise on fuel, giving their people some relief, while Australia reduced excise duty, slashing petrol prices by about Rs 17 per litre for citizens.

He also said that Germany lowered taxes on oil, reducing fuel prices by Rs 17-19 per litre, while the UK provided 100 pounds in oil aid to households and cut taxes on fuel and electricity.

Ireland’s 250 million euro relief package brought petrol prices down by about 0.15 euro/litre and diesel by 0.20 euro/litre, he said.

“Narendra Modi ji, tell us — Who all are getting a share of this installment-based loot? Why are you so compromised?

“The real crisis in this government is one of leadership — 140 crore Indians have now figured that out,” Kharge alleged.

Petrol and diesel prices were raised by 87-91 paise per litre on Saturday, taking the cumulative increase in retail fuel rates to nearly Rs 5 a litre in under 10 days as state-owned firms passed on soaring international oil prices.

The latest revision pushed petrol prices higher by 87 paise per litre and diesel by up to 91 paise across the country, according to industry sources.

The back-to-back increases follow a prolonged freeze in retail fuel prices and come amid elevated crude oil prices in the global market.

With the latest hike, petrol and diesel prices have risen close to Rs 5 a litre since the state-owned oil marketing companies on May 15 ended the hiatus in rate revision, stoking concerns over inflationary pressures and higher transportation costs across the economy.

Petrol and diesel prices were increased by Rs 3 per litre each on May 15 and 90 paise a litre on May 19.

Chennai, May 23: PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Saturday urged authorities to immediately implement the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s order to close 717 liquor shops across the State.

After assuming office on May 10, the chief minister issued an order to close a total of 717 liquor outlets belonging to the state-owned TASMAC, within two weeks.

“Only 150 from the list of 717 liquor shops have been shut, and that officials concerned have halted the work on closing the remainder, is disappointing”, he alleged in a statement here.

He said the order came directly from the chief minister, and there is no justification for stopping or delaying closures.

“The democratically elected head of the government orders the closures, officials must carry out the order rather than delay it for unclear reasons”.

The PMK leader alleged that the “liquor lobby” is using its full influence to oppose the government’s decision to close the 717 outlets.

“Under pressure from that lobby, a petition was filed in the Madras High Court seeking to block the closures”, he said, adding “the court, however, dismissed the petition and commended the government’s decision.

Stating that the chief minister is acting with good intent to close liquor shops and eliminate illegal outlets, he said, “officials must support his aim, not obstruct it”.