NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will open the 25th National Youth Festival in Puducherry today on the occasion of Swami Vivekananda Jayanti, which is commemorated as National Youth Day across India. According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the festival will be hosted virtually on January 12 and 13, because of the ongoing COVID-19 third wave.
Aside from that, PM Modi will unveil a technological centre that will be operated by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, as well as an auditorium with an open-air theatre called the ‘Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Manimandapam’. Moreover, the technological facility, which cost roughly 122 crore to construct, focuses on the electronic system design and manufacturing (ESDM) industry. According to the PMO statement, it will focus on young skill development and train approximately 6400 trainees each year. The auditorium, on the other hand, cost around Rs 23 crore to construct. The PMO statement said, “It would largely be used for educational reasons and can hold over 1000 people.”
Following PM Modi’s inauguration of the festival, the National Youth Summit will take place, featuring panel discussions on four topics: environment, climate, and SDG-led growth; technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation; indigenous and ancient wisdom; and national character, nation building, and homegrown.