PM Modi Highlights Impact of Smart India Hackathon 2024, Emphasizes Innovation for Nation’s Growth
New Delhi, December 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday praised the technological solutions developed through the Smart India Hackathon editions, stating that these innovations have proven to be highly beneficial for people across the country.
Addressing the participants of the Smart India Hackathon 2024 through video conferencing, PM Modi acknowledged the positive impact these innovations have had and reiterated their importance in addressing real-world challenges. He interacted with the participants for about an hour, encouraging the next generation of problem-solvers.
This marks the 7th edition of the Smart India Hackathon, a flagship initiative by the Union Ministry of Education. The program is designed to empower students to address real-world challenges through innovation. PM Modi noted that the Smart India Hackathon has become a platform for young innovators to collaborate with government and industry stakeholders, delivering solutions to pressing challenges.
“Many of the solutions from all the hackathons that have taken place in the last 7 years are proving to be very useful for the people of the country today,” said PM Modi. “These hackathons have solved many big problems,” he asserted.
In his speech, the Prime Minister also referred to the recently approved One Nation One Subscription scheme, describing it as a unique initiative that would support young innovators. Under this scheme, the government is providing access to subscriptions of reputed journals, ensuring that no youth in India remains deprived of important information. Approved by the Cabinet on November 25, the initiative aims to provide country-wide access to scholarly research articles and journal publications. A total of about Rs.6,000 crore has been allocated for the One Nation One Subscription scheme for the calendar years 2025, 2026, and 2027.
PM Modi also referred to the 2020 National Education Policy, emphasizing its role in nurturing a scientific mindset among students. “Today, the world is saying that India’s strength is our youth power, our innovative youth, our tech power,” he said, adding that his government is committed to providing this generation with the right resources and tools at the right time.
“We are working on different layers for different age groups, ensuring everyone gets a chance to understand and learn,” he added.
The Prime Minister concluded by highlighting that India’s aspirations today require out-of-the-box thinking to tackle every challenge. “We must adopt an innovative approach in every sector, making it a habit,” he said, noting that the process of innovation in hackathons is just as important as the final product.
