Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday, 13 June 2026, praised the 12-year development journey under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling it a 'golden chapter' for India's youth and highlighting central skilling, entrepreneurship, and sports schemes that he says are reshaping the country's demographic dividend.

Context

Posting in Odia on X under the hashtag #12YearsOfYuvaShakti, CM Majhi wrote: 'ଯଶସ୍ବୀ ପ୍ରଧାନମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଶ୍ରୀ Narendra Modi ଜୀଙ୍କ ନେତୃତ୍ୱରେ ଗତ ୧୨ ବର୍ଷର ବିକାଶ ଯାତ୍ରା ଭାରତର ଯୁବଶକ୍ତି ପାଇଁ ଏକ ସ୍ୱର୍ଣ୍ଣିମ ଅଧ୍ୟାୟ ପ୍ରମାଣିତ ହୋଇଛି' ('The 12-year development journey under the visionary Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proved to be a golden chapter for India's youth'). The post frames today's young Indians not merely as job-seekers but as 'job creators' actively contributing to the nation's economic growth.

The Chief Minister specifically named Skill India Mission, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Startup India, and Khelo India as flagship initiatives that have opened new avenues of self-reliance for the youth. He also underlined Odisha's own emergence as a hub of technology, entrepreneurship, and sports, linking state-level progress to the broader national vision of 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India).

Policy Backdrop

The Skill India Mission and PMKVY, both launched in 2015, were designed to skill India's large working-age population and improve employability through short-term certified training programmes. The Startup India initiative, announced in 2016, created a policy ecosystem offering tax benefits and funding access to first-generation entrepreneurs, directly targeting the shift from employment-seeking to employment-generating behaviour among youth.

The Khelo India programme, introduced in 2017, aimed to revive grassroots sports culture and identify talent at the district level, providing structured pathways to national and international competition. The National Education Policy 2020 further integrated vocational training into formal schooling, reinforcing the skilling architecture. Together, these schemes represent a decade-long policy pivot that frames youth as India's primary growth engine toward the Viksit Bharat 2047 goal.

Stakeholders and Impact

Odisha has invested significantly in sports infrastructure in recent years, hosting major international tournaments and producing athletes who have competed on global stages. CM Majhi noted that Odisha's youth are 'setting new benchmarks in technology and entrepreneurship,' realising the vision of a 'Samruddha Odisha' (Prosperous Odisha). The state's athletes, he said, have brought medals and pride to the country, reflecting the younger generation's 'indomitable confidence and resolve.'

For young entrepreneurs and skilled workers, the convergence of central schemes with state-level execution has meant greater access to training centres, seed funding, and competitive sports infrastructure — particularly significant for an eastern state historically dependent on traditional sectors such as agriculture and mining. Odisha's alignment with national youth missions also signals the BJP government's effort to project eastern India as an active participant in the country's economic transformation.

What's Next

CM Majhi's post, timed to the #12YearsOfYuvaShakti campaign, suggests continued political emphasis on youth-centric governance as a BJP electoral and policy theme. Observers will watch for Odisha's rollout of new skill development centres and sports academies that could operationalise the Chief Minister's vision of a 'Samruddha Odisha.' India's performance at upcoming major multi-sport events — supported through the Khelo India pipeline — will also serve as a concrete measure of how effectively grassroots talent has been converted into world-class competition. In the 'Amrit Kaal' framing used by the Chief Minister, the youth are described as the 'greatest charioteers' in building a strong and developed India.