BJP MP Anurag Thakur, former Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, on Saturday, June 13, 2026, marked twelve years of the Modi government by highlighting its youth-focused policies and welfare schemes, saying India's youth are writing a new story in every field.

Context

Thakur posted in Hindi: 'मोदी सरकार के 12 साल, युवाशक्ति के उत्थान के, राष्ट्रकल्याण के' ('12 years of the Modi government — of the rise of youth power, of national welfare'), adding that youth-oriented policies and welfare schemes have enabled India's young generation to 'write a new story of New India in every sector.' The post was accompanied by a video and carried the hashtag #12YearsOfYuvaShakti.

Thakur, who represented the government at the ministry most directly responsible for youth programmes, has been a consistent public voice on schemes aimed at the 15-35 age group. His post coincides with the anniversary period of the National Democratic Alliance government first sworn in on May 26, 2014.

Policy Backdrop

The twelve-year period Thakur references has seen a cluster of centrally-sponsored programmes targeting youth employment, skill development and sports. Skill India, launched in 2015, set an ambition to train over 400 million people through its flagship component, the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), which provides industry-relevant certification to school and college dropouts.

Startup India, announced in 2016, offered young entrepreneurs tax benefits, simplified compliance and access to funding support. The Khelo India programme, revived in 2017, directed annual budget allocations toward grassroots sports and talent identification. The National Education Policy 2020 further embedded vocational education from Class 6 onward and introduced multiple entry-exit options to improve graduate employability.

These initiatives built on the National Youth Policy 2014, which replaced the 2003 version and set structured targets for education, skill development and civic engagement across the youth demographic.

Stakeholders and Impact

The programmes cited in the broader anniversary narrative primarily affect young job-seekers, aspiring entrepreneurs and student athletes across all states. Legacy institutions such as Nehru Yuva Kendras have been retained alongside newer centrally-sponsored missions, creating a layered delivery architecture.

State-level sports bodies and vocational training centres are among the key implementing partners for Khelo India and PMKVY respectively. The framing of youth as a 'demographic dividend' — a phrase central to the government's communication since 2014 — has shaped budget priorities and ministerial mandates across multiple departments.

What's Next

Analysts and opposition voices are likely to test the anniversary claims against the next release of Periodic Labour Force Survey data, which tracks youth unemployment rates independently of government scheme enrolment figures. Any supplementary budget allocations for PMKVY or Khelo India in the 2026-27 fiscal year will be closely watched as a measure of continued political commitment to the youth agenda.

For Thakur personally, the post reinforces his positioning as a senior BJP voice on youth and sports policy ahead of any potential cabinet reshuffle or state-level electoral cycle in Himachal Pradesh.