Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri George Kurian today said that the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, as outlined by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, can be acheived only when every family in the country progresses. He was speaking at the inauguration of the Skill Training & Women Entrepreneurship Development Programme under the PM VIKAS scheme at the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Kottayam.

Emphasizing the importance of economic empowerment at the grassroots level, the Union Minister said that the income of every family must increase for India to truly develop. “This can only be achieved through the collective hard work of individuals and communities,” he said. Highlighting the transformative power of science and technology, he urged students to recognize how deeply modern life is interwoven with innovations like the internet and digital tools.

Pointing to the widespread adoption of UPI transactions, the Minister observed that people of all age groups are now comfortably using digital technology, proving that basic tech literacy is no longer a barrier. He added that the leadership and entrepreneurship components of the PM VIKAS scheme are designed not just to create workers but to nurture future employers. He remarked that women-led startups are gaining prominence across the country and that women’s representation is increasing across all sectors.

Lauding IIIT Kottayam’s growing reputation, he said the institute is making a mark at the national level. He also commended the performance of its Atal Incubation Centre at the institution. Shri George Kurian later interacted with students during the event.

As part of the occasion, an MoU was signed between the Ministry of Minority Affairs and IIIT Kottayam. The Registrar of IIIT Kottayam, Dr. M. Radhakrishnan, and the Deputy Secretary (PM VIKAS) in the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Shri Ankur Yadav, signed the MoU in the presence of the Union Minister of State. The Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Dr. Chandrashekhar Kumar, IAS, also addressed the gathering. Prof. Dr. Prasad Krishna, Director (Additional Charge), IIIT Kottayam, gave an overview of the institute’s activities. Dr. Shajulin Benedict, Principal Investigator, AIC IIIT Kottayam Foundation, proposed the vote of thanks.

Under this project, IIIT Kottayam will conduct a training programme for 450 candidates from minority communities in Kerala. Of these, 150 youth will receive skill training in the emerging and high-demand field of Internet of Things (IoT), while 300 women will undergo leadership and entrepreneurship development training to support the launch of their own ventures. 

The PM VIKAS scheme consolidates various skilling and educational initiatives of the Ministry of Minority Affairs into a unified framework, aimed at the socio-economic upliftment of India’s six notified minority communities. The project at IIIT Kottayam is one among several such initiatives being implemented nationwide under the scheme.

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