Indian women will shape destiny of country, possibly planet: Minister

Indian women have the ability to become agents of comprehensive transformation of the country, and the potential to determine its destiny as well as that of the planet earth, Power Minister Piyush Goyal has said.

"Women have the potential to determine the destiny of India or possibly the world," Goyal said, speaking at the launch here of the book "The World in 2050- Striving for a more just, Prosperous and Harmonious Global Community", on Tuesday evening.

"Personally, I have no doubt in my mind that the women of this country have the ability to become an agent of change", he said.

The minister noted that the emerging concern of demographics in India can either be a boon or a disaster for the country.

"The demographics can be a boon or a disaster depending on whether we can channelise it in the right direction and strengthen the youth for tomorrow," Goyal said, adding that India needed to focus on developing skills of youth so that the country's growth is not hampered when the population aged 60 or above grows manifold by 2050.

The minister said the country may have to face a "burden of aging people by 2050, and to save India from such problems, we need to focus on skill development and entrepreneurship skills of today's youth".

According to a UN report, the number of Indians who have attained the age of 60 years or above would increase by 360 per cent by 2050.

Currently the country has more than 100 million elderly persons. By 2050, the number is expected to increase to 323 million -- which would be 20 per cent of its total 1.65 billion projected population.

Goyal said the true empowerment of the country's youth to drive India's growth "can only come through proper infrastructure whose major portion consists of electricity.

"And in some sense, a lot of efforts are going in this subject in India today," he said, releasing the book edited by Harinder S. Kohli, a renowned economist.

The book, published by the Oxford University Press, stresses upon women empowerment, infrastructure and skill development in the country.

At an event here earlier On Tuesday, Goyal said the next round of bidding by states for solar parks will begin soon.

"I have signed the file for round two of solar parks. We will soon have another round of bidding by the states for solar parks. It is a journey that will go on relentlessly," he said while delivering the inaugural address of the national workshop on rooftop solar.

Till date, 33 solar parks have been approved across the country.

--IANS

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