Need concerted efforts to make India 'swachh, samarth': Prez

Citing Centre's Jan Dhan Yojana and 'Ease of Doing business' initiatives, President Pranab Mukherjee today said concerted and determined efforts were needed to renew India to realise Gandhiji's dream of "swachh and samarth bharat".
Addressing the fourth convocation of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) here, he emphasised on preparing a large pool of skilled manpower to drive country's rapid economic growth.
"The government has launched important initiatives like Swachh Bharat Mission, Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao, Jan Dhan Yojana, Make in India, Ease of Doing Business, Clean Ganga campaign etc.
"A concerted and determined effort to renew India, bolstered by ideas and imagination of a premier institution like IIM, Raipur, can help our nation realise Gandhiji's dream of a Swachh and Samarth Bharat," the President said.

Mukherjee said education enriches lives, advances thinking, propagates new thought and enhances human capacity.
"Given that knowledge will spur growth in the future, it is essential that we prepare a large pool of skilled and capable manpower who can drive rapid economic growth of our country and enable us deal with poverty, deprivation and backwardness," the President said.

He said most prosperous societies have built their economic success on the foundation of a sound education system and rich culture of research.
Mukherjee said setting up of more and more institutions to impart higher education is important.
"It is however equally essential that the education imparted to our students is of a high quality. The government is also taking proactive steps to ensure that students receive the required knowledge and skills that are essential to meet new needs," he said.