Aatmanirbhar Bharat-how can school children contribute to National Development
Answers
IN SHORT
Aatmanirbhar means self sufficiency. India is a country which is not self sufficient at the moment but it is gradually moving towards that goal. One of the important drivers in this are the children and youth of the nation. Their open mindedness, education, exposure and energy levels can help bring betterment in Indian society and they have the capability to represent India world wide, provided they are coached in the right direction
IN LONG
Rome was not built in a day. Similarly, India cannot become 'Aatmanirbhar' overnight. Nation building takes place through years of concentrated efforts by the government and the citizens. School children can hence be trained to contribute to nation building both during their schooling days and even more so when they become independent adults. The major campaigns that children can effectively support, include 1) anti- corruption, 2) go green and 3) rural initiatives.
Corruption is known to ruin the effectiveness of the most innovative and progressive government policies. The policies cannot be fully implemented till the time the nation is not corruption free. Children can greatly change this trend by consciously fighting dishonesty even at the smallest levels and being vocal about it. With time these children these values will become ingrained in them. In a few years, they will become the anti-corruption vote bank of the nation.
Additionally, national progress is greatly hindered by high pollution levels. Pollution causes serious illnesses, like cancer and also brings down the global rating of a nation. Children can effectively promote the concept of reduce, reuse and recycle within their own homes. This step itself will drastically reduce the carbon footprints and improve the general standard of living.
Further, though traditionally India has been an agrarian society, of late the focus has shifted to urbanization. As a result people in the rural pockets of India suffer from backwardness and poverty. Since agriculture forms the backbone of sustainability and self-reliance, it is important to uplift these sections of society. School children can play a role by promoting the purchase of locally produced fruits and vegetables as well as local handicrafts. This will provide direct financial assistance to those in the rural areas, eliminate middle men and eventually bring the rural population into the mainstream.
School children may be young, with limited resources but put together they make a potent force of about 180 million individuals who can, overtime, gradually help India achieve self-reliance and become Atmanirbhar Bharat.