Highlighting the role of talent, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that India is a young nation with a great innovative spirit, adding that the number of unicorn startups has almost doubled since 2021.
"India is a young nation with a great innovative spirit," the Prime Minister said while addressing the United Nations World Geospatial International Congress virtually.
"India is one of the top startup hubs in the world with the number of unicorn startups having almost doubled since 2021- a testimony to India's young talent," he added.
The theme of the second UNWGIC is "Geo Enabling the Global Village--No one must be left behind."
Welcoming International delegates, the Prime Minister said, "the people of India are happy to host you on this historic occasion as we build our future together." Expressing his happiness at the conference happening in Hyderabad, the Prime Minister said that the city is known for its culture and cuisine, its hospitality and hi-tech vision."
"We have been working on a vision of Antyodaya which means empowering the last person at the last mile, in a mission mode," he said pointing out that the theme of the conference, 'Geo-enabling the Global Village: No one should be left behind can be seen in the steps India has taken over the last few years.
Sanitation facilities were taken to 110 million families and tap water connections to over 60 million families, he added, underlining that "India is ensuring no one is left behind."
Technology and talent are the two pillars that are key to India's development journey. Technology brings transformation, the Prime Minister said, citing the example of JAM trinity which delivered welfare benefits to 800 million people seamlessly and of the tech platform that powered the world's largest vaccination drive.
"In India, technology is not an agent of exclusion. It is an agent of inclusion," PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister highlighted the role of geospatial technology in driving inclusion and progress. The role of technology in schemes like SVAMITVA and housing, and the outcomes in terms of property ownership and women empowerment, have a direct impact on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals on poverty and gender equality, the Prime Minister emphasized.
The PM GatiShakti Master Plan is being powered by geospatial technology, as is the Digital Ocean platform, he added. India has already set an example in sharing the benefits of geospatial technology, the Prime Minister stated, citing the example of the South Asia Satellite for facilitating communication in India's neighbourhood.
One of the most important freedoms is the freedom to innovate, the Prime Minister said, and this has been ensured for the geospatial sector. Collection, generation and digitization of geospatial data have now been democratized, he added. Such reforms have been accompanied by a boost to the drone sector and the opening up of the space sector for private participation, along with 5G taking off in India.
According to Prime Minister Modi, the COVID-19 pandemic should have been a wake-up call for the call in taking everyone along. There is a need for an institutional approach by the international community to help each other during a crisis, he emphasized.
"Global organisations like the United Nations can lead the way in taking resources to the last mile in every region," he highlighted.
Hand-holding and technology transfer are also crucial in fighting climate change, the Prime Minister added, suggesting that best practices may be shared for saving our planet.
The Prime Minister underlined the endless possibilities that geospatial technology offers. These include sustainable urban development, managing and mitigating disasters, tracking the impact of climate change, forest management, water management, stopping desertification and food security. He expressed his wish that this conference becomes a platform to discuss developments in such important areas.
PM Modi also expressed his optimism at the occasion and said, "With the stakeholders of the global geo-spatial industry coming together, with the policymakers and academic world interacting with each other, I am confident that this conference will help steer the global village into a new future," he added.
( With inputs from ANI )
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