The government recently set a target of making India a $5 trillion economy by 2024. Budget 2020 is crucial to achieving this ambitious goal within the next five years. While it has to ensure that the growth engines run at full speed, it must also address the needs of 365 million young Indians who collectively represent nearly 30 per cent of the country’s population.
Today, one in every five persons in our country is an adolescent (10-19 years) and every third is a youth (15-24 years). The sheer size of the adolescent and youth population reflects the wealth of young human resource present in our country and shows that India can maximise its growth only if it invests in the well-being of its young people.
The government should take special measures for improving the living standards and the general well-being of adolescents and the youth by ensuring education, skill development and employment opportunities as well as increased investments in health and nutrition.
