New Delhi, July 27 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said India is witnessing an unprecedented transformation in its infrastructure and logistics sectors, which is laying a strong foundation for the country’s economic development.

In a virtual address at the third convocation of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya held in Vadodara, Singh said, “the stronger the logistics services, the stronger our borders remain. When we deliver defence products manufactured in one part of the country or food supplies for soldiers to the border on time, the morale of the border guards becomes strong.”

Describing the logistics sector as a game changer for 21st century India, the Defence Minister said that it has immense opportunities for the youth who will play a key role in building a developed India. He urged the youth to take responsibility in building a developed India.

Highlighting the government’s initiatives, Rajnath Singh said that initiatives like creating multimodal transport hubs and implementing mission mode schemes have significantly reduced logistics costs and encouraged data-based decision-making.

Addressing the event, Union Minister for Railways and Chancellor of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, Ashwini Vaishnaw, highlighted the transformational changes that have taken place in Indian Railways in the last 11 years. He informed that in the last one year alone, the rail network has expanded by 5,300 km, with tunnel construction reaching a total of 368 km.

He stressed on making India a top economy by building human resources focused on every sector through educational institutions like Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya. Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya has signed MoUs with about 40 different industrial and educational institutions. The minister also suggested preparing research papers focusing on marine engineering in the future and entering into MoUs with marine industries.

Vaishnaw described Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya as the “engine of development” and urged the students to support the vision of a developed India by 2047

A total of 194 students received degrees in various subjects at the convocation. One student from each course was awarded the Academic Excellence Award, while Outstanding Project and Best Student Awards were also given.

Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya Vice Chancellor Professor Manoj Choudhary gave a welcome address and gave information about the institution’s performance in the last three years. The programme was attended by Vadodara MP Dr. Hemang Joshi, Rajmata Shubhangini Raje Gaekwad, senior officers of the Indian Army and Railways, students and their parents.

Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, a vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is India’s first university focused on transport-related education, multidisciplinary research and training. It is deeply linked with the broader objectives of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan – a plan aimed at revolutionising India’s infrastructure and logistics sector.

The Prime Minister’s vision for PM Gati Shakti is to create a holistic, integrated, and efficient infrastructure ecosystem for India, addressing past inefficiencies and propelling the nation towards economic growth and global competitiveness. Core principle of PM Gati Shakti is Integrated planning and coordinated execution, bringing together 16 Ministries on a single digital platform to ensure unified planning and synchronized implementation of infrastructure projects across sectors like railways, roadways, ports, and waterways.

–IANS

sps/na