Private sector in driver's seat of Indian economy: Rajnath

Jaipur: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the role of the private sector is becoming increasingly prominent in nearly every area of the Indian economy and it is steering the nation's economic progress.

Addressing the inauguration programme of a Sainik School at Shri Bhawani Niketan Public School here, he said Sainik schools are also being set up under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

Sainik schools will give fresh impetus to efforts to give a new direction to society and instil values like discipline, patriotism and courage in their students, he said.

Singh said that all Sainik schools established in the country till now were being run jointly by the central and state governments but the new schools are being established under the PPP model.

"Whenever there is talk of Public-Private Partnership, the word 'public' comes first. In any project, we look at the role of the government first. But the situation is changing now.

"Therefore, moving away from the standard definition of PPP, I consider it to be Private-Public Partnership," he said.

"I am using the word private first because at present, the role of the private sector is increasing more than the public sector in almost every sector of the economy," he said.

The minister said that more than half of the country's workforce is employed in the agriculture sector and related activities while the role of the private sector has increased in the manufacturing and service sectors.

"Today, the private sector is sitting in the driver's seat of the country's economy," he said.

Singh said that the new Sainik schools are being set up under the PPP model.

"The development of education under the PPP model is appropriate because it will combine the strengths of both private and public sectors and provide the best education to the coming generation," he said.

India has always been a knowledge-based society and not just spiritually and philosophically. Attention was also given to subjects such as science, mathematics, astronomy, grammar, dance and music, he added.

Singh said many governments have changed since independence and all have worked on the basis of their policies but everyone had one goal --“ ensuring holistic development of the new generation.

"The focus has been on how to prepare a new and empowered generation. Today, when we are trying to give a new direction to society through the new education policy, I firmly believe that Sainik schools will give fresh impetus to this effort," he said.

Sainik schools don't just give bookish knowledge to students but also try to inculcate commitment towards values in them. These schools instil values like discipline, patriotism and courage in their students, he said.

"The all-round development of the students' personalities due to these values naturally inspires them to take the country forward," he added.

Earlier, Singh planted a sapling in the newly established school.

Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari and minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore were also present at the programme held at Shri Bhawani Niketan premises on Sikar road.

Last year, the Union government approved setting up of 100 Sainik Schools in partnership with NGOs, private schools and state governments in a graded manner, starting from class 6 onwards.

In September 2023, the Sainik Schools Society had signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Shri Bhawani Niketan Shiksha Samiti for the establishment of a new Sainik School at Shri Bhawani Niketan Public School here.