New Delhi (PTI): Noting that there is excitement in the country over the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged people to share their creations such as 'bhajans' relating to it on social media with the hashtag 'Shri Ram Bhajan', saying this compilation will turn into a flow of emotions and devotion in which everyone will be imbued with the ethos of Lord Ram.

In his Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast, Prime Minister Modi also pointed out that there are many experienced as well as new emerging young artists who have composed heart-warming bhajans.

"There is excitement and enthusiasm in the entire country in connection with the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. People are expressing their feelings in a multitude of ways. You must have noticed that during the last few days, many new songs and new bhajans have been composed on Shri Ram and Ayodhya," Modi said.

Many people are also writing new poems, he noted.

"There are many experienced artists in it and new emerging young artists have also composed heart-warming bhajans. I have also shared some songs and bhajans on my social media," the prime minister said.

It seems that the art world is becoming a participant in this historic moment in its own unique style, he said.

"One thing comes to my mind. Could we all share all such creations with a common hash tag? I request you to share your creations on social media with the hashtag Shri Ram Bhajan (#shriRamBhajan)," Modi said.

"This compilation will turn into a flow of emotions and devotion in which everyone will be immersively imbued with the ethos of Ram," he added.

Prime Minister Modi visited Ayodhya on Saturday during which he inaugurated a redeveloped railway station and a newly-built airport, besides laying the foundation stone of a slew of other projects in Uttar Pradesh.

At a public rally Ayodhya on Saturday, Modi had said the whole world is waiting for the historic Ram Temple consecration ceremony on January 22 and appealed to people to light special diyas in their homes to celebrate the day of 'pran pratishtha' of Ram temple as 'Deepawali'.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Mumbai (PTI): An artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbot developed by a Maharashtra government department will provide skill training, employment avenues, entrepreneurship support and guidance to youth on a single platform, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday.

He called the AI chatbot, 'MahaChatur', a "transformative initiative" and noted it will make the transition from education to employment easier for young people while helping industries access skilled manpower quickly.

The chatbot, developed by the Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Department, is the first such initiative by any state government in the country, the CM said.

Fadnavis was speaking at the launch of the chatbot and the signing of multiple MoUs here.

Skill Development Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, senior officials, diplomats and representatives from industry and academic institutions were present at the event, an official release said.

Highlighting India's demographic advantage, Fadnavis said nearly 65 per cent of the population is below 35 years of age, and equipping this workforce with relevant skills is critical to economic growth.

He said the MahaChatur chatbot, a digital assistant built to converse with users, will act as a bridge between job-seeking youth and industry requirements.

The AI-based platform will function as a one-stop solution, offering information on skill training, job opportunities, entrepreneurship guidance, application processes, assessments and market linkages. It will be easily accessible through WhatsApp, enabling wider outreach, he stated.

The chief minister emphasised the initiative will be particularly useful for employment-oriented youth seeking guidance.

He said efforts such as setting up centres of excellence, modernisation of ITIs (Industrial Training Institutes), increased participation of women in skill programmes and global partnerships will help strengthen the skill ecosystem.

Speaking on the occasion, Lodha said the state government aims to bring together the unorganised skill sector on a single platform to strengthen Maharashtra's growth.

He noted that while AI may disrupt some jobs, it will also create new employment opportunities, and the Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Department is working to connect youth from the state to global job markets.

The department has also launched the chatbot to streamline apprenticeship processes under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and the Maharashtra Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (MAPS). The platform enables registration in about 15 minutes, significantly reducing the earlier time of two to three days, Lodha maintained.

Developed in partnership with the Right Walk Foundation, 'MahaChatur' operates on government servers using open-source AI and ensures data security. It will provide end-to-end information -- from training to placement -- for both rural and urban youth, officials said.

In the CM's presence, MoUs were signed with several organisations, including IPE Global Ltd, National Skill Training Institute, Mumbai, Shrimad Rajchandra Educational Trust, Shri Shri Rural Development Programme Trust and UN Women for collaboration in areas such as women's skill training, data security, prison skill development and youth employment initiatives, the release said.

Representatives of several industry partners, including Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd, Bajaj Auto Ltd, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd and others, were felicitated for their contribution to skill development.

Six ITI students selected for apprenticeships in Germany were also honoured and presented offer letters at the event.

Panel discussions on "Industry Leadership Dialogue" and "AI for Public Service Delivery" were held, focusing on emerging opportunities in skill development and AI-driven services.

The initiative is expected to significantly improve transparency, grievance redressal and access to employment-linked services, the release said.