New Delhi, Jan 11: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Information Technology, Youth Services & Sports and Transport, Satish Sharma, today participated in the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026 being held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi from January 9 to 12.

  The national level youth dialogue, organised under the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047, brings together the young leaders, innovators, policymakers and domain experts from across the country to deliberate on India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation.

During the programme, Satish Sharma attended multiple thematic tracks focusing on Aatmanirbhar Bharat, MSME support, innovation, skill development and youth entrepreneurship. He actively interacted with the participants and stakeholders and also presided over sessions as a Jury, where innovative ideas and youth-led projects were evaluated.

The Minister appreciated the passion and innovative spirit of young leaders. He said that such platforms are vital for nurturing next-generation change makers who will shape India’s economic, technological and social future. He said the focus on MSME development and Vocal for Local is especially relevant for empowering grassroots entrepreneurs and strengthening domestic manufacturing.

Satish Sharma highlighted that Jammu and Kashmir has immense potential in start-ups, handicrafts, agri-based industries, tourism and IT-enabled services. He assured that the government is committed towards creating a supportive ecosystem for youth-led enterprises.

He said that the ideas and innovations emerging from the Viksit Bharat Dialogue would play a crucial role in realising the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat, ensuring inclusive growth and sustainable development across all regions of the country.

The Minister also commended the organisers for providing a vibrant national platform for youth engagement, leadership and innovation.

Later, Satish Sharma today met Chairman Infrastructure Committee, BCCI & President Delhi Cricket Association Rohan Jaitley. He held detailed discussions regarding development of new cricket stadia in Jammu and Kashmir.

During the meeting, the Minister highlighted the immense sporting talent in the Union Territory. He emphasised the need for world-class cricketing infrastructure to nurture the young players and promote sports culture across the region. The proposed stadia are expected to provide modern training facilities and enable Jammu and Kashmir to host national and international-level cricket events.

The Minister also met Union Minister Sh. Jiten Prasada, during which several important issues related to the departments of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Transport, Information Technology, Youth Services and Sports and Science and Technology were discussed. The discussions focused on strengthening coordination between the Centre and the Union Territory for faster implementation of development projects and improving public service delivery.

Satish Sharma reiterated the commitment of J&K government to promote sports, improve infrastructure and ensure effective governance through close collaboration with central ministries and national sporting bodies.