Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, during a visit to Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur on Saturday, inaugurated the 500th Ek Se Sreshtha education centre and exhorted youngsters to become instruments of change to take India to the top by 2047.

"Development has taken place in the country at a rocket speed under the present government and now the onus to bring India to the top is on the youth, especially the women, who have been empowered through various schemes and initiatives," he said. Dhankhar, who was accompanied by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur and Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, said about 10,000 girls are being imparted free education at these centres.?

He added that 95 per cent of teachers at these centres are women, who are empowering the youngsters. Ek Se Sreshtha is an initiative to ensure access to quality education and provide holistic development to students from all walks of life. The vice-president further said the image of women is being transformed from mere homemakers to harbingers of change.

Noting that "shrestha" means perfection and motivation, Union Minister Thakur said a large number of children are benefitting through the programme. It is a noble initiative aimed at the holistic development of children without looking at their socio-economic backgrounds by ensuring post-school classes for free through teachers in their vicinity at the panchayat level, he added.

These Ek Se Sreshtha centres focus on children of private and government schools in the 3-12 age group from all walks of life. The centres are running in Hamirpur, Una, Bilaspur, Kangra and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh.?Dhankhar, who arrived in the state earlier in the day, was received in Hamirpur by Shukla, Thakur and Rajesh Dharmani, who was recently inducted to the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet.