New Delhi, May 27 (IANS): Having already given a clarion call to the first-time voters to exercise their franchise in large numbers during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that he understands the aspirations of the country's youth and considers it as a responsibility to provide them with a launching pad so that they can achieve their desired goals.

"I understand their aspirations. Today's youth is very different from the past. They don't want to conform to the previous standards. They want to make a big leap in every field to reach their intended destinations, even if it means bypassing some steps. Our responsibility is to provide them launching pads, give them a platform to fulfil their aspirations. There is a need to understand youth and their thinking pattern," said PM Modi in an exclusive interview with the IANS.

While campaigning in various parts of the country over the past many weeks, Prime Minister Modi has been urging the first-time voters to exercise their voting right in record numbers, insisting that the 18th Lok Sabha will also be a "symbol of youth aspiration".

PM Modi-led government had launched 'mera pehla vote desh ke liye' (my first vote for the country) campaign to ensure universal enlightened participation of the youth in elections.

PM Modi has also been getting an insight into the minds of the young generation of India through interactive initiatives like 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' and 'Mann Ki Baat' monthly programme.

Labelling the millions of questions that are posed to him by youngsters as nothing but a "treasure trove", he insists that the interactions give him an opportunity to analyse what the young minds of the country think.

"When I do Pariksha Pe Charcha, I get to interact with thousands of students. I come across many students who are thinking decades ahead of their time. A major gap will emerge if the government and the leadership fail to understand aspirations of this new generation," said the Prime Minister.

Stating that his government turned the Covid pandemic crisis into an opportunity, PM Modi said that he completely understands the true potential of technology and how it can be harnessed effectively.

"During Covid period, I was worried about the country's young generation. I was worried about their youthfulness confined to the four walls of the room. In my video conferencing sessions, I tried to energise them with certain tasks in order to lift their spirits. That is why we made data very cheap. My logic behind the move was to turn them towards the new digital world, and we succeeded in it," PM Modi said.

He added that the digital revolution that is being witnessed right now is a result of India successfully managing to turn around the huge Covid crisis into an opportunity.

"The digital and Fintech revolution in the country owes much to the government's focus on converting the crisis into an opportunity during that time. I fully understand the prowess of technology and the impactful changes that it can bring for generations and therefore want to harness it to full potential," said PM Modi.