ANDALIB AKHTER
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that India had become a manufacturing powerhouse due to the Make in India initiative. He said the poor, the middle class and MSMEs are getting a lot of benefit from this campaign and it has provided an opportunity to people of every class to showcase their talent.
Addressing 114th episode of Mann Ki Baat on Akashvani today, the Prime Minister highlighted the success of Make in India initiative saying that success of this campaign includes the contribution of the country’s big industries as well as small shopkeepers benefiting every sector, boosting exports and attracting Foreign Direct Investment.
He said, the government is focussing on quality of the products and pitching for Vocal for Local. Giving an example of Bhandara district of Maharashtra, Mr. Modi said, more than 50 Self Help Groups are working to preserve Tussar Silk which reflects the spirit of ‘Make in India’. The Prime Minister urged the people to buy Made in India products during the coming festive season. Pointing towards the changing dynamics of jobs, the Prime Minister said, the nature of jobs is changing with the emergence of new sectors. He said, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has started 25 challenges under the theme, ‘Create in India’ in order to promote talent and creativity. Mr. Modi urged the creators in the country to participate in the challenge by visiting wavesindia.org <http://wavesindia.org/>.
Highlighting the success of Swachh Bharat Mission which is going to complete 10 years on 2nd October this year, the Prime Minister said, it is the success of this mission that the Waste to Wealth mantra is becoming popular among people. He said, people have started talking about Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. He commended those who turned this Mission into a mass movement. He said, this is also a befitting tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, who dedicated his entire life to this cause.
The Prime Minister cited an example of a border village Jhala in Uttarkashi of Uttarakhand mentioning that the youth of the village have started a special initiative Dhanyvaad Prakriti or Thank you nature to keep their village clean. He also praised a woman Ramya for leading a team of youth to clean the Mahe area in Puducherry especially the beaches in the vicinity. He also lauded the efforts of 74 years old Subramanian living in Kozhikode, Kerala who has repaired more than 23 thousand chairs and made them re-usable again. Mr. Modi urged the people to take part in the cleanliness campaign. Encouraging people to participate in the mega plantation drive ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, the Prime Minister said, it leads to amazing results for the entire society which is truly inspiring. He lauded the achievements made by Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana which have created a new record by planting more saplings than the set target.
He said, thousands of schools in the country are also participating in this campaign with great enthusiasm. Citing an example of KN Rajasekhar of Telangana, the Prime Minister said, Mr. Rajasekhar has planted more than 1500 saplings. He also lauded the efforts of Subhashri, a resident of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, for creating a wonderful garden of rare and useful herbs. Highlighting the importance of water conservation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, water saved during the rainy days helps a lot during water scarcity months which is the spirit of campaigns like Catch The Rain. Giving an example of Jhansi in Bundelkhand region, the Prime Minister said, some women have given a new lease of life to the Ghurari river. He said the women created a check dam by filling sand in sacks, and stopped the rain water from getting wasted. Mr. Modi also appreciated the works done by the women in Raipura village of Dindori and Chhatarpur in Madhya Pradesh for water conservation. The Prime Minister said that such efforts of water conservation must be done in every nook and corner of the country which will help in dealing with the water crisis. Stressing on mantra Vikas Bhi Virasat Bhi, the Prime Minister mentioned the return of around 300 ancient artifacts by the United States during his recent visit to the USA. He said, United States President Joe Biden showed him some of these artifacts in his private residence at Delaware.
He said, returned artifacts are made of materials such as terracotta, stone, ivory, wood, copper and bronze. He lauded the ancestors who crafted these artifacts. Terming the smuggling of these artifacts a serious crime, the Prime Minister said, India is working with many countries to get back these valuable artifacts. Highlighting the importance of mother tongue, the Prime Minister said, there are twenty thousand languages and dialects in the country. He appreciated the efforts taken to preserve languages especially Santhali language. He said, a campaign has been started to give a new identity to Santhali with the help of digital innovation. He said, Shriman Ramjeet Tudu, resident of Mayurbhanj, Odisha is running a campaign to create an online identity of the Santhali language. In the 114th episode of Mann ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said this episode is especially emotional for him, as the program is completing 10 years. He said, 10 years ago Mann Ki Baat started on the day of Vijayadashami on the 3rd of October. Mr. Modi said, crores of listeners of Mann Ki Baat have been companions in this journey who provided information from every corner of the country. Terming the listeners of Mann Ki Baat the real anchors of this show, the Prime Minister said, Mann Ki Baat has proved how hungry the people of the country are, for positive information.
The Prime Minister appreciated people associated with All India Radio, Doordarshan, and Prasar Bharati saying that with their tireless efforts, Mann Ki Baat has reached this important milestone. He also thanked TV channels, print media, and Youtubers who broadcast Mann Ki Baat and programmes on it. He said, this program can be heard in the country’s 22 languages, besides 12 foreign languages. On the coming festival season, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, it will begin with Navratri and then for the next two months, this atmosphere of worshipping, fasting, festivals, joy and happiness will prevail all around. He extended his greetings to all for the upcoming festivals.