PM Modi in Mann Ki Baat: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the ‘Nasha-mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat’ campaign is gaining momentum rapidly across the country. Sharing his thoughts in the Mann Ki Baat programme on Akashvani this morning, Mr Modi expressed happiness that the campaign with the goal for drug-free youth and a drug-free India is not merely a formality, as many people, especially the youth are joining it in large numbers. He said, this is the collective resolve for the health, happiness, and bright future of India’s youth.
The Prime Minister said, drug addiction does not just engulf a single individual but the entire family and society bear the consequences. He commended those who raise awareness against drugs and step forward to help individuals struggling with addiction. Mr Modi asked people to come up with a powerful slogan for a drug-free India and young musicians to create songs that convey the message of a drug-free life. He said, the country has no shortage of excellent content creators. Mr Modi urged them to create content in various languages to help society in this endeavor. He said, they can use their creativity as a medium for social change.
The Prime Minister said, lakhs of women are gaining new strength through the ‘PM SVANidhi Yojana’. He said, this aspect of ‘women empowerment’ is not discussed as much as it should be. Mr Modi said, Women account for approximately 46 percent of the beneficiaries of the ‘PM SVANidhi Yojana’. He said, around 35 lakh women across the country are expanding their businesses by connecting with this scheme.
Mr Modi spoke about Babita Sharma of Ghaziabad and T.S. Ningamma from Bengaluru who have benefited from the scheme. He said, when a woman’s business grows, the future of her entire family advances along with it, children receive a better education, household needs are met, and the woman’s self-confidence is strengthened. He said, this is, indeed, a living example of women’s empowerment.
The Prime Minister said cleanliness has a remarkable quality. He said, when the resolve to keep a place clean becomes the people’s own commitment, it completely changes the identity of that place. Mr Modi said, such efforts towards cleanliness in various parts of the country constantly inspire people. He mentioned Akash and Rohan of Patwai in Uttar Pradesh, who inspired others to clean up public places, including river ghats. The Prime Minister also spoke about Shri Amarnath Yatra where more than 400 metric tonnes of waste was collected and processed. He said, Maithili Bhue of Dhodrokusum in the Debrigarh region of Odisha has shown that it is possible to protect nature while also achieving prosperity in life.
Mr Modi said, today the flight of the country’s daughters’ dreams is soaring from the earth to outer space. He said, India is bringing together thousands of daughters who are nurturing such dreams from across the globe.’ The Prime Minister said, the initiative is named ‘Mission ShaktiSAT, and through it, 12 thousand girl students from 108 countries are getting the opportunity to learn satellite technology in the field of innovation.
He said, on National Space Day this month, a wonderful glimpse of this mission was seen in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh where the second phase of Mission ShaktiSAT was launched at the Gautam Buddha University. Mr Modi mentioned how Varadaraj from Kadappa in Andhra Pradesh, Chandrashekharan from Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu are cultivating avocados and earning additional income.
Mr Modi spoke to Krishna Sheshadri from Mumbai who has created a unique website www.bharatrajya.com. By selecting any year in the website people can easily find out which ruler ruled over which part of India at that time. He said, this initiative by Mr Krishna will help not only history students but people to learn about the past in an engaging way.
The Prime Minister said, the month of August brought with it myriad hues of patriotism all around. He said, occasions such as ‘National Handloom Day’ and the anniversary of the ‘Quit India Movement’ to ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’ make this month special. Mr Modi said, Independence Day and National Space Day fill every countryman with pride.
He said, the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign further strengthens this sentiment. He added that this year has become even more special as it marks the 150th anniversary of ‘Vande Mataram’. Mr Modi said, this time, over eight crore ‘Tiranga selfies’ were uploaded. He said, this year, through the ‘Suryapath Tiranga’ initiative, the National flag embarked on a unique journey across the globe. The Prime Minister said, the Tricolour was hoisted in Suva, Fiji, at the first light of dawn. Subsequently, it was unfurled at Indian Missions and Posts across Asia, Africa, Europe, and eventually San Francisco in America.
Mr Modi said, on 3rd of next month, the nation will celebrate the birth centenary of the legendary Uttam Kumar. He said, Uttam Kumar was a versatile actor who became deeply embedded in people’s hearts through his acting. The Prime Minister said, the festivals and celebrations not only uphold the traditions but also provide opportunities to connect with one another.
He said, in the coming days, India is set to celebrate several more significant festivals like Janmashtami and Vishwakarma Puja. Deepawali is also approaching in a few months, and preparations for it are already gradually underway. He urged people to become ‘Vocal for Local during this festive season.
The Prime Minister said, being ‘Vocal for Local’ does not merely mean buying earthen lamps as the vision behind it is much broader. He said, the path to India becoming self-reliant will be paved only by taking pride in products made in India.
