New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed that efforts for social awareness play an important role in tackling malnutrition and urged everyone to take part in the efforts to eradicate malnutrition.
Addressing the nation through his Mann Ki Baat programme on All India Radio today, Mr. Modi gave the example of an interesting project being run in Bongaigaon of Assam. It is named Project Sampoorna. The purpose of this project is to fight against malnutrition. Under this unique initiative, the mother of a healthy child from an Anganwadi center meets the mother of a malnourished child every week and discusses nutrition related information. With the help of this project, in this region, malnutrition has been eradicated in more than 90 percent children in the past one year.
He said that under the Mera Bachha campaign, song and music are being used to tackle malnutrition in Datia district of Madhya Pradesh. Under this, bhajan-kirtans are organized in the district, in which teachers are called nutrition gurus. A Matka program is also held, in which women bring a handful of grains to the Anganwadi center and a Balbhoj is organized on Saturdays.
Mr. Modi cited another unique campaign in Jharkhand to increase awareness about malnutrition. A snake-ladder game has been prepared in Giridih, Jharkhand and children learn about good and bad habits while playing it.
The Prime Minister stated that September is dedicated to festivals as well as a big campaign related to nutrition. He said Poshan Maah is celebrated every year from the 1st to the 30th of September. Mr. Modi pointed out that better use of technology and also public participation has become an important part of Poshan Abhiyaan. From providing mobile devices to millions of Anganwadi workers in the country, a Poshan Tracker has also been launched to monitor the accessibility of Anganwadi services. In all the Aspirational Districts and the states of the North East, 14 to 18 year old girls have also been brought under the purview of the POSHAN Abhiyaan.
The United Nations has passed a resolution declaring the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets. Mr. Modi exuded pride that this proposal of India was accepted by more than 70 countries. He said that the popularity of millet is rising across the world.
The Prime Minister said that when Heads of State come to India, he endeavors to get dishes made from the millets of India in the banquets. He added that foreign dignitaries have relished them and also try to collect a lot of information about these coarse grains.
He said millets have been a part of India’s Agriculture, Culture, and Civilization since ancient times. Millets are mentioned in the Vedas, and also mentioned in Purananuru and Tolkappiyam. He said millets can be found across the country and a lot of diversity is seen among the coarse grains including Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, Sawan, Kangni, Cheena, Kodo, Kutki, and Kuttu.
He emphasised that India is the largest producer of Millet in the world and therefore, the responsibility of making this initiative a success also rests on the shoulders of Indians. He said it has to be made into a mass movement, and awareness of Millets among the people of the country should also be increased.
Mr. Modi pointed out that millets are beneficial for small farmers as the crop gets ready in a very short time without needing much water. He added that millet hay is also considered the best fodder. He said millets are superfood containing plenty of protein, fiber, and minerals. Along with reducing obesity, they also reduce the risk of diabetes, hypertension, and heart related diseases. They are also helpful in preventing stomach and liver ailments. Millets are also very beneficial in fighting malnutrition since they are packed with energy as well as protein.
Modi said a lot is being done to promote Millets in the country. Along with focusing on research and innovation related to this, FPOs are being encouraged, so that production can be increased. He requested farmers to adopt Millets and benefit from them. He expressed happiness that many start-ups have emerged, which make products ranging from millet cookies to millet pancakes and dosas. He urged listeners to share pictures of such homemade delicacies on social media to increase awareness
among people.
The Prime Minister highlighted the importance of water and water conservation, adding that this has been explained in Indian culture thousands of years ago. He had spoken about Amrit Sarovar in Mann Ki Baat four months ago.
Mr. Modi pointed out that since then, the local administrations became active in different districts, voluntary organizations came together, and local people connected to make Amrit Sarovars a mass movement. He hailed the brilliant effort from Warangal in Telangana where a new Gram Panchayat has been formed named ‘Mangtya-Valya Thanda’. This village is close to the Forest Area and there used to be a place near the village where a lot of water used to accumulate during monsoon. On the initiative of the villagers, this place is now being developed under the Amrit Sarovar campaign.
Mr. Modi mentioned the Amrit Sarovar built in Mocha Gram Panchayat in Mandla of Madhya Pradesh. This Amrit Sarovar is built near the Kanha National Park and has further enhanced the beauty of this area. He said that the newly constructed Shaheed Bhagat Singh Amrit Sarovar in Lalitpur of Uttar Pradesh is also drawing a lot of people. He added that Amrit Sarovar campaign is going on in full swing in Karnataka as well. In the village ‘Bilkerur’ of Bagalkot district, people have built a very beautiful Amrit Sarovar.
He stressed that the Amrit Sarovar campaign not only solves many problems but is also equally necessary for coming generations. Under this campaign, old water bodies are also being rejuvenated in many places. He urged listeners to actively participate in the Amrit Sarovar campaign and lend strength to water conservation efforts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today expressed happiness that the collective might of the country was on full display during Independence Day. Addressing the nation through his Mann Ki Baat programme in All India Radio, Mr. Modi said, a sense of realisation and pride could be seen among the people who came forward in hoisting the tricolour. He added that a spirit of patriotism is being seen in this period of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Mr. Modi lauded soldiers for hoisting the tricolor on the peaks of mountains, on the nation’s borders, and in the middle of the sea. He said people also came up with different innovative ideas for the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign. He mentioned puzzle artist Krishnil Anil who created beautiful tricolor mosaic art in record time. In Karnataka\’s Kolar, people presented a unique sight by holding the tricolor that was 630 feet long and 205 feet wide.
He said that in Assam, Government employees created a 20 feet tricolor with their own hands to hoist at the Dighalipukhuri War memorial. He recounted, how Indore made the map of India through a human chain and Chandigarh’s youths made a giant human tricolor. He took pride in the fact that both these efforts have also been recorded in the Guinness Records.
The PM said an inspirational example was seen at the Gangot Panchayat of Himachal Pradesh where children of migrant laborers were included as chief guests in the Independence Day Programme of the Panchayat. Mr. Modi said these colors of the Amrit Mahotsav were seen not only in India but also in other countries of the world. Local singers in Botswana sang 75 patriotic songs to celebrate 75 years of India’s independence.
He expressed delight that these 75 songs were sung in languages including Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bangla, Assamese, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Sanskrit. He added that in Namibia, a special stamp has been released on the Indo-Namibian cultural-traditional relations.
The Prime Minister said that he recently attended a program of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry where Doordarshan’s serial \’Swaraj\’ was screened. He called the serial a great initiative to acquaint the younger generation of the country with the efforts of unsung heroes who took part in the freedom movement. The serial is telecast every Sunday at 9 PM on Doordarshan and is going to continue for 75 weeks. He urged everyone to watch it show and it to children as well.
Touching on the topic of Digital India, Mr. Modi mentioned that 4G internet services began in Jorsing village of Arunachal Pradesh from Independence Day. He said there has been a new sunrise in the form of 4G in the remote areas of Arunachal Pradesh and North East. He also hailed that new digital entrepreneurs are rising in the country. He cited the example of Setha Singh Rawat of Rajasthan’s Ajmer who runs Darzi Online, an E-store that takes orders from across the country. He noted that Digital India has also turned Om Prakash Singh of Unnao, Uttar Pradesh into a digital entrepreneur. Om Prakash Singh has established more than one thousand broadband connections in his village.
The Prime Minister stated that the internet has changed the way students study and learn. He gave the example of Gudiya Singh of Uttar Pradesh who carried on her studies in her in law’s place with the help of BharatNet.
The Prime Minister stated that there is a lot to learn from the lives of the people living in the hills. He elaborated that the first lesson is simplicity in lifestyle and culture. The second lesson is how one can become self-sufficient with local resources. He said that in the Spiti region womenfolk of the village gather and pluck peas and collectively help each other in the spirit of mutual cooperation.
The Prime Minister said Uttarakhand is a hill region blessed with many types of medicines and beneficial plants. One of them is the fruit – Bedu. It is also known as Himalayan Fig. Mr. Modi said that with the initiative of the Pithoragarh administration and the cooperation of the local people, Bedu has been launched in the online market by branding it as Pahari Fig.
The Prime Minister said many festivals are lined up in the coming days. He said the festivals of Ganesh Chaturthi and Onam will be celebrated soon. Hartalika Teej will be observed on the 30th of August. He said the festival of Nuakhai will also be celebrated in Odisha on the 1st of September. He added that the Samvatsari festival of the Jain community is also around the corner. He wished everyone the best for these festivals.
Mr. Modi said National Sports Day will be celebrated tomorrow on the birth anniversary of Major Dhyanchand. He concluded his address by saying that young sportspersons raising the glory of the nation’s tricolor on global forums will be a fitting tribute to Major Dhyan Chand. (AIR)
