Home » Salient points of PM Modi address in the 8th Episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat 2.0’
- Today is the 26th of January. Heartiest greetings to you on the Festival of our Republic. This is our first meeting of minds in the year 2020, through ‘Mann Ki Baat’. This is the first such programme of the year; nay, of the decade. Friends, this time, it came across as appropriate to change the broadcast time of Mann Ki Baat, on account of the Republic Day Celebrations. And that is why I am reaching out to you this evening through Mann Ki Baat, having thought of a separate time slot.
- Every day is a new day; weeks and months keep seeing change; years witness transformation, except for the enthusiasm and fervor of the people of India! And, of course, we are no less… we are certain to outdo ourselves. The spirit of ‘can do’, is emerging as a new resolve. The sentiment of contributing positively to the country & society is gaining strength, day by day. Friends, we have come together, once again, on the dais of Mann Ki Baat.
- This is to discuss newer subjects; to celebrate the latest achievements of our countrymen; in fact, to celebrate India. Mann Ki Baat has emerged as a fruitful, frank, effortless & organic platform for sharing, learning and growing together. Every month, thousands of people share their suggestions, their efforts, and their experiences thereby. And through the endeavour, we get a chance to discuss some extraordinary feats by people, which serve as a beacon of inspiration to society.
- Somebody has succeeded in doing something – can we too achieve that! Can that particular venture be replicated to bring about a colossal transformation in the entire country? Can we establish that change into permanence, turning it into a simple, natural social habit? In a likewise quest to seek answers, the caravan of Mann Ki Baat progresses with a few appeals, some invocations and a lot of resolves to do something.
- For the past many years, we would have made varied resolves. Just as, ‘No to single use plastic’, buying Khadi or ‘local’, sanitation & cleanliness, respect & honour for the girl child, or emphasizing on the new aspect of ‘less cash economy’! Many a resolve such as these came into being on account of our conversations & chats through Mann Ki Baat. And, you have been the ones who strengthened that.
- I have received a lovely letter, written by Shriman Shailesh from Bihar. In fact, he no longer stays in Bihar. He says, he stays in Delhi, working for an NGO. Shailesh writes, “Modi ji, you appeal to us on one point or the other, in every episode of Mann Ki Baat. I have implemented many of them in letter & spirit.
- This winter, I collected warm clothes from people, going home to home and distributed them to the needy. Taking a cue from Mann Ki Baat, I have embarked upon many initiatives. But gradually, I began forgetting… certain things started fading away. This new year, I have made a Charter pertaining to Mann Ki Baat, consisting of a list of all these, just the way people make resolutions at the onset of the New Year.
- Modi ji, this is my social resolution for this new year. I feel there are many little things that can usher in a big change. Can you inscribe your autograph on this Charter and arrange to send it back to me?” Well, Shailesh ji, heartiest congratulations and many good wishes to you. The Mann Ki Baat Charter in connection with your New Year resolution is very innovative.
- I shall certainly send it back to you, along with my best wishes inscribed. Friends, when I was glancing through this ‘Mann Ki Baat Charter’, I was taken aback at the magnitude of its contents… a multitude of hash tags. And, of course, we have striven together on myriad endeavours. There have been times when we tried to establish a stronger emotional connect with our soldiers through the campaign ‘Sandesh to Soldiers’; we have also catapulted sales of Khadi with ‘Khadi for Nation- Khadi for Fashion’.
- We internalized the Mantra of ‘buy local’. Through ‘Hum Fit toh India Fit’, we enhanced awareness, towards fitness. We turned sanitation into a mass movement, through the endeavours of ‘My clean India’ or ‘Statue Cleaning’. #‘No to Drugs’, #‘Bharat Ki Lakshmi’, #‘Self for Society’, #‘Stress free Exams’, #‘Suraksha- Bandhan’ #‘Digital Economy’, #‘Road Safety’…. Oh, the list is endless.
- Shailesh ji, you must have realized after going through this Mann Ki Baat Charter that the list is indeed long! Come, let us continue this journey. Do join any cause of your choice listed in the Mann Ki Baat Charter. Using the hashtag, proudly share your contribution with one & all. Try motivating friends & family. When every Indian takes a step forward, it results in India going ahead by a 130 crore steps. And that’s why, it is said “Charaivetee, charaivetee, charaivetee…” Keep walking, keep marching, keep advancing! Your endeavour should revolve around that Mantra.
- My dear countrymen, we touched upon the Mann Ki Baat Charter. The ethos of public participation, besides in the area of sanitation, is rising rapidly on another front… and that is water conservation. Quite a few extensive & innovative efforts are under way, in every corner of the country, for the sake of conserving water.
- It gives me joy to let you know that the Jal-Shakti Campaign that commenced last monsoon is taking rapid, successful strides with the aid of public participation. A large number of lakes & ponds have been built. And the best part is that in this campaign, people from all strata of society contributed wholeheartedly.
- Take for instance Jalore district in Rajasthan. There, two historical step wells had turned into storehouses of garbage & dirty water. But one fine day, hundreds of people from Bhadraayun & Thanawala Panchayats took a resolve to rejuvenate them, under the Jal Shakti Campaign. Much before the rains, people immersed themselves in the task of cleaning out the accumulated filthy water, garbage and morass.
- For this campaign, some donated money; others their labour & sweat. As a result, these step wells have turned into their lifelines now. A similar story comes across from Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh.
- Here, the Saraahi Lake, spread across 43 hectares was on the verge of breathing its last. But the villagers, through the power of their collective resolve pumped life into it. They did not let any deterrent enter in the way of this mammoth mission.
- Villages joined hands, one after the other. They built a one meter high embankment along all the four sides of the lake. The lake now is brimming with water; the surroundings wake up to the melody of the chirping of birds.
- Village Suniyakot along the Almora-Haldwani highway in Uttarakhand has also emerged as a similar example of public participation. To tide over an acute water crisis, villagers took it upon themselves to ensure that water reached their village. There was no stopping to their resolve. People raised money among themselves.
- The plan was followed by collective donation of labour and from almost a kilometre away, a pipe was laid upto the village. A pumping station was set up. By and by, a two decade old agonizing problem came to an end. Whereas, a very innovative idea of harnessing a borewell for rainwater harvesting sprung up from Tamilnadu.
- The country is replete with innumerable such stories, of water conservation, lending more strength to the resolves of New India. Today the entire country is eager to hear similar accomplishments of our Jal Shakti champions.
- I urge you to share without fail, stories, photos & videos of such endeavours of water conservation and water harvesting undertaken by you or those around you using #Jalshakti4India.
- My dear countrymen and especially all my young friends, today, through the forum of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, I congratulate the Government and the people of Assam for being the excellent hosts of ‘Khelo India’. Friends, on 22nd January, the third ‘Khelo India Games’ concluded in Guwahati.
- These games had around 6 thousand players from different states participating. You will be surprised to know that 80 records were broken during this grand sports festival. And I am proud that of these 80 records, 56 were broken by our daughters.
- These laurels have been recorded in the name of our daughters! I along with all the winners, congratulate all the participants. I also thank all the people, coaches and technical officers associated with ‘Khelo India Games’ for organising them successfully.
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