PM Shri Narendra Modi Shares his Thoughts on Various Topics

Blessings of Sun God

·         The tradition of worshiping the Sun is a proof of how deep our culture, our faith, is related to nature. Chhath Puja illustrates the importance of Sunlight and also reinforces the philosophy that ups and downs are an integral part of life. The festival also fosters unity among communities as the items used for various rituals are prepared by myriad people of society. The festival of Chhath also emphasizes on the importance of cleanliness in our lives. Most importantly, the festival of Chhath has become an example of 'Ek BharatShrestha Bharat'. Today, wherever in the country the people of Bihar and Purvanchal are, Chhath is being celebrated with great pomp. Nowadays, many grand pictures of Chhath Puja come from abroad too, thus proving that our rich heritage is reinforcing its identity in every corner of the world.

·         While speaking about the Sun God, why not also discuss his boon - Solar Energy. Today, by combining its traditional experiences with modern science, India has become one of the largest countries to generate electricity from solar energy. Utilizing solar energy has transformed the lives of many poor and middle class families. Many farmers have availed the benefits of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) Yojana and installed solar pump sets in their farms, thereby reducing their expenses and depen-dence on electricity. Solar energy is also supporting small industries in the rural set up like timber work and processing of cow dung for many purposes, thus genera-ting livelihood options.

·         Friends, can you imagine that after consuming electricity for a month, you do not get a bill for payment but instead get paid. A few days ago, you must have heard that Modhera of Gujarat become the country's first solar village (Suryagram). Most of the houses in Modhera Suryagram have started generating their own electricity from solar power. Not only do they consume this electricity but also sell it to outsiders. Therefore, every month, instead of paying for electricity, these households get paid for electricity. Modhera's experience can be replicated across the country. The power of the Sun is also helping villagers in other parts of the country in not only saving money but also increasing their income. For instance, Kunni Deori of Odisha is leading a group of tribal women who spin silk on solar powered looms. With inspirations like these. The day is not far when Suryagrams in India will become a big mass movement.

Aatmanirbhar Space Sector

·         Our country is doing wonders in the space sector as well. A few days ago India placed 36 satellites in space simultaneously. With this launching, digital connectivity will be further strengthened in the entire country. This is a stellar example of Aatmanirbharta. I say this because I remember those old days when India was denied the Cryogenic Rocket Technology. But the scientists of India not only developed indigenous technology but also took India's space sector to a new height as it has today emerged as a strong player in the global commercial space launch market. Earlier in India, the space sector was confined within the purview of government systems. Since the opening up of the space sector for private players, revolutionary changes have started coming in it. Indian industries and start-ups are engaged in bringing new innovations and new technologies in this field. In particular, the collaboration of IN-SPACe is going to make a big difference in this area. Non-government companies are also getting the facility to launch their payloads and satellites through IN-SPACe. I would urge more and more start-ups and innovators to take full advantage of these huge opportunities being created in India in the space sector.

Youth in Nation Building

·         When we speak about 'youth power' and leadership, we often limit our thoughts to students' politics. But the scope of 'youth power' is bigger and very vast. It is the power of the youth, their hard work, their sweat, their talent that will take India to new heights as we set ambitious targets for our centenary celebrations (100 years of Independence) in 2047. The way our youth have been contributing to nation building inspires immense confidence. Lakhs of youth in the country have solved many challenges and given new solutions to problems through innovation platforms like startups and hackathons.

Innovation Goals

·         I had made a call for 'Jai Anusandhan' from the Red Fort this Independence Day. I had also talked about making this decade the Techade of India. This month during 14-15 October, all 23 IITs came on one platform for the first time to showcase their innovations and research projects. Students and researchers, who came from all over the country, displayed more than 75 best projects on themes like healthcare, agriculture, robotics, semiconductors, 5G Communications. Although all these projects were one better than the other, I want to draw your attention to some projects. IIT Bhubaneswar has developed a portable ventilator for new born babies. Several IITs are working together on a multilingual project that makes learning local languages easier, thus aiding the National Education Policy. IIT Madras and IIT Kanpur have played a leading role in preparing India's indigenous 5G test bed. I also hope that taking inspiration from IITs, other institutions will also step up their R&D activities.

India and the Environment

·         Sensitivity towards the environment is embedded in every particle of our society and we can feel it all around us. There is no dearth of people in the country who spend a lifetime in the protection of the environment like Suresh Kumar ji of Bengaluru. 20 years ago, he had taken the initiative to rejuvenate a forest of Sahakarnagar in the city. Now their beauty of the forest captivates everyone's mind. In another interesting endeavor from Tamil Nadu, a team of tribal women in Anaikatti, Coimbatore have crafted ten thousand eco-friendly terracotta tea cups for export. Likewise, some villages of Tripura have ascended to the level of Bio-Village 2. BioVillage 2 emphasizes how to minimise the damage caused by natural disasters while adopting various measures to improve the quality of life of the people. There is complete focus on solar energy, biogas, bee keeping and bio fertilizers. Moreover, a few days ago, Mission Life dedicated to protect the environment has also been launched. The simple principle of Mission Life is to promote such a lifestyle, which does not harm the environment. I urge you to also know Mission Life and try to adopt it

Unity in Sports

·         The 31st of October is National Unity Day- the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The Run for Unity organized in every corner of the country on this day strengthens the thread of unity in the country and inspires our youth. The same sentiment was seen during the just concluded National Games. With the theme 'Judega India to Jeetega India', the National Games has given a strong message of unity while promoting sports culture the country. The National Games this time was the biggest ever organized in India. 36 sports were included in this, in which, 7 new and two indigenous competitions, Yogasan and Mallakhamb were also included. I congratulate all the teams and players, who won medals, made new records, participated in this sports competition. I would also like to express my heartfelt appreciation to all those people who contributed in the successful organization of the National Games in Gujarat.

Preserving Tribes, Preserving Nature an Environment

·         On the 15th of November, we celebrate the Janjateeya Gaurav Diwas to celebrate the tribal heritage and pride on the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. Bahgwan Birsa Munda had sacrificed his life to protect India's independence and tribal culture. There is so much that we can learn from Dharti Aba Birsa Munda who had said, 'This earth is ours, we are its protectors." This statement inspires a sense of duty for the motherland as well as for the environment. Even today, we can learn a lot about nature and environment from the tribal societies of the country

Remembering the Massacre of Mangarh

·         In the month of November, we also remember the massacre of Mangarh, on the border of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Mangarh has had a very special place in India's freedom struggle and our rich tribal heritage. There was a terrible massacre here in November 1913, in which the British brutally murdered the local tribals. It is said that more than a thousand tribals lost their lives in this massacre. This tribal movement was led by Govind Guru ji, whose life is an inspiration to everyone. Today I bow to all those tribal martyrs and the indomitable courage and valor of Govind Guru ji. The more faithfully we follow the ideals of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, Govind Guru and other freedom fighters during Amrit Kaal, the more our country will touch newer heights.

Remembering the Gurus and their Teachings

·         The 8th of November is Gurupurab. Throughout his life, Guru Nanak Dev Ji spread light for the sake of humanity. In the last few years, the country has made many efforts to spread the light of Gurus to the masses. We had the privilege of celebrating the 550th Prakash Parv of Guru Nanak DevJi on a large scale in the country and abroad. It is equally pleasant to see the development of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor after decades of waiting. A few days ago, I also got the privilege of laying the foundation stone of the ropeway for Hemkund Sahib. We have to continuously learn from the teachings of our Gurus and remain devoted to them.

Statehood Greetings

·         Many states are celebrating their Statehood day in recent days. I convey my best wishes to the people Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Haryana. The stronger the spirit to learn from each other, to cooperate, and to work together, the more the country will go forward.

(This is an approximate translation of PM's Mann Ki Baat originally delivered in Hindi).

 Source - pmindia.gov.in