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Increasing participation of youth in the campaign against drug abuse is very encouraging: PM Modi during Mann Ki Baat

Published By : Admin | July 30, 2023 | 11:30 IST
People are making new efforts for water conservation with full awareness and responsibility: PM Modi
PM Modi praises Pakaria village residents for innovative water recharge systems
The month of 'Sawan' has been very important from the spiritual as well as cultural point of view: PM Modi
Now more than 10 crore tourists are reaching Kashi every year. The number of devotees visiting pilgrimages like Ayodhya, Mathura, Ujjain is also increasing rapidly: PM
America has returned to us more than a hundred rare and ancient artefacts which are from 2500 to 250 years old: PM
The changes that have been made in the Haj Policy in the last few years are being highly appreciated: PM Modi
Increasing participation of youth in the campaign against drug abuse is very encouraging: PM Modi
'Meri Mati Mera Desh' campaign will be started to honour the martyred heroes: PM Modi

My dear countrymen, Namaskar.
A warm welcome to all of you in 'Mann Ki Baat'. The month of July means the month of monsoon, the month of rain. The past few days have been full of anxiety and hardships on account of natural calamities. Owing to flooding in many rivers including the Yamuna, people in many areas have had to suffer. Landslides have also occurred in hilly areas. Meanwhile, in the western part of the country, Biparjoy cyclone also hit the areas of Gujarat some time ago. But friends, in the midst of these calamities, all of us countrymen have once again brought to the fore the power of collective effort. The local people, our NDRF jawans, those from the local administration have worked day and night to combat such calamities. Our capabilities and resources play a big role in dealing with any disaster - but at the same time, our sensitivity and the spirit of hand-holding is equally important. This spirit of Sarvajan Hitaaya is the hallmark of India as well as the strength of India.


Friends, this phase of rain is equally important for 'tree plantation' and 'water conservation'. More than 60 thousand Amrit Sarovars built during the ‘Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' are increasingly radiating their glow. Presently, the work of building more than 50 thousand Amrit Sarovars is going on. Our countrymen are making novel efforts for 'water conservation' with full awareness and responsibility. You might remember, sometime ago, I had gone to Shahdol, M.P. There I met tribal brothers and sisters of Pakaria village. At the same time, I had a discussion with them to save nature and water. Now I have come to know that the tribal brothers and sisters of Pakaria village have already started working on this. Here, with the help of the administration, people have converted about a hundred wells into water recharge systems. Rain water now flows into these wells, and from the wells, the water enters the ground. This will gradually improve the ground water level in the area. Now all the villagers have set a target of using about 800 wells in the entire area for recharging. One such encouraging news has come in from U.P. A few days ago, in Uttar Pradesh, a record of planting 30 crore trees in a single day has been made. This campaign was started by the state government; it was completed by the people there. Such efforts are great examples of public participation as well as public awareness. I would like all of us to be a part of these efforts to plant trees and save water.

My dear countrymen, at present the holy month of 'Saawan' is going on. Along with worshiping Sadashiv Mahadev, 'Sawan' is associated with greenery and joy. That's why, 'Sawan' has been very important from the spiritual as well as cultural point of view. The swings of Sawan, the mehendi of Sawan, the festivities of Sawan... that is, 'Sawan' itself means joy and enthusiasm.


Friends, there is yet another facet to this faith and these traditions of ours. These festivals and traditions of ours make us dynamic. Many devotees undertake the Kanwar Yatra to worship Shiva in Sawan. These days numerous devotees are reaching the 12 Jyotirlingas on account of 'Sawan'. You would also be happy to know that the number of people reaching Banaras is also breaking records. Now more than 10 crore tourists are reaching Kashi every year. The number of devotees visiting pilgrimages like Ayodhya, Mathura, Ujjain is also increasing rapidly. Due to this lakhs of poor are getting employment; their livelihood is being taken care of. All this is the result of our collective cultural awakening. Now, for ‘darshan’, people from all over the world are coming to our pilgrimage sites. I have come to know about two such American friends who had come here from California to perform the Amarnath Yatra. These foreign guests had heard somewhere about the experiences of Swami Vivekananda related to the Amarnath Yatra. They got so inspired that they themselves came for the Amarnath Yatra. They consider it as the blessings of Lord Bholenath. This is the specialty of India that she accepts everyone, gives something or the other to everyone. Similarly there is a woman of French origin – Charlotte Chopin. Recently, when I had gone to France, I had met her. Charlotte Chopin is a Yoga Practitioner, Yoga Teacher, and she is more than a 100 years old. She has crossed a century. She has been practicing yoga for the last 40 years. She gives credit for her health and this age of 100 years only to yoga. She has become a prominent face of India's science of yoga and its strength, in the world. Everyone should learn from her. Let us not only embrace our heritage, but also present it responsibly to the world. And I am happy that one such effort is going on in Ujjain these days. Here 18 painters from all over the country are making attractive picture story books based on the Puranas. These paintings will be made in many distinctive styles such as the Bundi style, Nathdwara style, Pahari style and Apabhramsh style. These will be displayed in Ujjain's Triveni Museum... after some time, when you visit Ujjain; you will be able to see another divine site along with Mahakal Mahalok.


Friends, while referring to these paintings being made in Ujjain, I am reminded of another unique painting. This painting had been made by Prabhat Singh Modbhai Barhat, an artist from Rajkot.


This painting was based on an incident in the life of Chhatrapati Veer Shivaji Maharaj. Artist Prabhat Bhai had depicted that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was going to visit his Kuldevi 'Tulja Mata' after the coronation, and what the atmosphere there at that time was. To keep our traditions, our heritage alive, we have to save it, live it, teach it to the next generation. I am happy that, today, many efforts are being made in this direction.


My dear countrymen,
Many a time, when we hear words like Ecology, Flora, Fauna, Bio Diversity, some people think that these are specialized subjects; subjects related to experts. But it is not so. If we really love nature, we can do a lot even with our small efforts. Suresh Raghavan ji is a friend from Vadavalli in Tamil Nadu. Raghavan ji is fond of painting. You know, painting is a work related to art and canvas, but Raghavan ji decided that he would preserve the information about plants and animals through his paintings. He documents the information related to them by making paintings of varied Flora and Fauna. Till now he has made paintings of dozens of such birds, animals, orchids, which are on the verge of extinction. This example of serving nature through art is really amazing.


My dear countrymen, today I want to tell you one more interesting thing. A few days ago an awesome craze appeared on social media. America has returned to us more than a hundred rare and ancient artefacts. After this news came to the fore, there was a lot of discussion on social media about these artefacts. The youth displayed a sense of pride in their heritage. These artefacts returned to India are 2000 to 250 years old. You will also be happy to know that these rare items are related to different regions of the country. These have been made using Terracotta, Stone, Metal and Wood. Some of these are such that they will fill you with wonder. If you have a look at them, you will be left mesmerised. You will also get to see a beautiful sandstone sculpture of the 11th century among these. This is an artwork of an 'Apsara' dancing, which belongs to Madhya Pradesh. Many idols of the Chola era are also part of these. The idols of Devi and Lord Murugan date back to the 12th century and are associated with the rich culture of Tamil Nadu. Nearly a thousand year old bronze statue of Lord Ganesha has also been returned to India. An idol of Uma-Maheshwara in Lalitasan is said to be of the 11th century, in which both of them are seated on Nandi. Two stone idols of Jain Tirthankaras have also come back to India. Two idols of Bhagwan Surya Dev will also enthrall you. One of these is made of Sandstone. Among the items returned is a panel made of wood, which brings to the fore the story of the churning of the ocean. This panel of 16th-17th century is associated with South India.


Friends, I have mentioned just a few names here, whereas, if you see, this list is very long. I would like to thank the American government, who have returned this valuable heritage of ours. Even when I visited America in 2016 and 2021, many artefacts were returned to India. I am sure that with such efforts, awareness will increase across the country to stop the theft of our cultural heritage. This will further deepen the attachment of the countrymen with our rich heritage.
My dear countrymen, the letters written by some mothers and sisters of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand to me are touchingly heart-warming. They have given many blessings to their son, their brother. They have written that - 'They had never imagined that our erstwhile cultural heritage 'Bhojpatra' could become a means of their livelihood. You must be wondering what the entire matter is!


Friends, this letter has been written to me by the women of Niti-Mana valley in Chamoli district. These are the women who had presented me a unique artwork on Bhojpatra in October last year. I was also overwhelmed on receiving this gift. After all, since ancient times, our scriptures and books have been preserved on these Bhojpatras. Mahabharata was also written on the Bhojpatra. Today, these women of Devbhoomi are making very beautiful artefacts and souvenirs from the Bhojpatra. During my visit to Mana village, I had appreciated his unique effort. I had appealed to the tourists coming to Devbhoomi to buy as many local products as possible during their visit. It has had a great impact there. Today, the products of Bhojpatra are very much liked by the pilgrims coming here and are also buying it at good prices. This ancient heritage of Bhojpatra is filling new hues of happiness in the lives of the women of Uttarakhand. I am also happy to know that the state government is also imparting training to women to make novel products from Bhojpatra.


The state government has also started a campaign to preserve the rare species of Bhojpatra. The areas which were once considered as the last point of the land are now being developed considering them as the first villages of the country. Along with preserving our tradition and culture, this effort is also becoming a means of economic progress.
My dear countrymen, I have also received a large number of such letters this time in 'Man Ki Baat’ that give a lot of satisfaction to the mind. These letters have been written by those Muslim women who have recently come from Haj pilgrimage. This journey of theirs is very special in many ways. These are the women, who have performed Hajj without any male companion or mehram, and the number is not fifty or hundred, but more than four thousand - this is a huge transformation. Earlier, Muslim women were not allowed to perform 'Hajj' without Mehram. Through Mann Ki Baat, I also express my heartfelt gratitude to the Government of Saudi Arabia. Women coordinators were specially appointed for women going on 'Haj' without Mehram.


Friends, the changes that have been made in the Haj Policy in the last few years are being highly appreciated. Our Muslim mothers and sisters have written a lot to me about this. Now, more and more people are getting the chance to go for 'Haj'. The blessing given by the people who have returned from Haj pilgrimage, especially our mothers and sisters through their letters, is very inspiring in itself.


My dear countrymen, whether be the Musical Nights in Jammu -Kashmir, Bike Rallies at High Altitudes, local clubs in Chandigarh, and the many sports groups in Punjab,... it sounds like we are talking about entertainment and adventure. But it’s something different..., this event is also related to a 'common cause'. And this common cause is the awareness campaign against drugs. To save the youth of Jammu and Kashmir from drugs, many innovative efforts have been visible. Programs like Musical Night, Bike Rallies are happening there. To spread this message in Chandigarh, Local Clubs have been linked with it. They call these VADA clubs. VADA means Victory Against Drug Abuse. Many sports groups have also been formed in Punjab, which are running awareness campaigns to focus on fitness and get rid of drug addiction. The increasing participation of youth in the campaign against drug abuse is very encouraging. These efforts lend a lot of strength to the campaign against drugs in India. If we want to save the future generations of the country, we have to keep them away from drugs. With this thought, 'NashaMukt Bharat Abhiyan' was launched on the 15 August 2020. More than 11 crore people have been connected with this campaign. Two weeks ago, India has taken a huge action against drugs. After seizing about 1.5 lakh kg consignment of drugs, it has been destroyed. India has also created a unique record of destroying 10 lakh kg of drugs. The cost of these drugs was more than Rs 12,000 crore. I would like to appreciate all those who are contributing in this noble campaign of de-addiction. Drug addiction becomes a big problem not only for the family, but for the whole society. In such a situation, for this danger to end forever, it is necessary that we all move forward in this direction in unison.


My dear countrymen, while talking about drugs and the young generation, I would also like to tell you about an inspiring journey from Madhya Pradesh. This is the Inspiring Journey of Mini Brazil. You must be thinking that from where Mini Brazil came in Madhya Pradesh, well, that is the twist. In MP, Bicharpur is a village in Shahdol. Bicharpur is called Mini Brazil. ‘Mini Brazil’, since, today this village has become a stronghold of the rising stars of football. When I had gone to Shahdol a few weeks ago, I met many such football players there. I felt that our countrymen and especially our young friends must know about this.


Friends, The journey of Bichharpur village to become Mini Brazil commenced two-and-a-half decades ago. During that time, Bicharpur village was infamous for illicit liquor,... it was in the grip of intoxication. The biggest brunt of this kind of environment was being borne by the youth here. Raees Ahmed, a former national player and coach, recognized the talent of these youngsters. Raees ji did not have many resources, but he started teaching football to the youth with full dedication. Within a few years, football became so popular that Bicharpur village itself was identified with football. Now a program called Football Kranti is also going on here. Under this program, youth are connected with this game and they are given training. This program has been so successful that more than 40 national and state level players have emerged from Bicharpur. This football revolution is now slowly spreading in the entire region. More than 1200 football clubs have been formed in Shahdol and its surrounding areas. A large number of players are emerging from here, who are playing at the national level. Today, many noted former football players and coaches are imparting training to the youth here. Just imagine a tribal area which was known for illicit liquor, infamous for drug addiction, has now become the Football Nursery of the country. That's why it is said - where there is a will, there is a way. There is no dearth of talent in our country. There is certainly a need to find and nurture them. Subsequently, these youth also bring laurels to the country and lend direction to the development of the country as well.


My dear countrymen, on the occasion of completion of 75 years of independence, all of us are celebrating 'Amrit Mahotsav' with full enthusiasm. About two lakh programs have been organized in the country during the 'Amrit Mahotsav'. These programs were adorned with a spectrum of colours... were full of diversity. The beauty of these events has been that a record number of youth participated them. During this, our youth got to know a lot about the great personalities of the country. If we talk about just the first few months, we got to see many interesting programs related to public participation. One such program was - 'Writers’ Meet' organized for Divyang writers. The participation of a record number of people was observed. At the same time, 'National Sanskrit Conference' was organized in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. We all know the importance of forts in our history. A campaign depicting this, ‘Qile aur Kahaniyan' i.e. stories related to Forts were also liked by people.


Friends, in the midst of the ongoing reverberations of Amrit Mahotsav and the 15th of August round the corner, another great campaign is on the verge of being launched in the country. 'Meri Mati Mera Desh' campaign will be launched to honour our martyred braveheart men and women. Under this, many programs will be organized across the country in the memory of our immortal martyrs. In the memory of these luminaries, special inscriptions will also be installed in lakhs of village panchayats of the country. Under this campaign, 'Amrit Kalash Yatra' will also be organised across the country. This 'Amrit Kalash Yatra' carrying soil in 7500 urns from every corner of the country will reach Delhi, the capital of the country. This journey will also carry with it saplings from different parts of the country. 'Amrit Vatika' will be built near the National War Memorial by fusing the soil and saplings that would arrive in 7500 urns. This 'Amrit Vatika' will also become a grand symbol of 'Ek Bharat Shresth Bharat'. I had talked about 'Panch Prana' for the next 25 years of Amritkal from Red Fort last year. By participating in the 'Meri Mati Mera Desh' campaign, we will also take an oath to fulfil these 'five resolves'. All of you should certainly upload your selfies on yuva.gov.in while taking oath, holding the sacred soil of the country. Last year on the occasion of Independence Day, the whole country came together for 'Har GharTiranga Abhiyan',... similarly this time too we have to hoist the Tricolor at every house, and continue this tradition. With these efforts, we will realize our duties... we will realize the innumerable sacrifices made for the freedom of the country; we will realize the value of freedom. Hence, every countryman must join in these efforts.
My dear countrymen, that’s all for today in 'Mann Ki Baat'.


In a few days we will be a part of this great festival of independence on the 15th of August. We should always remember those who laid down their lives for the freedom of the country. We have to work day and night to make their dreams come true and 'Mann Ki Baat' is just the medium to bring this hard work and collective efforts of the countrymen to the fore. See you next time, with some new topics. Thank you very much

 

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The air of Israel has reached here too.

Namaskar!

All journalists of Network 18, all colleagues overseeing this arrangement, all distinguished guests present here, ladies and gentlemen!

You are all discussing Rising India. And in this, your emphasis is on strength within-in simple words, your focus is on the nation’s own inherent capability. In our scriptures it is said: Tat Tvam Asi!-that which we seek in the Brahman is within us, it is us ourselves. The strength lies within us, and we must recognize it. In the past 11 years, India has recognized that very strength, and today the nation is continuously striving to empower it.

Friends,

Strength in a nation does not suddenly emerge; it is built over generations. It is refined through knowledge, tradition, hard work, and experience. But during a long period of history, through centuries of slavery, the very spirit of being strong was filled with inferiority. Imported ideologies instilled deeply into society the belief that we were uneducated and mere followers. Our scriptures say: Yādṛśī bhāvanā yasya, siddhir bhavati tādṛśī-as is one’s belief, so is the accomplishment. When the belief itself was inferior, the accomplishment was also inferior. We copied foreign technologies, waited for foreign approval-this was slavery not just political or geographical, but mental. Unfortunately, even after independence, India could not free itself from this mentality of slavery. And we are still paying the price for it. A fresh example can be seen in the discussions around trade deals. Some people are surprised-how did this happen, why are developed nations so eager to make trade deals with India? The answer lies in a confident India, emerging out of despair and hopelessness. If the country were still stuck in the pre-2014 gloom, counted among the “Fragile Five,” trapped in policy paralysis-who would have made trade deals with us, who would have even looked at us?

But friends,

In the past 11 years, new energy has flowed into the nation’s consciousness. India is now striving to regain its lost strength. Once upon a time, when India had the greatest dominance in the global economy, what was our strength? India’s manufacturing, the quality of Indian products, India’s economic policies. Today’s India is once again focusing on these aspects. That is why we worked on manufacturing, emphasized Make in India, strengthened our banking system, controlled inflation that was running in double digits, and made India the growth engine of the world. It is this strength of India that has developed nations themselves coming forward to make trade deals with us.

Friends,

When the hidden power of a nation awakens, it achieves new milestones. Let me give you some more examples. Whenever I meet heads of government from other countries, they are eager to hear about the immense power of Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and Mobile. In a country where ATMs arrived much later compared to developed nations, how did India achieve global leadership in digital payments? Where leakage in government aid was accepted as bitter truth, how did India, through DBT, transfer 24 lakh crore rupees-twenty-four trillion rupees-to beneficiaries? India’s digital public infrastructure has today become a subject of global discussion.

Friends,

The world is astonished-how India where until 2014 nearly 30 million families lived in darkness, became one of the top countries in solar power capacity? How did India whose cities had no hope of improved public transport, become the third-largest metro network country in the world? How did India whose railways were known only for delays and slow speed achieve semi-high-speed connectivity with Vande Bharat and Namo Bharat?

Friends,

There was a time when India was only a consumer of new technology. Today, India is also a creator of new technology and is setting new standards. And this has happened because we recognized our own strength-the very strength within you are discussing is an example of this.

Friends,

When we move forward with pride, the way the world looks at us also changes. Remember, just a few years ago, how little global media discussed India’s events. Events in India were not given much importance. And today, see how every action of India is analyzed globally. The AI Summit is an example-it was held right here in this building. More than 100 countries participated. Whether Global North or Global South, all sat together at one table. From large corporations to small startups, all gathered together.

Friends,

In all the industrial revolutions so far, India and the entire Global South were only followers. But in this era of Artificial Intelligence, India is not only a participant in decisions but is also shaping them. Today we have our own AI startup ecosystem, the strength to invest in data centers, and we are working rapidly on the power most needed to store and process AI data. The reforms we have made in the nuclear power sector will also help strengthen India’s AI ecosystem.

Friends,

The organization of the AI Summit was a moment of pride for the whole of India. But unfortunately, the country’s oldest party tried to tarnish this celebration. In front of foreign guests, Congress did not just strip off clothes, but also exposed its ideological bankruptcy. When failure breeds despair and arrogance takes over, such thinking emerges that seeks to defame the nation. Clearly, Congress’s actions have angered the country. To justify its sin, they brought Mahatma Gandhi forward. Congress always does this-when it wants to hide its sins, it puts Bapu forward; when it wants to glorify itself, it gives all credit to one family.

Friends,

Congress has now reduced itself to a mere toolkit of opposition in the name of ideology. This mentality of blind opposition has grown so much that they do not miss any chance to belittle the nation on every stage, every platform. Whatever good happens for the country, whatever auspicious occurs, Congress only knows how to oppose.

Friends,

I have a long list-the new Parliament building was constructed, they opposed it. The lions of the Ashoka pillar atop Parliament-they opposed it. Those whose lions once ran away after eating ordinary citizens’ shoes, were frightened by the teeth of the Parliament’s lions. The Kartavya Path was built, they opposed it. The armed forces carried out surgical strikes, they opposed it. The Balakot air strike happened, they opposed it. Operation Sindoor was conducted, they opposed it. In short, for every achievement of the nation, Congress’s toolkit produces only one thing-opposition.

Friends,

The nation brought down the wall of Article 370, the country rejoiced. But Congress opposed it. We enacted the CAA law-they opposed it. We introduced the Women’s Reservation Bill-they opposed it. We brought a law against triple talaq-they opposed it. We launched UPI-they opposed it. We initiated the Swachh Bharat Mission-they opposed it. The country developed its own COVID vaccine, and even that they opposed.

Friends,

In a democracy, opposition does not mean blind resistance. In democracy, opposition means presenting an alternative vision. That is why the enlightened citizens of the country have been teaching Congress a lesson-not just today, but continuously for the past four decades. What I am about to say, I urge my media colleagues to analyze as well. You will see that Congress’s votes are not being stolen; rather, the people of the country no longer consider Congress worthy of their vote. And this decline began after 1984. In 1984, Congress received 39 percent of the vote and more than 400 seats. In subsequent elections, Congress’s vote share kept declining. And today, Congress’s condition is such that only four states remain where Congress has more than 50 legislators. Over the past 40 years, the number of young voters has increased, and Congress has steadily disappeared. Congress has become a club of people enslaved to one family. That is why first the millennials taught Congress a lesson, and now Gen Z is also ready.

Friends,

Congress and its allies have such a narrow mindset that they have even made long-term vision a crime. Today, when we talk about a developed India by 2047, some people ask-“Why talk about something so far ahead now?” Some even say, “Modi won’t be alive till then.” The truth is that nation-building never happens through short-term thinking. It happens through a grand vision, patience, and timely decisions. Let me present some facts before Network 18’s viewers. Every year, India spends more than 6 lakh crore rupees on freight through foreign ships. On fertilizer imports, we spend 2.25 lakh crore rupees annually. On petroleum imports, we spend 11 lakh crore rupees annually. That means, every year, trillions of rupees are flowing out of the country. If this investment had been directed towards self-reliance 20–25 years ago, today this capital would have been strengthening India’s infrastructure, research, industry, farmers, and youth. Today, our government is working with this very vision. To avoid paying 6 lakh crore rupees to foreign ships, Indian shipping and port infrastructure is being strengthened. To increase domestic fertilizer production, new plants are being set up, and nano-urea is being promoted. To reduce dependence on petroleum, ethanol blending, the Green Hydrogen Mission, solar energy, and electric mobility are being prioritized.

And friends,

We must take decisions today while keeping the future in mind. That is why India is building a semiconductor ecosystem. In defense production, mobile manufacturing, drone technology, the critical minerals sector, and investments therein-we are laying the foundation for economic security in the coming decades. The 2047 goal is not a political slogan. It is also a resolve to correct the historical mistakes where Congress governments failed to invest in time. Today, if we build indigenous ships, produce our own energy, and develop new technologies ourselves, then future generations will not discuss the burden of imports, but the capacity for exports. The progress of a nation is determined not by “today’s convenience” but by “tomorrow’s preparation.” And the hard work done with foresight is the foundation of a self-reliant, strong, and prosperous India in 2047. And no matter how many clothes Congress tears in protest, we will continue to work tirelessly.

Friends,

One very important condition of nation-building is sincerity of intent. Congress and its allies have failed even here. They have never worked with sincerity. They have no concern for the suffering of the poor. For example, in Bengal, the Ayushman Bharat scheme has still not been implemented. If there were sincerity, would they have blocked a scheme that provides free treatment up to 5 lakh rupees for the poor? No. You also know that under the PM Awas Yojana, permanent houses are being built for the poor. Let me give another figure to Network 18’s viewers. In Tamil Nadu, about 9.5 lakh permanent houses have been allocated for poor families-9.5 lakh. But construction of 3 lakh of these houses has stalled. Why? Because the DMK government is not showing interest in building these homes for the poor. And the reason is clear-their intent is not sincere.

Friends,

Let me also give you an example from the agriculture sector. During Congress’s time, farming was left to its fate. Small farmers were ignored, crop insurance was in shambles, the Swaminathan Committee’s report on MSP was buried in files. Congress made announcements in the budget, but nothing happened on the ground-because they lacked sincerity. We began working sincerely for the farmers of the country, and today the world is witnessing the results. Today, India is becoming one of the major agricultural exporters in the world. We have created a safety net for farmers at every level. Through the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, more than 4 lakh crore rupees have been deposited directly into farmers’ accounts. We set MSP at 1.5 times the cost and made record purchases. Let me give you just one figure-pulses. The UPA government, in 10 years, purchased only 6 lakh metric tons of pulses at MSP-6 lakh metric tons. Our government has already purchased about 170 lakh metric tons of pulses at MSP-nearly 30 times more. Now you decide who truly works for the farmers.

Friends,

The UPA government was also stingy in providing help to farmers through the Kisan Credit Card. In its 10 years, the UPA government gave 7 lakh crore rupees in agricultural loans-7 lakh crore rupees. Whereas our government has given four times more-28 lakh crore rupees. During UPA’s time, only 5 crore farmers benefited from this. Today, the number has more than doubled, reaching nearly 12 crore farmers. That means, for the first time, even small farmers have received help. Our government has also given farmers the protective shield of the PM Fasal Bima Yojana. Under this, about 2 lakh crore rupees have already been provided to farmers in times of crisis. Because we are working with sincerity, the confidence of India’s farmers is rising, their productivity is increasing, and their incomes are growing.

Friends,

A quarter of the 21st century has already passed. The next phase is the decisive period of India’s development. The decisions taken today will determine the direction of the future. We must move forward by recognizing and enhancing our strength. Every individual must aim for excellence in their field, every institution must make excellence its culture. We should not just produce products, but produce best-quality products. We should not just do routine work, but world-class work. We must convert capability into performance. As I said from the Red Fort-this is the time, the right time. This is the time to take India to new heights. Once again, my heartfelt congratulations and thanks to all of you. Namaskar.