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Nari Shakti is breaking the barriers of society: PM during Mann Ki Baat

Published By : Admin | January 28, 2018 | 11:45 IST
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My dear countrymen, Namaskar. This is the first episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ in the year 2018. Just a couple of days ago, we celebrated our Republic Day festival with gaiety & fervour. This is the very first time in history that heads of 10 Nations attended the ceremony.

My dear countrymen, Shriman Prakash Tripathi has written a rather long letter on the Narendra Modi App, urging me to touch upon the subjects he has referred to. He writes, “The 1st of February is the death anniversary of astronaut Kalpana Chawla. She left us in the Columbia space shuttle mishap, but not without becoming a source of inspiration for millions of young people the world over”. I am thankful to Bhai Prakash ji for beginning his long letter with the sad departure of Kalpana Chawla. It’s a matter of sorrow for all of us that we lost Kalpana Chawla at that early age, but her life, her work is a message to young women across the world, especially to those in India, that there are no upper limits for Nari Shakti …. the power of women.  If one possesses the will & the determination, a firm resolve to achieve something, nothing is impossible. It’s a matter of joy that women in India are taking rapid strides of advancement in all fields, bringing glory to the Nation.

In our country, respect for women, their status in society and their contribution has proved to be awe inspiring to the entire world, since ancient times. There has been a long tradition of Vidushis… women exponents or women champions. Many Vidushis of India have contributed in composing the verses of the Vedas. Lopamudra, Gargi, Maitreyee…it’s a long list of names. Today, we talk about ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’, ‘save the girl child, educate her’. But centuries ago, it has been mentioned in our ancient texts, in the Skand Puran :

दशपुत्र-समाकन्या, दशपुत्रान् प्रवर्धयन्

यत फलम्  लभते मRर्य:, तत् लभ्यम् कन्यकैकया ॥

This means, a daughter is the equivalent of ten sons. The ‘Punya’ that you earn through ten sons amounts to the same earned through just one daughter. This underscores the importance that has been given to women in our society. And that is why, in our society, women have been accorded the status of ‘Shakti’. This woman power binds closely together society as a whole, the family as a whole, on the axis of unity & oneness. Be it the erudition of the Vidushis of the Vedic Period… Lopamudra, Gargi, Maitreyee; be it the learning & devotion of Akka Mahadevi or Meerabai, be it the governance of Ahilyabai Holkar or the valour of Rani Lakshmibai, woman power has always inspired us. They have always brought glory to the Nation.

        Shriman Prakash Tripathi has further cited some examples. He writes that the flight of our courageous Defence Minister Nirmala Seetharaman in a Sukhoi 30 fighter plane is inspirational for him. He also refers to INSV Tarini, with an all women crew on board under the command of Vartika Joshi, which is currently circumnavigating the globe. Three braveheart women Bhavna Kanth, Mohana Singh and Avani Chaturvedi have become fighter pilots and are undergoing training on the Sukhoi- 30. An Air India Boeing jet with an all woman crew led by Kshamata Vajpayee flew from Delhi to San Francisco, USA and back. These are all women achievers. You are absolutely right. Today women are not just advancing in myriad fields; they are leaders. Today there are many sectors where our woman power is playing a pioneering role, establishing milestones. A few days ago, Hon’ble President took an initiative. He met a group of extraordinary women who have achieved something significanty new in their respective fields. Women achievers of our country… the first female Merchant Navy Captain, the first female passenger train driver, the first female fire fighter, the first female Bus Driver, the first woman to set foot on Antarctica, the first woman to reach Mount Everest… ‘First Ladies’ in every field. Our woman power achieved extraordinary feats, breaking the age old shackles of social mores, creating new records. They proved that through perseverance, grit and a firm resolve, all kinds of obstacles and barriers can be broken & crossed, to chart out an all new path… a path that could act as a beacon of inspiration not just to their contemporaries, but for generations to come. It will infuse a fresh energy, newer enthusiasm into them. A book has been compiled on these women achievers, first ladies, so that, the entire country comes to know about the power of these women and derive inspiration from their life & work. This is also available as an e-book on the Narendra Modi Website.

The country’s woman power has contributed a lot in the positive transformation being witnessed in our country & society these days. Today, as we speak of women empowerment, I would like to refer to a railway station. You must be wondering what a railway station has got to do with women empowerment. Matunga station in Mumbai is the first station in India which is run by an all woman staff. All departments have women performing duties… the commercial department, Railway  Police, Ticket checking, Announcing, Point persons, it’s a staff  comprising over 40 women. This time, after watching the Republic Day Parade, many people wrote on Twitter and other social media that a major highlight of the parade was the BSF biker contingent comprising women participants. Daredevil stunts performed by them was awe inspiring for our foreign guests. Empowerment is another form of self reliance. Today our Nari Shakti is assuming leadership roles. It is becoming self reliant. By the way, this also reminds me of tribal women of Chattisgarh, who have done something extraordinary and set a remarkable example. When we refer to Adivasi women, a stereotypical image comes to our minds, comprising jungles, pathways in the woods and women carrying kindlewood on their heads.But the woman power of Chattisgarh, the tribal women there broke this stereotype & presented an all new picture of themselves. Dantewada in Chattisgarh is a Maoist infested region. Violence, torture, explosives, guns, pistols… the Maoists have created a scary reign of terror. In this dangerous atmosphere, Adivasi women are becoming self reliant by driving e-rickshaws. In a short span of time, a number of women have become part of this phenomenon. This has three benefits- on the one hand self-employment has empowered them; on the other, the Maoist infested region is witnessing a transformation. And simultaneously as a consequence, it is strengthening efforts towards protecting the environment. I laud the efforts of the District Administration which has played a significant role in the successful endeavour of these women by ensuring availability of grants & imparting training to them.

        Time and again we keep hearing people utter ‘There is something special that we as a people possess… no threat is big enough to annihilate our existence’. What is that ‘Special Something’? That ‘Something’ is flexibility, the ability of transformation. Leaving out things that are beyond the constraints of time and accepting betterment in things wherever necessary. And this is a salient feature of our society… relentless efforts towards self-improvement, self correction. We have inherited this Indian tradition as a cultural legacy. The benchmark of any living society is its self correcting mechanism. In our country, there have been unending endeavours against social ills and evil practices, both individually & collectively. Just a while ago, Bihar launched an interesting initiative. In order to uproot social ills in the state, the world’s longest human chain spanning over thirteen thousand kilometers was formed.

        This campaign made people aware of social maladies such as child-marriage and the dowry system. The entire state thus resolved to fight against these social evils. Children, the elderly, the youth full of energy and enthusiasm, women, girls turned out to participate in this battle. The human chain that commenced formation from Gandhi Maidan in Patna gained momentum, touching the state borders. In order to ensure that the fruits of progress rightly reach all sections of society, it is imperative that our society is freed of these ills. Come, let us pledge to come together to wipe out these evil customs from our social fabric… let us build an empowered, capable New India. I appreciate the people of Bihar, the Chief Minister, the administration, in fact every member of the human chain for this massive, special initiative towards social welfare.

My dear countrymen, Shriman Darshan from Mysore, Karnataka has written on My gov. He was undergoing an expenditure of six thousand rupees a month on medicines alone for the treatment of his father. Earlier, he wasn’t aware of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana. But now that he’s come to know of the Jan Aushadhi Kendra, he has begun purchasing medicines from there and his expenses have been reduced by about 75%. He has expressed his wish that I mention this in ‘Mann Ki Baat’, so that it reaches the maximum number of people and they can benefit from it. Over some time lately, many have written on this subject; many of them have been telling me about it. I too have seen videos put up on social media by beneficiaries of this scheme. It is a matter of joy learning about happenings like these. It gives you inner satisfaction. I felt good to see Shriman Darshan ji think about sharing with others what he gained from it. The motive behind this scheme is making healthcare affordable and encouraging Ease of Living. Medicines available at the Jan Aushadhi Centres are 50% to 90% cheaper than branded drugs available in the market. This is great help for the common man, especially for senior citizens who require medicines on a daily basis and results in a lot of savings. Generic medicines sold under this scheme strictly conform to prescribed standards set by the World Health Organisation. That is why good quality medicines are made available at affordable prices. Today, over three thousand Jan Aushadhi Kendras have been set up across the country. This has led to not only availability of cheaper medicines, but also new employment opportunities for individual entrepreneurs. Affordable medicines are now available at ‘Amrit Stores’ at Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Centres & at hospitals. The sole aim behind this step is ensuring availability of Quality & affordable health service to the poorest of the poor, so that a healthy & prosperous India comes into being.

        My dear countrymen, Shri Mangesh from Maharashtra has shared a photo on the Narendra Modi Mobile App. It was such a striking photo that my attention was magnetically drawn towards it. The photo showed that a grandson was participating in the 'Clean Morna River' along with his grandfather. I came to know that the citizens of Akola had organized a cleanliness campaign to clean the Morna river under the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan'. The Morna river was a perennial river flowing throughout the twelve months of the year but now it has become seasonal. The second painful fact was that the river was completely filled with wild grass and hyacinth. A lot of garbage was being dumped into the river and along its banks. An action plan was chalked out and on January 13th a day before Makar-Sankranti, in the first phase of 'Mission Clean Morna' sanitation of the two sides of the bank of the Morna river at fourteen places spread over an area of ​​four kilometers, was carried out.

This noble and grand task named 'Mission Clean Morna', involved more than six thousand denizens of Akola, more than 100 NGOs, Colleges, Students, children, the elderly, mothers, sisters, almost everybody participated in this task. On January 20th, 2018, this Sanitation Campaign continued in the same vein and I’ve been told that this campaign will continue every Saturday morning till the Morna river is completely cleaned. 'Mission Clean Morna' shows that if a person is determined to do something, then nothing is impossible. Huge social reforms can be brought about through mass movements. I congratulate the people of Akola, the district and the municipal corporation’s administration, all the citizens who were associated with this mass movement, I laud your efforts which are not only very much appreciated but this will inspire the other citizens of the country.

        My dear countrymen, these days you must be hearing a lot about the Padma Awards. These awards also attract attention in newspapers and television also. But if you scrutinize, then you will be proud of the fact that there many loftier personalities amidst us and you will naturally be proud of the very fact that today the common man is being cited for Padma awards without any recommendations. There was a certain methodology of awarding Padma Awards every year, but this entire process has been changed for the past three years. Now any citizen can nominate any person in our country. Transparency has been brought about in the entire process by making it operable online. In a way, the selection of these awards has been transformed completely. You may have noticed that many ordinary people not visible in big cities, in newspapers or on TV are being awarded with Padma citations. Now the identity of the awardee is not the deciding factor of the award, rather the importance of his work is increasing. You must have heard the name of Arvind Gupta ji. It will gladden your heart to know, that Arvind ji, a student of IIT Kanpur, spent all his life creating toys for children. He has been making toys from garbage for over four decades so that children can increase their curiosity towards science.

He has been trying to get children inspired to conduct scientific experiments using waste; towards this end he has been encouraging children by showing them films made in 18 languages in three thousand schools across the country. What a wonderful life, what a dedicated mission! A similar story is that of Sitavaa Jodatti from Karnataka. She has not been hailed as 'Goddess of women empowerment' just for nothing! For the past three decades, in Belagavi, she has made a great contribution towards changing the lives of countless women. At the age of seven she had dedicated herself as a Devadasi but in a turnaround, for the welfare of the Devdasis, she has spent her entire life. Not only this, she has done unprecedented work for the welfare of Dalit women too. You must have heard the name of Bhajju Shyam of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Bhajju Shyam was born in a very poor tribal family. He was employed in a small job for eking out his living, but he was also fond of painting in the traditional tribal art form. Today, due to this hobby, he garnered respect not only in India but the entire world. He has exhibited his paintings in many countries like Netherlands, Germany, England and Italy. The talent of Bhajju Shyam ji, who made India proud in many nations abroad, was also recognized and he was awarded the Padma Shri.

You will be pleasantly surprised listening to the story of Kerala's tribal lady Lakshmikutti. Laxmikutty is a teacher in Kallar and still resides in a hut made of palm leaves in a tribal tract amidst dense forests. She has created five hundred herbal medicines relying solely on her memory. She has mastery in synthesizing medicines used for treatment of snake bites. Lakshmi Ji is continuously serving society with her knowledge of herbal medicines. Identifying her anonymous persona, she has been honoured with the Padma Shri for her contribution to society. I would like to mention another name today, that of 75 year old Subhasini Mistri, hailing from West Bengal, who was selected for the award. Subhasini Mistri is a woman who, in order to construct a hospital, cleaned utensils in the homes of others and also sold vegetables. At the age of 23 she lost her husband due to lack of proper treatment, and this incident inspired her to build a hospital for the poor. Today, thousands of poor people are treated free of cost in this hospital that has come up through hard-work. I am convinced that there are many men and women in our land filled with gems, Bahuratna-Vasundhara, many gifted women and men who remain faceless or unknown. The failure to identify such people is also a loss to the society, the Padma awards are only a medium of acknowledgement, but I would also like to tell the countrymen that people serving the society around us, people giving up all that they have got for the sake of society, millions of people who have worked for a life time for us bestowed with one or the other useful attribute should be acknowledged in our midst. They do not labour for any honor, but their work inspires us. These people should be invited to schools and colleges to share their experiences. Beyond awards, there should be some more efforts from our society in acknowledging their contribution.

    My dear countrymen, we celebrate Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on January 9th every year. It was on the 9th of January, when our revered Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa. On this day, we celebrate the unbreakable bond that exists between Indians in India and Indians living around the globe. This year we organized a program on Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, where all MPs and Mayors of Indian origin were invited. You will be pleased to know that in this programme, Malaysia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Portugal, Mauritius, Fiji, Tanzania, Kenya, Canada, Britain, Surinam, South Africa and America, and many other countries wherever our Mayors or MPs of Indian Origin exist, all of them participated. I am happy that the people of Indian origin who live in different countries continue to serve those countries and at the same time they have maintained their strong relationship with India as well

This time, the European Union, has sent me a calendar, in which they have displayed the contributions by Indians in various fields of life living in different countries of Europe; whether working in the field of cyber security, or dedicated to Ayurveda, entertaining the society through music, or through poetry; someone researching on climate change or working on ancient Indian texts, someone driving a truck for livelihood, who went on to construct a Gurudwara or has built a mosque – wherever our people are, they have in their own way embellished or adorned the land of their adoption. I would thus like to thank the European Union, for recognizing the people of Indian origin and through them in making people in India and people the world over aware of their exemplary work.

The 30th of January is the death anniversary of our revered Bapu, who showed us a new path. On that day we also observe 'martyrs day' in solemn memory of the great martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the defense of the country and pay our homage at 11 in the morning. The path of peace and non-violence, is the path of Bapu and this is applicable not only for India or the world, but also for a person or a family or a society. The ideals which Bapu practiced in his life, things that he imparted are relevant even today. They were not just mere theories. At present we witness at every step how accurate Bapu's words were. What can be a bigger tribute than taking a vow that we shall tread the path of Bapu - and walk, as far as possible?

My dear countrymen, with my best wishes to all of you for 2018, my speech draws to a close. Thank you very much. Namaskar.

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Text of PM’s address at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit
February 27, 2026
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In the last 11 years, a new energy has flowed into the nation's consciousness, India is determined to regain its rightful strength: PM
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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.