Along with PM's Yoga programme at Mysore, mass Yoga demonstrations at 75 iconic locations across the country
Mass Yoga demonstrations are being organised by various Non governmental organisations also across the country, with participation of crores of people
PM’s Yoga programme at Mysuru is part of an innovative programme- ‘Guardian Yoga Ring’- underlining the concept of ‘One Sun, One earth’
“Yoga is for entire humanity not for merely an individual”
“Yoga brings peace to our society, nations, world and Yoga brings peace to our universe”
“Widespread acceptance of Yoga Day is the acceptance of that Amrit spirit of India which gave energy to India's freedom struggle”
“The experience of collective yoga at the historical sites of India is like tying together India's past, India's diversity, and India's expansion”
“The practices of yoga are giving wonderful inspiration for health, balance and cooperation”
“Today is the time to realize the infinite possibilities associated with yoga”
“When we start living yoga, Yoga Day becomes a medium to celebrate our health, happiness and peace”
The Governor of the State Shri Thawar Chand Gehlot Ji, Chief Minister Shri Basavaraj Bommai Ji, Shri Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar Ji, Rajmata Pramoda Devi, Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal Ji. Heartiest congratulations to all the people of the country and the world on the 8th International Day of Yoga!
Today, on the occasion of Yoga Day, I salute the cultural capital of Karnataka, the land of spirituality and yoga i.e. Mysuru! The yogic energy, which has been nurtured for centuries by the spiritual centres of India like Mysuru, is today giving direction to the world's health. Today yoga is becoming a common medium for global cooperation. Today yoga is instilling the confidence of a healthy lifestyle in human beings.
Since morning we are looking at the pictures of Yoga now from every corner of the world, which till a few years ago were seen only in certain homes and spiritual centres. These pictures mark the expansion of spiritual realization. These pictures depict a spontaneous, natural and common human consciousness especially at a time when the world has faced such a terrible pandemic of the century over the last two years! Under these circumstances, this enthusiasm of Yoga Day that has spread across the country, sub-continent and the entire continent, is also a proof of our vitality.
Yoga has now become a global festival. Yoga is not individual-specific, but for the entire humanity. That is why, this time the theme of International Yoga Day is - Yoga for humanity! I heartily thank the United Nations and all the countries for taking this message of Yoga to the entire humanity through this theme. I also congratulate all the people of the world on behalf of every Indian.
Friends,
About yoga, our sages, saints and teachers have said - “शांतिम् योगेन विंदति”।
It means Yoga brings peace for us. The peace from yoga is not only for individuals. Yoga brings peace to our society. Yoga brings peace to our nations and the world. And, Yoga brings peace for our universe. This might feel an extreme thought to someone, but our Indian sages have answered this with a simple mantra- “यत् पिंडे तत् ब्रह्मांडे”।
This whole universe starts from our own body and soul. The universe starts from us. And, Yoga makes us conscious of everything within us and builds a sense of awareness. It starts with self-awareness and proceeds to awareness of the world. When we become aware of ourselves and our world, we begin to spot things that need to be changed, both in ourselves and in the world.
These may be individual life-style problems or global challenges like climate change and international conflicts. Yoga makes us conscious, competent and compassionate towards these challenges. Millions of people with a common consciousness and consensus, millions of people with inner peace will create an environment of global peace. That’s how Yoga can connect people. That’s how yoga can connect the countries. And that’s how yoga can become a problem solver for all of us.
Friends,
This time in India we are celebrating Yoga Day at a time when the country is celebrating its 75th year of independence i.e the Amrit Mahotsav. This massive spread of Yoga Day, this acceptance is the acceptance of that spirit of nectar of India, which had infused energy in India's freedom struggle.
To celebrate this spirit, today apart from the 75 historical places of 75 different cities of the country, people of other cities are also performing yoga at historical places. The places which witnessed the history of India, the places which hold the cultural energy are coming together today through Yoga Day.
This Mysuru Palace also has its own special place in history. The experience of collective yoga at the historical sites of India is intertwining together of India's past, India's diversity, and India's expansion. At the international level too, this time we have "Guardian Ring of Yoga". This innovative "Guardian Ring of Yoga" is being used all over the world today. The people in different countries of the world are performing and connecting with yoga with the sunrise and the position of the sun. As the sun is rising and its position changing, the people in different countries are joining together with its first ray and a ring of yoga is forming around the whole earth. This is the Guardian Ring of Yoga. These practices of yoga are such wonderful sources of inspiration for health, balance and cooperation.
Friends,
For the people of the world, yoga is not just a part of life for us today. Please mind it; Yoga is not just a part of life, but also becoming a way of life now. Our day starts with yoga. What can be a better way to start a day than this? But, we must not limit yoga to a particular time and place. We have also seen that the elders of our house and our yoga practitioners perform Pranayama at different times of the day. Many people do Dandasana in their offices for a while in the middle of work and then start working again. No matter how stressful we are, a few minutes of meditation relaxes us and improves our productivity.
Therefore, we must not take yoga as an extra work. We not only have to understand yoga, but also live yoga. We also have to practice yoga, adopt yoga and develop yoga. And when we start living yoga, Yoga Day will become a medium of not just performing it, but also to celebrate our health, happiness and peace.
Friends,
Today is the time to realize the infinite possibilities associated with yoga. Today our youth are coming up with new ideas in the field of yoga in large numbers. In this direction, the Ministry of AYUSH has also launched 'Start-up Yoga Challenge' in our country. There is also an Innovative Digital Exhibition at the Dussehra Ground in Mysuru to explore Yoga's past, the journey of Yoga and possibilities related to Yoga.
I call upon all the youth of the country, and the world, to be a part of such efforts. I heartily congratulate all the winners of the 'Prime Minister's Awards for outstanding contribution for Promotion and Development of Yoga' for the year 2021. I believe that this perpetual journey of yoga will continue in the direction of an eternal future like this.
We will also accelerate a healthy and peaceful world through yoga with the spirit of 'Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramayah'. With the same spirit, once again wishing you all a very Happy Yoga Day,
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launches LIC’s Bima Sakhi Yojana
December 09, 2024
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PM lays the foundation stone of the main campus of Maharana Pratap Horticultural University, Karnal
Our government has taken unprecedented steps for women empowerment in the last 10 years: PM
Today, India is moving forward with the resolve to develop by the year 2047: PM
To empower women, it is very important that they get ample opportunities to move forward and every obstacle in their way is removed: PM
Today, a campaign has started to make lakhs of daughters Bima Sakhis: PM
The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today launched the ‘Bima Sakhi Yojana’ of Life Insurance Corporation, in line with his commitment to women empowerment and financial inclusion, in Panipat, Haryana. During the occasion, he also laid the foundation stone of the Main campus of Maharana Pratap Horticultural University, Karnal. Addressing the gathering, Shri Modi said that today India was taking another strong step towards women empowerment. He added that today being the 9th day of the month was special as number 9 was considered auspicious in our scriptures and was associated with the nine forms of Nav Durga, worshipped during the Navratri. He remarked that today is also a day of worship of Nari Shakti.
The Prime Minister recollected that it was on 9th December, the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly was held and today when the country was celebrating 75 years of the Constitution, the date inspires us to ensure equality and holistic development.
Lauding Haryana as a great land that gave the world the knowledge of ethics and religion, Shri Modi was pleased that at this time, the International Gita Jayanti Mahotsav was also being held in Kurukshetra. He paid respects to the land of Gita and greeted all the patriotic people of Haryana. Shri Modi lauded the people of Haryana for adopting the mantra of 'Ek hain to Safe hain', which had become an example for the entire country.
Expressing his unflinching relationship and attachment with Haryana, the Prime Minister thanked the people for electing them to power for the third time in a row. He added that the newly formed state Government was being praised from all quarters despite being formed recently. He further added that the country has witnessed the way thousands of youth have got permanent jobs here without corruption after the formation of the government. Thanking the women of Haryana, Shri Modi remarked that he had launched the Bima Sakhi scheme, which provides employment to the women of the country and congratulated all for the same.
Recounting his privilege of launching the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign from Panipat, a few years ago, the Prime Minister underlined that it had a positive impact in Haryana as well as the entire country. He added that in Haryana alone, lives of thousands of daughters' were saved in the last decade. Shri Modi remarked that now after a decade, the Bima Sakhi Yojana for sisters and daughters was being launched from this very land of Panipat. He added that Panipat had become a symbol of women power.
Highlighting that India was treading forward with the resolution of Viksit Bharat by 2047, Shri Modi said that from 1947 till today, the energy of every class and region has taken India to this height. He added that however, to achieve the resolution of a developed India by 2047, India needs many new sources of energy. North-East India being one such source, Shri Modi said Nari Shakti of India was another important source of energy in the form of women self-help groups, insurance sakhi, bank sakhi, agriculture sakhi which would bolster the resolution of developed India.
The Prime Minister stressed that it was imperative to ensure ample opportunities and remove every obstacle in their way to empower women. He added that when women were empowered, new doors of opportunities opened for the country. Highlighting that the Government opened up many jobs which were forbidden for women, Shri Modi remarked that the daughters of India were being deployed in the front lines of the army today. He added that India’s daughters, in large numbers, were becoming fighter pilots, recruited in police and heading corporate companies too. The Prime Minister noted that there were 1200 producer associations or cooperative societies of farmers and cattle rearers in the country, led by women. He added that girls were moving ahead in every field from sports to education. He further added that lakhs of daughters have also benefited from increasing the maternity leave for pregnant women to 26 weeks.
The Prime Minister remarked that the foundation of the Bima Sakhi programme, launched today, was also based on years of hard work and penance. Noting that most women lacked bank accounts after 6 decades of independence, he said that women were cut off from the entire banking system. Expressing pride over 30 crore women accounts under Jan Dhan Yojana, Shri Modi said that his Government opened the Jan Dhan accounts for women to ensure the subsidies like Gas subsidy reach the responsible hands of the family. He added that Jan Dhan Yojana has also helped in ensuring the transfer of money from schemes like Kisan Kalyan Nidhi, Sukanya Samridhi Yojana, funds to build own houses, funds to set up shops for hawkers, Mudra Yojana and others.
Lauding the women for having played a major role in providing banking facilities in every village, the Prime Minister said that those who did not even have bank accounts are now connecting the villagers to banks as Bank Sakhi. He added that the Bank Sakhis have started teaching people how to save money in a bank, how to get a loan and lakhs of such Bank Sakhis are providing services in every village today.
Recollecting that women of India were not insured earlier, Shri Modi remarked that today a campaign was started to make lakhs of women insurance agents or Bima Sakhi. He added that now women will also lead the expansion of sectors like insurance. The Prime Minister stressed that the target was to provide employment opportunities to 2 lakh women under the Bima Sakhi Yojana. He added that girls who had completed their class 10 would be trained and given financial help for three years under the Bima Sakhi Yojana. Citing data related to the insurance sector which showed that a LIC agent earns an average of 15 thousand rupees every month, Shri Modi said that our Bima Sakhis would earn more than 1.75 lakh rupees every year which would give additional income to the family.
Noting that the contribution of Bima Sakhis would be much more apart from earning money, the Prime Minister said ‘Insurance for All’ in India was the aim at the end of the day. He added that it was necessary for social security and to eradicate poverty from its roots. He further emphasised that the Bima Sakhis will strengthen the mission of Insurance for All.
Underlining that when an individual is insured, the benefit gained is immense, Shri Modi said the Government was implementing Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojanas. He added that an insurance of Rs 2 lakh was provided at a very low premium under these schemes. Shri Modi noted that more than 20 crore people of the country who could never even think of insurance, have been insured. He added that under these two schemes, a claim amount of about Rs 20 thousand crore has been given so far. Shri Modi remarked that Bima Sakhis would be working to provide social security cover to many families of the country, a kind of a virtuous work.
Emphasising that the revolutionary policies made for rural women in India in the last 10 years along with the policy decisions undertaken was indeed a subject of study, the Prime Minister said even though the titles of Bima Sakhi, Bank Sakhi, Krishi Sakhi, Pashu Sakhi, Drone Didi, Lakhpati didi sound simple and common, they are transforming the fate of India. He added that India's Self Help Group Abhiyaan would be scripted in golden letters in history considering the empowerment of women done by it. Shri Modi remarked that the Government had made women self-help groups a big medium to bring about change in the rural economy. He added that 10 crore women across the country are associated with self-help groups and more than 8 lakh crore rupees of help to the women of self-help groups in the last decade.
Lauding the role and contribution of the women, associated with Self Help Groups across the country, as extraordinary, the Prime Minister remarked that they were working to make India the third largest economic power in the world. Noting that women from every society, class and family were associated with this, he added that every woman was getting opportunities in this. He further remarked that the movement of Self Help Groups was also strengthening social harmony and social justice. The Prime Minister highlighted that the Self Help Groups were not only increasing the income of one woman, but also increasing the confidence of a family, and the entire village. He lauded all of them for the good work being carried out.
Shri Modi also recounted his announcement made from the ramparts of Red Fort to make 3 crore Lakhpati Didis and so far more than 1 crore 15 lakh Lakhpati Didis have been made across the country. He added that these women have started earning more than one lakh rupees every year. The Prime Minister remarked that the Lakhpati Didi campaign was also getting much needed support from the Government's Namo Drone Didi Yojana, which is discussed even in Haryana. Shri Modi narrated the account of a Namo Drono Didi from Haryana and said that this scheme was transforming both agriculture and the lives of women.
The Prime Minister highlighted that thousands of Krishi Sakhis were being trained to raise awareness about modern farming and natural farming in the country. He added that about 70 thousand Krishi Sakhis had already received certificates and these Krishi Sakhis had the capacity to earn more than 60 thousand rupees every year. Discussing about the Pashu Sakhis, Shri Modi said more than 1.25 lakh Pashu Sakhis are today a part of the awareness campaign about animal husbandry. He added that these were not just a means of employment but doing a great service to humanity. He remarked that Krishi Sakhis were not only working to save the earth for future generations, but also serving the soil and our farmers by spreading awareness about natural farming. Similarly, he added that our Pashu Sakhis were doing a pious work of serving humanity by serving animals.
Emphasising the love and affection received from the sisters and mothers of the country, Shri Modi said his Government built more than 12 crore toilets in the country in the last 10 years which helped many women whose houses had no toilets. Similarly, he added, free gas cylinder connections were given to crores of women who had no gas connection 10 years ago. He further added that tap water connections, pucca houses were also ensured to women who lacked them. The Prime Minister highlighted that the legislation ensuring 33 percent reservation for women in the Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha was also enacted. He added that the blessings of mothers and sisters would be ensured only when such honest efforts are made with the right intentions.
Touching upon the work being done for the welfare of the farmers by their Center and State Governments, the Prime Minister underscored that in the first two terms, the farmers of Haryana had received more than 1.25 lakh crore rupees as MSP, while after the formation of the government for the third time in Haryana, 14 thousand crore rupees was given to paddy, millet and moong farmers as MSP. He added that more than 800 crore rupees was also given to help drought affected farmers. Recounting the major role played by Chaudhary Charan Singh University in making Haryana the leader of Green Revolution, Shri Modi said that now in the 21st century, the role of Maharana Pratap University would be imperative in making Haryana a leader in the field of horticulture. He added that today, the foundation stone of the new campus of Maharana Pratap Horticulture University was laid and it would provide new facilities to the youth studying in this university.
Concluding his address, Shri Modi assured the women of Haryana that the state would develop rapidly and the Governments at the Center and State would work three times faster in their third term. He expressed confidence that the role of women power in Haryana would continue to grow stronger.
The Governor of Haryana, Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, Chief Minister of Haryana, Shri Nayab Singh Saini, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs and Power, Shri Manohar Lal, Minister of State for Cooperation, Shri Krishan Pal and other dignitaries were present at the event.
Background
The ‘Bima Sakhi Yojana’ initiative of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is designed to empower women aged 18-70 years, who are Class X pass. They will receive specialized training and a stipend for the first three years to promote financial literacy and insurance awareness. After training, they can serve as LIC agents and the graduate Bima Sakhis would have the opportunity to qualify for being considered for Development Officer roles in LIC.
The Main campus of Maharana Pratap Horticultural University, Karnal and six regional research stations, spread over 495 acres, will be established at a cost of over Rs 700 crore. The University will have one College of Horticulture for Graduate and Post-Graduate studies and five schools covering 10 horticulture disciplines. It will work towards crop diversification and world class research for development of horticulture technologies.
