PM Narendra Modi on Sunday marked the soon to be celebrated 10th anniversary of his radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ by praising the success of initiatives taken as part of his campaigns for water conservation and Swachh Bharat.
Linking the completion of the 10-year journey of these efforts with the festive occasions of Navratri/Dussehra, the PM hailed it as a “divine coincidence”.
“Ten years ago Mann Ki Baat started on the day of Vijayadashami on Oct 3. And, what a divine coincidence it is that this year on Oct 3, when 10 years of Mann Ki Baat are completed, it will be the first day of Navratri,” Modi said.
Talking about people’s initiatives, he cited examples of local efforts for both water conservation and under the clean India mission, which is going to complete 10 years on Oct 2. He mentioned how some women have given a new lease of life to the Ghurari river in Uttar Pradesh’s waterstressed Bundelkhand region and regenerated a pond in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh. Modi also expressed his satisfaction over the continual rise of FDI in the country facilitating the success of ‘Make In India’ that completed 10 years this month.
He urged people to take forward the ‘vocal for local’ campaign by adopting locally manufactured products. “Any such product, that has been made with the sweat of an Indian artisan, that is made on Indian soil, is our pride - we always have to lend glory to this pride,” Modi said.
