Prime Minister Narendra Modi today highlighted that India achieved major success in the aviation sector in June with the Made in India C-295 aircraft completing its maiden flight. Addressing the nation in his Mann Ki Baat programme on Akashvani, the Prime Minister shared that 40 such aircraft are being manufactured in India.

 

He added that this is providing new momentum to the MSME and aerospace sectors, raising employment opportunities, and strengthening the resolve for an Atmanirbhar Bharat.

 

Mr Modi exuded pride that India achieved success linked to the country’s security and self-reliance this month. He attended a Navy-related event in Kolkata recently where INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak, and INS Agray were inducted into the Indian Navy’s fleet.

 

The Prime Minister was pleased to note that everything is indigenous, from the design to the manufacturing of these ships.

 

The Prime Minister stated that in the month of June, the DRDO also successfully tested an indigenous ‘Long-Range Land-Attack Cruise Missile’.

 

This was developed jointly by DRDO laboratories and Indian industry partners. Mr Modi noted that India is becoming increasingly secure and self-reliant, from the seas to the skies.

 

The Prime Minister also spoke about International Yoga Day, which saw the entire world join hands with India’s efforts. This time, diverse Yoga events were held at over 2,500 locations across the globe. Mr Modi said crores of people participated in Yoga programmes at numerous places in India.

 

He mentioned the ‘World Yogasana Championship’ held in Ahmedabad. India won a total of 114 medals in this event, including 102 gold medals. India topped the medal tally at this championship. Mr Modi extended his congratulations to all the winning athletes.

 

Prime Minister Modi stated that the power of public participation in nation-building is a tremendous asset for India. He said this public participation was seen again after he urged countrymen on a few points in view of the prevailing war-like situation in West Asia.

 

Mr Modi had asked people to avoid buying gold, avoid foreign travel and carpool for some time. He had also requested farmers to adopt chemical-free farming, protect their farmlands, and maximise the use of natural fertilisers. 

 

The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to every citizen of the country for supporting his appeal and actively cooperating in every way.

 

He added that numerous families decided not to buy gold for weddings this time and recycled old gold to create new jewellery. Many people have also written on social media about how they have postponed their foreign trips.

 

Prime Minister Modi said that people have shared many experiences regarding carpooling as well. Those who used to travel in their own vehicles in the same direction every day have now started commuting together.

 

He said people are making efforts to use buses and the metro, which is resulting in savings on petrol and diesel. He added that reports are coming in about the increased consumption of natural fertilisers in various parts of the country.

 

Mr Modi expressed happiness that Indians are facing this global crisis together. He expressed confidence that this very power of public participation will strengthen the nation and lead to success.

 

Mr Modi cited the example of the Pethkar family in Nanded, Maharashtra, who arranged accident insurance for approximately 3,500 villagers.

 

Each individual was provided with an insurance cover of one lakh rupees. The Prime Minister said the sentiment behind this initiative is truly touching.

 

The Prime Minister shared that the Government is extending this protective shield to crores of families across the country. Under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana’ for an annual premium of just twenty rupees, a person gets ‘accidental insurance’ cover of up to two lakh rupees.

 

So far, more than 58 crore people have joined this scheme. Among them, approximately 28 crore are women.

 

Affected families have received assistance amounting to over three thousand 700 crore rupees through this scheme so far.

 

The Prime Minister also spoke about the importance of the ‘Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana’. He said this scheme provides an insurance cover of two lakh rupees to a person’s family in the event of their unfortunate death. Its annual premium is just 436 rupees, which works out to barely 1.50 rupees per day.

 

More than 27 crore people have joined this scheme so far. Around 11 lakh families across the country have received assistance totalling approximately 22 thousand crore rupees. 

 

Mr Modi urged everyone to share information about these schemes with their families.

 

In this episode of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Modi also touched upon the subject of Superstition. He noted that Superstition has been deeply ingrained in human society for millennia.

 

He cautioned that Superstition is often not merely a misconception. He said it begets fear, and a person stops seeing the truth when fear dominates the mind.

 

He expressed concern that people steeped in Superstition begin making decisions without logic or knowledge of the facts, which leads to great harm.

 

The Prime Minister stated that at the same time, there are those in society who challenge them with beliefs based on science, experience, and logic.

 

Mr Modi shared how the rare Hargila bird found in Assam was considered inauspicious in certain parts of the state. He said the ‘Hargila’  plays a vital role in keeping nature clean. Mr Modi said that trees housing ‘Hargila’ nests were even cut down due to superstition.

 

The Prime Minister stated that it was during that time that biologist Purnima Devi Barman resolved to change the misconceptions deeply rooted in people’s minds.

 

She spoke to women and explained the facts based on science. Gradually,  women began joining this campaign, and a major transformation began.

 

Thousands of rural women stepped forward to save the ‘Hargila’ – known as the ‘Hargila Army’. Mr Modi lauded them, saying they have demonstrated that even age-old mindsets can change when the right information is conveyed.

 

Touching upon the topic of sports, Prime Minister Modi expressed happiness that the number of young people in the country who are playing sports is rapidly growing. 

 

He spoke about two interesting initiatives in Nagaland – the ‘Nagaland Baby League’ and ‘Nagaland Women Futsal League’.

 

The Nagaland Baby League is a league for children aged 5 to 10 to 12. It was launched to connect as many children as possible in Nagaland with football. Boys and girls aged five to twelve can participate. The league has now completed three years of operation.

 

Meanwhile, ‘Futsal’ is also known as indoor football with only five players in each team. The playing court is much smaller than a standard football field.

 

Mr Modi praised the Nagaland Women’s Futsal League for providing a platform for women to showcase their talent. He commended the people of Nagaland for such initiatives.

 

In today’s Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Modi also spoke about preserving people’s creativity in the age of technology and AI. He said Nalanda University has found a solution to this and is now shaping India’s destiny in a new avatar.

 

Mr Modi had dedicated the new campus of Nalanda University to the people two years ago. He said Nalanda University has revived the ancient tradition of Shaastraarth, that is, intellectual discourse.

 

Prime Minister Modi said Shaastraarth is not merely a medium for expressing one’s views but a disciplined process of dialogue, debate, and contemplation. He congratulated  Nalanda University for this initiative and urged other universities to consider similar initiatives.

 

Mr Modi highlighted another significant effort underway to prepare the youth for new technology while keeping them rooted in their heritage.

 

The Central Sanskrit University in Delhi is launching a B.Tech program in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science.

 

Mr Modi said this marks a crucial step towards integrating modern technology with India’s traditional knowledge. He conveyed his best wishes to the Central Sanskrit University for this endeavour.

 

Prime Minister Modi expressed happiness that  Indian culture is reaching various corners of the globe today. He spoke of an initiative in the Dominican Republic which has an Indian population of around a hundred.

 

He said that despite this, a wonderful initiative connected to Indian culture and spirituality is underway in the nation. A team has been formed by some Spanish-speaking locals,  named ‘Brahmakamal Dominicana’.

 

The members study Vedic literature together and are learning to chant Vedic mantras. Today, they chant several mantras, such as the Purusha Suktam, Sri Suktam, Sri Rudram, Durga Suktam, and Devi Mahatmyam, with great proficiency. Mr Modi praised them, saying their effort to learn Indian traditions while living so far from India is truly inspiring. 

 

The Prime Minister mentioned Meghalaya’s root bridges, saying these root bridges take decades to take shape.

 

The roots of rubber trees are gradually guided in specific directions and trained to span across water streams.

 

Over time, these roots transform into sturdy bridges. Mr Modi said bridges are living bridges, which means they grow stronger with the passage of time.

 

Prime Minister said these bridges reflect the creativity of the people of Meghalaya and are a heritage. He shared that India has now applied to have Meghalaya’s root bridges included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Network.

 

Prime Minister expressed concern that climate change poses several challenges to these root bridges. He said the local communities have taken the responsibility of maintaining these bridges and are looking after more than 120 root bridges. He mentioned Hally War, who was honored with a Padma Award this year for dedicating over 50 years of his life to the care of these root bridges.

 

Prime Minister urged people who have visited Meghalaya to share photographs of these root bridges on social media. He said these pictures will inspire others to learn about this unique heritage of Meghalaya.

 

On the subject of cleanliness, Mr Modi gave the example of some women from Biaora in the Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh. The women resolved to remove the plastic waste scattered around their area.

 

Gradually, this effort expanded, and the collected plastic began to be converted into ‘eco-bricks.’ Today, these eco-bricks are being used to beautify public spaces.

 

Mr Modi highlighted that in Rajgarh, hundreds of kilograms of plastic have been recycled and put to productive use over the past few months. 

 

Mr Modi also urged all people to ensure that the idol of Ganpati Bappa for Ganesh Utsav is made from the soil of this country and crafted by the hands of local potters and artisans. He also urged those who make Ganesh idols to prioritise clay idols.

 

He said idols made of Plaster of Paris must not be bought at all. He added that clay idols dissolve in water, which helps protect rivers, ponds, and the environment.

 

Concluding his address, the Prime Minister stressed water conservation, saying every single drop of rainwater must be saved. He said the momentum of the ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign should not slacken.