PM Modi Discusses Vocal For Local In Mann Ki Baat And Praises Products

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his thoughts and vision with people across the country and abroad through his monthly radio broadcast, Mann Ki Baat, while this marked the 139th episode of the popular monthly program. Initiating his address, Prime Minister Modi recalled that exactly 12 years ago, on the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami, the journey of Mann Ki Baat was officially launched. Ever since that day, this remarkable journey has continued without interruption. Throughout this long path, citizens across the nation have acted not only as fellow travelers but also as guiding lights for the program. For the Prime Minister, Mann Ki Baat is nothing less than a sacred pilgrimage—a unique journey through which he gets to closely understand the relentless hard work, unbreakable courage, firm resolve, absolute dedication, and spirit of service among ordinary citizens of India. The tradition of pilgrimage has existed in the country for centuries, and for him, this radio broadcast serves as a spiritual journey to honor the immense contributions made by the common people.

Festive Season And The Wave Of Vocal For Local

During the broadcast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi specifically highlighted the ongoing festive season across the country. He noted that sacred festivals like Diwali and Chhath are now just a few days away. In view of these celebrations, cleanliness drives are being organized in various localities everywhere. The Prime Minister stressed that it's extremely important to keep the places where we live clean and tidy. Our small and collective efforts can bring about massive transformations in our immediate surroundings. Also, touching upon festive shopping, the Prime Minister stated that everyone must have witnessed a noticeable and positive shift in their surroundings. People have now started giving immense importance to indigenous products while making purchases. This inspiring spirit of being vocal for local is successfully taking our local products all the way to global markets across the world.

Giving concrete examples, the Prime Minister elaborated on how Bihar's famous makhana and Karnataka's delicious tur dal are finding brand new and expansive markets worldwide. In addition to this, products crafted by tribal communities in Maharashtra are gaining international recognition through innovative packaging that beautifully shows the richness of tribal art. The popularity of khadi is witnessing a continuous rise, providing strong economic and social support to countless skilled artisans and weavers whose traditional craft keeps our cultural heritage alive. The Prime Minister strongly urged all citizens to prioritize products crafted by local artisans and further strengthen the noble vision of vocal for local.

Tribal Art And Excellence In Product Packaging

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also made a special mention of the commendable achievements of tribal communities in Maharashtra during the program. He stated that tribal communities in Maharashtra have paid close and appreciative attention to the packaging of their indigenous products. Through Shabari Naturals in the state, organic honey, mahua, pine, and bamboo-based products are being successfully brought to the market. A stunning reflection of indigenous tribal art is clearly visible on the packaging of these goods, while with immense pride, the Prime Minister shared with the nation that this exceptional packaging has been honored with Japan's prestigious Good Design Award. This international recognition stands as true testimony to the fact that blending traditional art with modern perspective yields remarkable global appreciation.

Organic Cotton Cultivation And Kheti Virasat Mission

Shedding light on environmental conservation and agricultural innovation, Prime Minister Modi made special mention of the state of Punjab. He informed listeners that an organization named Kheti Virasat Mission in Punjab has started breathing new life into organic and traditional farming methods. Dedicated members and teams of this organization wanted to promote natural cotton cultivation in the Malva region of Punjab. With this noble objective, the unique initiative was lovingly named Nav-Trinjan. The Prime Minister explained that under this initiative, completely chemical-free organic cotton is being cultivated in the area.

The standout feature of this natural farming method is that cotton with natural colors is also grown here, eliminating the separate need for any chemical dyes or synthetic colors to dye the resulting yarn and fabric. The Prime Minister invited listeners to imagine the magnitude of help this practice is providing to our fragile environment and how monumental a step it's toward protecting nature.

Revival Of The Heval River In Uttarakhand

Emphasizing the vital importance of water conservation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared an inspiring success story from the Tehri Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. He shared that local residents in the Tehri Garhwal region joined hands to breathe a fresh lease of life back into the Heval River. Not long ago, the water level of the Heval River had begun dropping drastically, and natural water sources situated in the surrounding areas were also drying up rapidly. Responding to this grave environmental challenge, the local administration and aware villagers collectively launched a vigorous campaign to save the river.

Under this crucial initiative, strong measures were implemented, including large-scale rainwater harvesting, recharging depleted groundwater levels, and plantation drives involving massive numbers of trees. Today, as a direct result of these dedicated and unified efforts, the Heval River has come back to life entirely, and dozens of natural water sources have also been successfully restored. The Prime Minister concluded that collective public participation and unwavering willpower can successfully resolve even the most daunting challenges.