#DECISIVE STEPS : & #REFORMS :
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That the future of the country lies in the hands of the young is well known. It is these young people of today who will shape and lead the country tomorrow. Therefore, in order to ensure that our country remains strong tomorrow, the health of the young today must be given utmost priority.
Over the last four years, the government has taken several measures to ensure that the health of infants and children are given maximum attention with a view to give them the utmost quality of life, preparing them for future when they can contribute productively to the cause of nation-building.
Impressive improvement in infant and maternal mortality rates
When a child is born, both the child and the mother need the best healthcare possible under an integrated response mechanism. In India, the infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rates are improving and in the last few years, both the indicators have shown significant reduction.
The under-five child mortality (U5MR) of India showed an impressive decline from 49 per 1000 live births in 2013 to 39 in 2016. India, with the current rate of decline of U5MR is well on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals target of 25 for under-five child mortality by 2030.
Only half way through its term, the government had brought down the infant mortality rate by three points (8% decline), from 40 per 1000 live births in 2013 to 34 per 1000 live births in 2016.
In tandem with these gains in terms of infant and child health, the country has also shown remarkable reduction in maternal mortality rates with 22% reduction since 2013. Maternal mortality ratio of India has declined from 167 in 2011-2013 to 130 in 2014-2016. Now nearly one thousand fewer women die of pregnancy related complications each month in India. No less than UNICEF has lauded India’s progress on reducing maternal deaths.
The government launched Mission Indradhanush within the first year of its tenure. With the success of the programme, in order to accelerate mission, an Intensified Mission Indradhanush was launched, to reach each and every child up to two years of age and all those pregnant women who have been left uncovered under the routine immunisation programmes.
Four phases of Mission Indradhanush have been completed wherein 3.38 crore children were vaccinated, of which 81.67 lakh children have been fully immunized. 86.88 lakh pregnant women were vaccinated too.
Under Mission Indradhanush, the annual rate of increase of full immunisation coverage has increased from 1% to 6.7 % during the two rounds.
Notably, ‘Mission Indradhanush’ has been selected as one of the 12 best practices globally and has been featured in a special issue of the British Medical Journal, thereby recognising the government’s efforts in this direction.
Therefore, the Modi government through its sincere and timely intervention has sought to strengthen the health of children and women in the country. Realising the need for timely intervention in case of infants, small children and expectant mothers, there has been a well thought out and concerted approach to address their issues. Only a healthy child who grows up to be a healthy adult can lead a healthy and strong nation in future.
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Every year close to 4.6% of the population of India slips below poverty due to unprecedented health expenses. It was matter of concern that around 63%1 of our population was not covered under any form of health protection. High out of pocket expenditure, low insurance and increasing costs of secondary and tertiary healthcare forced people to sell their land and other valuable assets to meet financial crisis on account of healthcare expenditure. To immediately arrest the monetary crisis that arose when a family member fell ill, Ayushman Bharat was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is the largest health insurance scheme in the world. With a beneficiary pool of around 50 crore1 this scheme is expected to touch lives of close of 10.74 crore1 families of India. However, it must be remembered that Ayushman Bharat is not just a healthcare scheme.
It is an opportunity for India to refurbish its healthcare infrastructure, increase penetration of tertiary healthcare services in rural India, make healthcare an attractive avenue for investment and an agent for job creation.
• A lot of times patients would be declined treatment due to unavailability to security deposit. Also, empirical studies observe health of women is often ignored due to paucity of resources. This cashless scheme that covers all pre-existing diseases, this scheme puts no limit on size of the family.
• As a social welfare scheme, it aims to cover 10.74 crore families. These include deprived rural populace and certain occupational categories in urban areas. The exhaustive scheme covers 1,3501 medical packages including surgery, medical and day care treatments including medicines, diagnostics and transport.
• It is interesting to note that one of the multiple facets of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ is related to overall wellbeing of Indians. Every citizen of India is an asset for the Nation, and their health is critical in determining the course of the Nation’s future.
Healthcare Economics and Infrastructure
• For past several decades, Indians either compromised on quality of healthcare or slipped into debt by availing treatment at a state of the art private hospital. The trade-off between cost and quality is eventually eliminated by Ayushman Bharat, which unlike the previous healthcare schemes, collaborates with both, state-of-the art private and public players.
• Until now, small hospitals and government hospitals suffered from shortage of human resources and availability of adequate facilities. With the launch of this scheme, it incentivizes these facilities to upgrade their infrastructure, get accredited with concerned agencies and subsequently get empaneled with Ayushman Bharat.
• We have seen patients travel long distances from rural areas, just to get treated at a particular hospital in a city. This was due to existing disparities in facilities at rural and urban areas. Creation of National Health Agency will standardize pricing and protocols in healthcare. Moreover, the agency will ensure there is investment in information technology and healthcare infrastructure across all empaneled hospitals.
• As more beneficiaries avail Ayushman Bharat and pool of empaneled hospitals widens, investment in healthcare is also expected to increase at a much faster pace. This will further feed into healthcare infrastructure and technology. 14,754 hospitals are already empanelled with Ayushman Bharat (as on March 6, 2019) of which around 50% are private players.
• With more documented evidence on certain diseases, Ayushman Bharat will be instrumental in defining contours of healthcare research in India.
For India’s demography to participate and contribute to near-term and medium term growth, it is essential that the population is healthy and serves the nation to the best of its capacity for many more years to come. However, it is notable that Ayushman Bharat is beyond just another healthcare scheme. It will prove to be a critical driver for shaping the future of both, healthcare and ancillary sectors in the domain. Last but not the least; Ayushman Bharat will also start the trend of policy making that is driven by a social objective yet economically attractive for the private sector.
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A healthy citizenry is the precursor for a healthy nation. For decades, crores of Indians were unable to access quality healthcare owing to lack of insurance cover and lack of affordability. With the NDA government led by PM Narendra Modi coming to power, that scenario has completely transformed.
Modi government’s vision towards ensuring quality healthcare for every Indian has been realized through Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM JAY). It is the world’s largest health insurance initiative and seeks to provide comprehensive health coverage up to Rs. 5 lakh per family per year to around 50 crore people. As of February 2019, the number of beneficiaries of the scheme stands around 12.27 lakh people across the country. More than 14,800 hospitals are empaneled to ensure comprehensive need-based healthcare delivery up to the last mile. The scheme is aimed at removing the uncertainty that sickness brings in the homes of poor. With healthcare insurance, the fear of losing one’s savings owing to any health emergency has been eliminated.
Reducing the cost burden associated with medicines, Modi government’s Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) ensures access to affordable medicines. More than 4,970 stores are functional across the country (as of February 2019). These Jan Aushadhi kendras are facilitating access to 800 medicines and 154 surgical and consumable items at affordable prices. The medicines at the Jan Aushadhi stores are 50-80% less than the market price.
AMRIT pharmacy is another such initiative to ensure availability of affordable medicines. These stores include drugs for cancer and cardiovascular diseases. It provides access to thousands of medicines, including lifesaving drugs at steep discounts. About 5,200 drugs and other consumables are being sold at upto 50% discount. More than 1 crore patients have benefited from 146 AMRIT pharmacies resulting in savings of more than Rs 500 crore as of November 2018.
One of the significant government initiatives to ensure affordable healthcare include reduction in prices of cardiac stents and knee implants. Coronary stents, which used to cost around Rs. 2 lakhs, are now available at less than Rs 30,000. The capping of prices has resulted in estimated savings of Rs. 4,547 crores for consumers. The knee implant prices are reduced by 60-70%. The various types of knee implants are now available in the price range of Rs. 54,720 to 1.13 lakh. The reduced knee implant prices have saved close to Rs. 1,500 crore annually for the people.
Nearly 35 lakh dialysis sessions have been facilitated as part of the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP) in 500 districts across the country. The program has benefited around 2.5 lakh patients. The PMNDP was rolled out in 2016, providing free dialysis care to the patients in district hospitals. The programme has been successfully working through 647 operational dialysis units/centers and 3,953 dialysis machines. The free dialysis service as part of the programme is a big relief to many people, especially because dialysis is an expense that recurs and saps out finances.
The government is not just focusing on disease cure but also its prevention. Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease. The Sustainable Development Goals have set the target of ending the TB epidemic by 2030. Intensifying the efforts to eliminate TB in India ahead of global targets, treatment for drug-sensitive TB is being provided through 4 lakh DOT centres under the government of PM Narendra Modi. As TB affects the nutrition and income of the patient because of the restrained mobility, DBT of Rs. 500 monthly nutritional support has been provided for the duration of the treatment.
Action plans to eliminate Leprosy by 2018, Measles by 2020 and TB by 2025 are being implemented. India has validated elimination of maternal & neo-natal tetanus in May 2015, before the global target of December 2015..
Mental health, previously a much-ignored area, has also assumed importance under the NDA government led by PM Narendra Modi. Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 adopts a rights-based statutory framework for mental health in India and strengthens equality and equity in provision of mental healthcare services to protect the rights of people with mental health problems.
The access to quality healthcare for all is a prime focus for Modi government as seen from its initiative to not only provide healthcare insurance to the poorest of the poor but also bring down the heavy cost of medicines and medical items.
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India tightens rules on loan default disclosure for public firms : Nupur Anand, Sachin Ravikumar :
MUMBAI/BENGALURU (Reuters) - India’s publicly listed firms must disclose any failure to repay loans within 24 hours in cases where 30 days have passed since the default, its securities regulator said on Wednesday, tightening rules at a time when bond defaults have soared.
#The logo of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is pictured on the premises of its headquarters in Mumbai, March 1, 2017. REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade/File Photo
The decision was aimed at addressing any gaps in the availability of information to investors surrounding corporate defaults, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) said in a statement.
“The philosophy is that more and more information should be in the public domain that guide investors and other stakeholders,” SEBI Chairman Ajay Tyagi told reporters in Mumbai.
The move comes as loan and bond defaults by companies, particularly several housing finance firms, are rising - adding to pressure on India’s banks, which are saddled with a level of bad debt that is one of the world’s highest.
India’s housing finance companies and shadow lenders, a key source of credit to millions, have been battling a credit crunch since giant shadow bank IL&FS collapsed in late 2018 amid fraud allegations.
Publicly-listed Dewan Housing Finance Corp Ltd is one of India’s top defaulters, and owes close to 1 trillion rupees ($14 billion) to its debtors, which include banks and mutual funds.
The SEBI also tightened rules for portfolio managers, requiring that such firms must have a net worth of 50 million rupees ($696,233) from the earlier 20 million rupees.
It also doubled the required minimum investment by clients of portfolio managers to 5 million rupees from 2.5 million rupees.
“We have many clients between the 2.5 to 5 million-rupee bracket that are going to be disappointed,” said Deepak Shenoy, the founder of Capitalmind, a portfolio manager in Bengaluru that manages 1.1 billion rupees in assets.
“It’s not extremely bad ... (but) it will definitely affect business,” Shenoy said.
($1 = 71.8150 Indian rupees)
Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; Editing by Bernard Orr
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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My dear countrymen, welcome to ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Today’s episode begins with the young people of the young nation; their enthusiasm, patriotism and the sense of selfless service that envelops them. As you know, every year, the fourth Sunday of the month of November is celebrated as NCC Day. Generally speaking, our young generation is more likely to remember ‘Friendship Day’, without fail. But there are many people who, equally keep in mind NCC Day. So let’s talk about NCC today. I too will get an opportunity to refresh a few memories. At the outset on the occasion of NCC, Day, I extend my best wishes to all NCC Cadets, both former & present. More so, since I too have been a cadet once; I consider myself to be a cadet even, today. All of us know that India’s National Cadet Corps, NCC is one of the largest uniformed youth organizations of the world.
It is a Tri-services organization comprising the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. NCC means, cultivating the qualities of Leadership, patriotism, selfless service discipline & hard work as an integral part of one’s character; the thrilling journey of imbibing them into one’s habits. To discuss more about this journey, let’s call up a few young people, who have made a name for themselves in the NCC. Let’s talk to them.
PM: Friends, how are you?
Tarannum Khan : Jai Hind, Hon’ble Prime Minister
PM: Jai Hind
Tarannum Khan: Sir, this is Junior under Officer Tarannum Khan
PM: Tarannum, where are you from?
Tarannum Khan: I belong to Delhi sir.
PM: Okay. So how many years have you been with the NCC?
How were your experiences?
Tarannum Khan: Sir I was enrolled in the NCC in 2017; these
three years have been the best years of my life.
PM: Great… it’s nice to hear that
PM'S SCHOLDAYS NCC TRAINING
Tarannum Khan: Sir, I would like to share my best experience during an ‘Ek Bharat – Shreshth Bharat’ Camp. This camp was held in August and had children from the North Eastern Region, NER too. We stayed with those cadets for 10 days. We learnt elements from their way of life, their lifestyle. We were introduced to their language. We learnt a lot about their tradition & culture. Such as ‘Vaizomi’ means ‘Hello,’ how are you? Similarly, during our Cultural Nite they taught us their dance. It is called Tehra. And they taught me wearing the ‘Mekhla’ attire. Believe me, our Delhi group was looking pretty, as well as our friends from Nagaland. We also took them around on a tour of Delhi; we showed them the National war Memorial & India Gate too. There we treated them to Delhi’s snack ‘Chaat’ & also the Bhelpuri. But they found it a bit hot & spicy. They told us they generally like having a soup, along with a few boiled vegetables. So they didn’t like it much. But, other than that, we clicked a lot of pictures with them and shared many experiences.
PM: Are you still in touch with them?
Tarannum Khan: Yes Sir. We still contact each other.
PM: Great. That’s good
Tarannum Khan: Yes sir
PM: Who else is there with you?
Hari G.V: Jai Hind Sir
PM: Jai Hind
Hari G.V: This is senior under Officer Sri Hari G.V. I belong to
Bengaluru, Karnataka.
PM:And where do you study?
Hari G.V: Kristujayanti College, Bengaluru Sir.
PM: Okay, in Bengaluru?
Hari G.V: Yes sir.
PM: So, tell me
Hari G.V: Sir, I came back from the youth Exchange Programme,
Singapore just yesterday.
PM: That’s great
Hari G.V: Yes sir
PM: So you got an opportunity to go there!
Hari G.V: Yes sir
PM: How was your experience in Singapore?
Hari G.V: Six countries had come together, there, comprising United Kingdom, United States of America, Singapore, Brunei, Hong Kong & Nepal. Here we learnt an exchange on combat lessons & International Military exercises. Our performance there was one of its kind. It was here that we learnt water sports and adventure activities. Sir, the Indian team won the Water Polo tournament. And in the cultural segment, we were adjudged as overall performers. They admired our Drill & word of command, sir.
PM: Hari, how many of you were there?
Hari G.V: 20 of us Sir. We were 10 boys & 10 girls.
PM: Okay. Were they from different States of India?
Hari G.V: Yes sir.
PM: Fine. Your friends must be eager to listen to your experiences. I liked it. Who else is there with you?
Vinole Kiso: Jai Hind Sir
PM: Jai Hind
Vinole Kiso: This is senior under Officer Vinole Kiso. I belong to the North Eastern Region, Nagaland State sir.
PM: Yes Vinole. Tell us about your experience.
Vinole Kiso: Sir, I’m studying B.A. History (Honours) at St. Joseph’s College, Jakhama (Autonomous). I joined NCC in the year 2017. It was the greatest & the best decision of my life Sir.
PM: With NCC, where all did you get a chance to travel to?
Vinole Kiso: Sir NCC taught me a lot, and gave me many opportunities.
I would love to share one of my experiences. This year in June I attended a camp. It was the combined Annual Training Camp held at Sazolie College, Kohima. 400 cadets attended the Camp.
PM: So, all your friends in Nagaland must be eager to know about the various places in India, you visited, what all you saw! Do you share all your experiences with them?
Vinole Kisu: Yes sir.
PM: Who else is there with you?
Akhil: Jai Hind Sir, this is Junior under Officer Akhil.
PM: Yes Akhil, tell me
Akhil: I belong to Rohtak, Haryana Sir.
PM: Okay
Akhil: I am doing Physics Honours from Dayal Singh College, Delhi University.
PM: That’s good.
Akhil: Sir, the best thing I like about the NCC is discipline.
PM: Great!
Akhil: It has made me a more responsible citizen Sir. I love the drill and the uniform of a NCC cadet.
Prime Minister: How many camps you have had a chance to attend? What places did you get the opportunity to visit?
Akhil: Sir, I have done 3 camps. I recently was a part of the attachment camp at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.
Prime Minister: How long was that camp?
Akhil: Sir, it was was a 13-day camp.
Prime Minister: Good
Akhil: Sir, there I witnessed from close quarters how officers are inducted into the Indian Army … and after that my resolve to become an officer in the Indian Army has become even firmer.
Prime Minister:Great …
Akhil: And Sir, I also participated in Republic Day Parade! It was a matter of great pride for me and my family.
Prime Minister: Well done…
PM'S SCHOOL NCC GROUP PHOTO
Akhil: My mother was much happier than me, sir. When We used to get up at 2 in the morning to go and practice on Rajpath, the enthusiasm in us was worth seeing! People from the rest of the contingents also encouraged us quite a lot. It was while marching on Rajpath, we had goosebumps!
Prime Minister: All right I got a chance to have a word with all four of you, and that too on NCC Day. It is matter of joy for me because I also had the good fortune to be an NCC Cadet in my village school as a child, so I know that this discipline, this uniform, enhances the confidence level, all these things I had a chance to experience as an NCC Cadet during childhood.
Vinole:Mr. Prime Minister I too have a question.
Prime Minister: Sure,ask!
Vinole: That you have also been a part of NCC
Prime Minister: Who? Is that Vinole speaking ?
Vinole: yes sir, yes sir
Prime Minister: Yes, Vinole please tell me.
Vinole: Did you ever get punishment?
Prime Minister: (laughing) That means that you people get
punishment?
Vinole: Yes sir.
Prime Minister: No! It never happened because I was in a way quite disciplined! But yes once a misunderstanding crept up. While we were at camp I climbed a tree. At first sight it seemed that I had broken some rule but later everyone came to realize that a bird was stuck in a kite string. So I climbed the tree to save it. So, at first it seemed that there would be some disciplinary action against me, but later I garnered a lot of praise. So I had a different sort of experience in this manner!
Tarannum Khan: Sir, it was great to know that.
Prime Minister: Thank you.
Taranum Khan: This is Taranum speaking.
Prime Minister: Yes Tarannum, tell me…
Tarannum Khan: If you permit sir, I would like to ask you a question?
Prime Minister: Yes, please tell me.
Tarannum Khan: Sir, in your messages you have told us that every
Indian citizen should visit to 15 places in 3 years. Would you like to tell us what places we should visit? And what was the one place that made you feel good rather best?
Prime Minister: Well I have always had a certain fondness for the Himalayas.
Tarannum Khan: Yes …
Prime Minister: But even then I will urge the people of India that if you love nature,
Tarannum Khan: Yes Sir.
Prime Minister: Dense forests, waterfalls, If you want to see a unique type of environment, then I tell everyone to go to the North East.
Tarannum Khan: Yes sir.
Prime Minister: I always tell this fact and because of this I hope Tourism will also increase a lot in the North East; the economy will also benefit a lot and the dream of ‘Ek bharat! Shrestha Bharat!’ will also get strengthened there.
Tarannum Khan: Yes sir.
Prime Minister: But there are lot of places everywhere in India which are worth visiting, worth studying, worth imbibing.
Shri Hari G.V. : Prime Minister sir, I am Shri Hari speaking!
Prime Minister: Yes Hari Please tell me.
Shri Hari G.V. : I want to know from you;had you not been a politician, what would you have been?
Prime Minister: Now this is a very difficult question because every child goes through multiple phases in life. Sometimes one wants to become this, sometimes one wants to become that, but it is true that I never had the desire to go into politics, nor ever thought about it, but now that I have reached here,I keep thinking howI can work for the welfare of the country with all my heart, and the mere thought that ‘Where would I have been if I hadn’t been here’ should never enter my thought. Now, wherever I am, I should live life to the fullest and I should wholeheartedly work ceaselessly for my country, not worrying whether it is day, or night. I have now dedicated myself for this purpose only.
Akhil: Prime Minister …
Prime Minister: Yes …
Akhil: If you are so busy during the day, then I’m curious to know whether you get time to watchTV, movies or read books?
Prime Minister: By the way, I was always fond of reading books since it is not a time bound activity. I have never had any interest in watching films, nor do I watch TV with the same intent. I watch very little. Earlier I used to watch Discovery channel for the sake of curiosity. And I used to read books.But these days I am unable to read and due to Google, the habit of reading has deteriorated because if you want to seek a reference, then you immediately find a shortcut. So like everyone certain habits of mine have also been spoiled. Ok,friends, I loved talking to you all very much and through you I wish the very best to all the NCC cadets. Thanks a lot my friends, Thank You!
All NCC cadets: Thank you very much Sir, Thank You!
Prime Minister: Thank you, Thank You.
All NCC cadets: Jai Hind Sir
Prime Minister: Jai Hind
All NCC cadets: Jai Hind Sir
Prime Minister: Jai Hind, Jai Hind
My dear countrymen, we should never forget that Armed Forces Flag Day is celebrated on the 7thof December. This is the day when we pay homage to our brave soldiers, for their valour, their sacrifices; we also contribute.Only a sense of respect does not suffice. Participation is also necessary and every citizen should come forward on the 7thof December and everyone should possess the flag of the Armed Forces on that day; everyone should also contribute. Come. On this occasion, let us express our gratitude for the indomitable courage, valour and spirit of dedication of our Armed Forces and remember the brave soldiers.
My dear countrymen, by now you must be familiar with the Fit India Movement. CBSE has taken a commendable initiative of introducing the concept of ‘Fit India week’. Schools can celebrate ‘Fit India week’ anytime during the month of December. There are many types of events to be organized with regards to the aspect of fitness. This includes quiz, essays, articles, paintings, traditional and local sports, yogasana, dance,sports and games competitions. Students as well as their teachers and parents can also participate in the Fit India Week. But don’t forget that Fit India doesn’t mean just exercising the mind or making fitness plans on paper or merely looking at fitness apps on the laptop or computer or on a mobile phone. Not at allyou’ve to sweat it out. The food habits have to change. The habit of maximising focus activity should be inculcated.
I appeal to the school boards and management of all the states of the country that Fit India Week should be celebrated in every school, in the month of December. This will inculcate the habit of fitness in our daily routine. In the Fit India Movement, schedules have been drawn for ranking schools in accordance with fitness. The schools that achieve this ranking will also be able to use the ‘Fit India’ logo and flag. The Schools can declare themselves as Fit by visiting the Fit India portal. Fit India three star and Fit India five star ratings will also be given. I appeal that all schools should enroll in the Fit India ranking system and Fit India should become innate to our temperament. That it become a mass movement and bring awareness is what we must strive for!
My dear countrymen, our country is so large…so full of diversity. It is so ancient… that so many things just slip our mind…and that’s quite natural. But I do wish to share something with you. I happened to glance at a comment on the MyGov portal a few days ago. Mr Ramesh Sharma from Nagaon in Assam has written this comment. He writes, that a festival is being celebrated on Brahmaputra river. It’s called Brahmaputra Pushkar. This festival was held between 4th and 16th November, and people had come from all corners of the country to take part in this Brahmaputra Pushkar. Weren’t you also surprised to hear this? See, that’s the thing, this is such an important festival, and our forefathers have fashioned it in a way that once you hear the full details, you will be even more surprised. But unfortunately, the extent to which this should have been publicized, the extent to which this information should have been disseminated to every corner of the country, it isn’t done. And it is also true, that this event in a way signifies the concept of one country-one message. And that we are all ONE. It fills us with that feeling, it energises us.
First of all let me thank Shri Ramesh for having shared his thoughts with the entire country through the Man Ki Baat forum. You have also agonized about the fact that such an important event is not adequately publicized, not discussed as much as it should be. I can empathise with you.
Not many people in the country know about this. Well, if someone would have given it the moniker “International River Festival”, or used some other highfalutin lingo to reference it, well then, it might have resulted in some sort of discussion around this topic in the country.
My dear countrymen, Pushkaram, Pushkaraalu, Pushkaraha. – have you ever heard these terms? Do you know what these are? Let me tell you. These are the different names by which festivals organized on 12 different rivers across the country are called. One river every year…that means it would recur on that particular river after 12 years…and this festival is held sequentially every year in 12 different rivers spread across the country …and it lasts for 12 long days. Just like the Kumbh festival, this too, encourages the concept of national unity. And echoes the philosophy of “Ek Bharat-ShreshTh Bharat” (One India Best India)…Pushkaram is a festival in which the greatness of the river, the glory of the river, the importance of the river in our lives…all these are brought forth naturally.
Our forefathers put a lot of emphasis on nature, on environment, on water, on land, on forests.
They understood the importance of rivers, and tried to inculcate a positive mindset towards rivers in the society. They constantly strove to conflate the river with the cultural stream, the stream of tradition, and with the society. And the interesting thing is that, not only did it bring the society closer to the rivers, it also brought people closer to each other. Last year the Pushkaram was held on the TaamirabaraNi river in Tamil Nadu. This year it was held on the Brahmaputra river. Next year it will be held in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka on the Tungabhadra river.
In a way, you can travel to all these 12 places, as part of a tourist circuit as well. Here I would like to appreciate the warmth and hospitality of the people of Assam, who acted as wonderful hosts for pilgrims from all over the country. The organizers also paid great attention to cleanliness. They ensured plastic free zones. Bio-toilets were also provided at many places. I hope that this ancient festival, that has helped create a positive mindset towards rivers among us, will continue to bring our future generations also closer to the rivers. Nature, environment, water – all these things should not only be part of our tourism – they should also be a part of our lives.
My dear countrymen, young Shweta writes in from Madhya Pradesh on the NaMo app. And she says, sir, I am studying in Class 9, and there is still a year to go before I sit for my board examinations. But I regularly listen to your conversations with students and exam warriors. The reason I am writing to you is that you have not yet shared with us the scheduled date for your next interaction on examinations. Please schedule it at the earliest. If possible, please schedule it in January.
Friends, this is something I really like about the “Man Ki Baat” programme. The love and sense of entitlement with which my young friends complain to me, instruct me or give suggestions to me – I really am gladdened by them. Shveta ji, you have raised this issue at an opportune time. Exams are round the corner…so like every other year, we need to discuss examinations. And you are right, that this program needs to be scheduled a bit earlier.
After the last exam interaction, many people have written in with suggestions to make it more effective. Some have even complained that it was held too close to the date of the exam. And Shweta is right that I should conduct it in the month of January. The HRD ministry and the MyGov team are jointly working on it. It will be my endeavour to hold this discussion on exams in the beginning or middle of January. Student friends across the country have two opportunities. One, they can become part of this through their respective schools. Alternatively, they can be part of the program being conducted here in Delhi. Students participating in the Delhi event will be selected through the MyGov portal. Friends, we have to banish the fear of examinations collectively. I want to see my young friends smiling during examinations, their parents should be stress-free, teachers should be assured. We have been constantly striving to achieve this objective – through the Man ki baat program, through the “Discussions on Examinations” Townhall or through the Exam Warriors book. Students, parents and teachers from across the country have taken this mission forward, and I am grateful to all of them. We will all celebrate the upcoming program on Examination Discussion together – I cordially invite you all.
Friends, in the last edition of Man Ki Baat, we had discussed the 2010 Allahabad High Court Judgment on the Ayodhya issue. And I have referred to how we had maintained peace and harmony back then. Whether it was before the verdict, or after the verdict. This time too, when the Supreme Court pronounced its judgment on 9th November, 130 crore Indians once again proved, that for them, national interest is supreme. The values of peace, unity and goodwill are paramount in our country. When the verdict on Ram Mandir was pronounced, the entire country embraced it with open arms. They accepted the verdict with ease and with peace. Today, through the Man Ki Baat program, I would like to appreciate and thank my countrymen. I am particularly grateful to them for the patience, restraint and maturity shown by them. On the one hand, a protracted legal battle has finally come to an end, on the other hand, the respect for the judiciary has grown in the country. In the truest sense, this verdict has also proved to be a milestone for the judiciary in our country. After this historic verdict of the Supreme Court, the country has moved ahead on a new path, with a new resolve…full of new hopes and aspirations. It is my hope and wish that New India imbibes this feeling and forges ahead in a spirit of peace, unity and goodwill. It is the wish of each one of us.
My dear countrymen, our civilization, culture and languages preach the message of unity in diversity to the entire world. 130 crore Indians belong to a country about which it is said, “The taste of the water changes after every couple of kilometers, the lingo changes every few miles. Hundreds of languages have blossomed and flourished in our country for centuries. At the same time, we are also concerned about the possible extinction of these languages and dialects. Recently I read a story from Dhaarchulaa in UttaraakhanD. That gave me a lot of satisfaction. After reading that story, I got to know how people are coming forward to promote their languages. In innovative ways…I was attracted to this story from Dhaarchulaa since I too have stayed there while travelling. It has Nepal on one side, Kali Ganga on the other side – so it’s natural that my attention was drawn to this story from Dhaarchulaa. There are many people of the Rang community who inhabit Dhaarchulaa in PithauraagaRh. They converse among one another in the Ranglo language. They are quite saddened by the fact that the number of people who speak this language is rapidly dwindling. And then, one fine day, they got together and resolved to save their language. And in no time, people from the Rang community joined in. You will be amazed to hear that there are only a handful of people in this community. Roughly, their number is estimated to be around ten thousand. But in order to save the Ranglo language, everyone contributed their mite. Be it an 84 year old elderly man Diwan Singh, or a 22 year old youth Vaishali Garbyaal. Be it a professor or a trader, everyone contributed – in whatever way they could. In this mission, ample use was also made of the social media. Many WhatsApp groups were formed. Hundreds of people were connected to this mission through these groups. This language does not have a script. It finds usage only in the spoken form. So, people started posting stories, poems and songs. They started correcting each other’s language (errors). So, in a way WhatsApp became a kind of classroom, where everyone was a student and a teacher at the same time. There is an effort to conserve the Ranglo language in all this ?? Different kinds of programs are being held, magazines are being published, and social institutions are also assisting in this effort.
Friends, another important thing to note is that the United Nations has declared 2019 as the “International Year of Indigenous Languages”. That means, efforts are being made to conserve those languages which are on the verge of extinction. Hundred and fifty years ago, the father of modern Hindi Bharatendu Harishchandra had also said
“The progress of one’s language, is the source of one’s overall progress
All progress is meaningless if one’s mother tongue is neglected”
That means, no progress is possible without the knowledge of one’s mother tongue. This initiative of the Rang community, thus, is sure to be showing the path to the rest of the world. If you too, have been inspired by this story, then start using your language or dialect from today. Inspire the society and your family to do so.
Towards the end of the 19th century, Mahakavi (Great Poet) Subramanya Bharati had said, and he had said in Tamil.
मुप्पदु कोडी मुगमुडैयाळ- Mupppadu kODi mugam uDai yaaL
उयिर् मोइम्बुर ओंद्दुडैयाळ- uyir moim bura onDruDaiyaaL
इवळ सेप्पु मोळी पधिनेट्टूडैयाळ ivaL seppu mozhi padineTTuDaiyaaL
एनिर्सिन्दनैओंद्दुडैयाळ enil sindanai onDruDaiyaaL
And he said it back then, I am referring to the second half of the 19th century. And he said that Mother India has 30 crore faces, but one body. She speaks 18 languages, but thinks as one.
My dear countrymen, there are times when mundane things in life enrich us with a great message. Just the other day, I was reading a story in the media on scuba divers. This is a story that can be inspiring for all Indians. One day, these scuba divers, who impart training in Vishakhapattanam, were obstructed by plastic bottles and pouches on their way back from sea on Mangamaripetta beach. While cleaning the litter, they found the matter grave. They were appalled at the way our sea is being littered with garbage. For the last many days, these divers go up to 100 mts. away from the coast; dive deep and take out the garbage lying around. And I am told that just within 13 days ie 2 weeks, they have removed more than 4000kg of plastic waste from the sea. This small beginning by the divers is being transformed into a big mission.
They are being helped by local people now. Local fishermen have also started to help them by all means.
Pondering over, taking inspiration from these scuba divers, if we too, take a pledge to rid our surroundings of plastic waste, “Plastic Free India” can become a new example for the whole world.
My dear countrymen, the 26th of November is just two days away.. This day is special for the whole country. This is especially important for our republic since we celebrate this day as Constitution Day. This year it is even more special as we are completing 70 years of the adoption of the constitution. This occasion will be marked by a special programme in Parliament followed by many other events organised across the country throughout the year. Let us pay our respects and gratitude to all the members of the constituent assembly. Our constitution guards the rights and dignity of every citizen which has been ensured owing to the farsightedness of the architects of our constitution.
I pray that the ‘Constitution Day’ reinforces our obligation towards upholding the constitutional ideals and values thus contributing to nation building. After all, this was the dream of the makers of our constitution.
My dear countrymen, winter is knocking on the door. We can feel the pink of the season all around us. Parts of the Himalaya have begun to don sheets of snow, but this is the season of the ‘fit India movement’ too. You, your family, your friends, your friend circle, your companions, should not miss the opportunity. Use the weather to your advantage to take the ‘Fit India Movement ‘forward.
Many good wishes. Many thanks.
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#Image 1 of 2 : The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, the Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi and other dignitaries attend the cultural programme, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on November 23, 2019.
JAY HIND
JAY BHARATHAM
VANDHE MATHARAM
BHARAT MATHA KI JAY.
#Image 2 of 2 : The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, the Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi and other dignitaries attend the cultural programme, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on November 23, 2019.
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#OPINION : 24/11/2019 : 1967.
#DECISIVE STEPS :
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1. #Taking Decisive Steps Towards Securing Health of Future Generations :
========================================================================That the future of the country lies in the hands of the young is well known. It is these young people of today who will shape and lead the country tomorrow. Therefore, in order to ensure that our country remains strong tomorrow, the health of the young today must be given utmost priority.
Over the last four years, the government has taken several measures to ensure that the health of infants and children are given maximum attention with a view to give them the utmost quality of life, preparing them for future when they can contribute productively to the cause of nation-building.
Impressive improvement in infant and maternal mortality rates
When a child is born, both the child and the mother need the best healthcare possible under an integrated response mechanism. In India, the infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rates are improving and in the last few years, both the indicators have shown significant reduction.
The under-five child mortality (U5MR) of India showed an impressive decline from 49 per 1000 live births in 2013 to 39 in 2016. India, with the current rate of decline of U5MR is well on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals target of 25 for under-five child mortality by 2030.
Only half way through its term, the government had brought down the infant mortality rate by three points (8% decline), from 40 per 1000 live births in 2013 to 34 per 1000 live births in 2016.
In tandem with these gains in terms of infant and child health, the country has also shown remarkable reduction in maternal mortality rates with 22% reduction since 2013. Maternal mortality ratio of India has declined from 167 in 2011-2013 to 130 in 2014-2016. Now nearly one thousand fewer women die of pregnancy related complications each month in India. No less than UNICEF has lauded India’s progress on reducing maternal deaths.
The government launched Mission Indradhanush within the first year of its tenure. With the success of the programme, in order to accelerate mission, an Intensified Mission Indradhanush was launched, to reach each and every child up to two years of age and all those pregnant women who have been left uncovered under the routine immunisation programmes.
Four phases of Mission Indradhanush have been completed wherein 3.38 crore children were vaccinated, of which 81.67 lakh children have been fully immunized. 86.88 lakh pregnant women were vaccinated too.
Under Mission Indradhanush, the annual rate of increase of full immunisation coverage has increased from 1% to 6.7 % during the two rounds.
Notably, ‘Mission Indradhanush’ has been selected as one of the 12 best practices globally and has been featured in a special issue of the British Medical Journal, thereby recognising the government’s efforts in this direction.
#Successfully handling Japanese Encephalitis :
Japanese Encephalitis which has proven to be a life-threatening viral disease affecting mainly children aged less than 15 years across many parts of the country, has been tackled head on by the government. By the middle of 2018, over 15 crore children aged 1-15 years were vaccinated with the JE vaccine. Special JE re-campaign was also carried out in all 38 JE endemic districts of Uttar Pradesh where 99.20 lakh children were administered the vaccine. According to reports, the state of Uttar Pradesh which is one of the worse affected states, has seen a sharp fall in cases of JE.#POSHAN Abhiyaan :
The government has sought to address the problem of malnutrition through the landmark POSHAN Abhiyaan to improve nutritional outcomes for children, adolescents, pregnant women and lactating mothers by leveraging technology, targeted approach and convergence. The aim is to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anemia (among young children, women and adolescent girls) and reduce low birth weight. The target of the mission is to bring down stunting among children in the age group 0-6 years from 38.4% to 25% by 2022. A sum of Rs. 2122.27 crore has been released for FY 2017-18 & 2018-19 with over 10 crore people to benefit.Therefore, the Modi government through its sincere and timely intervention has sought to strengthen the health of children and women in the country. Realising the need for timely intervention in case of infants, small children and expectant mothers, there has been a well thought out and concerted approach to address their issues. Only a healthy child who grows up to be a healthy adult can lead a healthy and strong nation in future.
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2. #Ayushman Bharat – A Healthcare Reform that is also Creating Economic Value :
========================================================================Every year close to 4.6% of the population of India slips below poverty due to unprecedented health expenses. It was matter of concern that around 63%1 of our population was not covered under any form of health protection. High out of pocket expenditure, low insurance and increasing costs of secondary and tertiary healthcare forced people to sell their land and other valuable assets to meet financial crisis on account of healthcare expenditure. To immediately arrest the monetary crisis that arose when a family member fell ill, Ayushman Bharat was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is the largest health insurance scheme in the world. With a beneficiary pool of around 50 crore1 this scheme is expected to touch lives of close of 10.74 crore1 families of India. However, it must be remembered that Ayushman Bharat is not just a healthcare scheme.
It is an opportunity for India to refurbish its healthcare infrastructure, increase penetration of tertiary healthcare services in rural India, make healthcare an attractive avenue for investment and an agent for job creation.
#Social Welfare :
• Ayushman Bharat, under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) is expected to reduce financial burden and simultaneously ensure access to requisite healthcare, regardless of the affordability level of the patient.• A lot of times patients would be declined treatment due to unavailability to security deposit. Also, empirical studies observe health of women is often ignored due to paucity of resources. This cashless scheme that covers all pre-existing diseases, this scheme puts no limit on size of the family.
• As a social welfare scheme, it aims to cover 10.74 crore families. These include deprived rural populace and certain occupational categories in urban areas. The exhaustive scheme covers 1,3501 medical packages including surgery, medical and day care treatments including medicines, diagnostics and transport.
• It is interesting to note that one of the multiple facets of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ is related to overall wellbeing of Indians. Every citizen of India is an asset for the Nation, and their health is critical in determining the course of the Nation’s future.
Healthcare Economics and Infrastructure
• For past several decades, Indians either compromised on quality of healthcare or slipped into debt by availing treatment at a state of the art private hospital. The trade-off between cost and quality is eventually eliminated by Ayushman Bharat, which unlike the previous healthcare schemes, collaborates with both, state-of-the art private and public players.
• Until now, small hospitals and government hospitals suffered from shortage of human resources and availability of adequate facilities. With the launch of this scheme, it incentivizes these facilities to upgrade their infrastructure, get accredited with concerned agencies and subsequently get empaneled with Ayushman Bharat.
• We have seen patients travel long distances from rural areas, just to get treated at a particular hospital in a city. This was due to existing disparities in facilities at rural and urban areas. Creation of National Health Agency will standardize pricing and protocols in healthcare. Moreover, the agency will ensure there is investment in information technology and healthcare infrastructure across all empaneled hospitals.
• As more beneficiaries avail Ayushman Bharat and pool of empaneled hospitals widens, investment in healthcare is also expected to increase at a much faster pace. This will further feed into healthcare infrastructure and technology. 14,754 hospitals are already empanelled with Ayushman Bharat (as on March 6, 2019) of which around 50% are private players.
• With more documented evidence on certain diseases, Ayushman Bharat will be instrumental in defining contours of healthcare research in India.
#Agent of Job Creation :
• Almost 1 lakh Ayushman Mitras are expected to be recruited, creating fresh job opportunities. At every hospital empanelled with Ayushman Bharat, an Ayushman Mitra will allocated, whose primary responsibility will be to coordinate between the patient and the hospital administration. She will also be responsible for verifying the requisite paperwork and eligibility of the beneficiary. These job opportunities are over and above the increased demand for conventional roles including doctors and nurses.For India’s demography to participate and contribute to near-term and medium term growth, it is essential that the population is healthy and serves the nation to the best of its capacity for many more years to come. However, it is notable that Ayushman Bharat is beyond just another healthcare scheme. It will prove to be a critical driver for shaping the future of both, healthcare and ancillary sectors in the domain. Last but not the least; Ayushman Bharat will also start the trend of policy making that is driven by a social objective yet economically attractive for the private sector.
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3. #Quality and Affordable Healthcare for All :
========================================================================'A healthy citizenry is the precursor for a healthy nation. For decades, crores of Indians were unable to access quality healthcare owing to lack of insurance cover and lack of affordability. With the NDA government led by PM Narendra Modi coming to power, that scenario has completely transformed.
Modi government’s vision towards ensuring quality healthcare for every Indian has been realized through Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM JAY). It is the world’s largest health insurance initiative and seeks to provide comprehensive health coverage up to Rs. 5 lakh per family per year to around 50 crore people. As of February 2019, the number of beneficiaries of the scheme stands around 12.27 lakh people across the country. More than 14,800 hospitals are empaneled to ensure comprehensive need-based healthcare delivery up to the last mile. The scheme is aimed at removing the uncertainty that sickness brings in the homes of poor. With healthcare insurance, the fear of losing one’s savings owing to any health emergency has been eliminated.
Reducing the cost burden associated with medicines, Modi government’s Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) ensures access to affordable medicines. More than 4,970 stores are functional across the country (as of February 2019). These Jan Aushadhi kendras are facilitating access to 800 medicines and 154 surgical and consumable items at affordable prices. The medicines at the Jan Aushadhi stores are 50-80% less than the market price.
AMRIT pharmacy is another such initiative to ensure availability of affordable medicines. These stores include drugs for cancer and cardiovascular diseases. It provides access to thousands of medicines, including lifesaving drugs at steep discounts. About 5,200 drugs and other consumables are being sold at upto 50% discount. More than 1 crore patients have benefited from 146 AMRIT pharmacies resulting in savings of more than Rs 500 crore as of November 2018.
One of the significant government initiatives to ensure affordable healthcare include reduction in prices of cardiac stents and knee implants. Coronary stents, which used to cost around Rs. 2 lakhs, are now available at less than Rs 30,000. The capping of prices has resulted in estimated savings of Rs. 4,547 crores for consumers. The knee implant prices are reduced by 60-70%. The various types of knee implants are now available in the price range of Rs. 54,720 to 1.13 lakh. The reduced knee implant prices have saved close to Rs. 1,500 crore annually for the people.
Nearly 35 lakh dialysis sessions have been facilitated as part of the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP) in 500 districts across the country. The program has benefited around 2.5 lakh patients. The PMNDP was rolled out in 2016, providing free dialysis care to the patients in district hospitals. The programme has been successfully working through 647 operational dialysis units/centers and 3,953 dialysis machines. The free dialysis service as part of the programme is a big relief to many people, especially because dialysis is an expense that recurs and saps out finances.
The government is not just focusing on disease cure but also its prevention. Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease. The Sustainable Development Goals have set the target of ending the TB epidemic by 2030. Intensifying the efforts to eliminate TB in India ahead of global targets, treatment for drug-sensitive TB is being provided through 4 lakh DOT centres under the government of PM Narendra Modi. As TB affects the nutrition and income of the patient because of the restrained mobility, DBT of Rs. 500 monthly nutritional support has been provided for the duration of the treatment.
Action plans to eliminate Leprosy by 2018, Measles by 2020 and TB by 2025 are being implemented. India has validated elimination of maternal & neo-natal tetanus in May 2015, before the global target of December 2015..
Mental health, previously a much-ignored area, has also assumed importance under the NDA government led by PM Narendra Modi. Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 adopts a rights-based statutory framework for mental health in India and strengthens equality and equity in provision of mental healthcare services to protect the rights of people with mental health problems.
The access to quality healthcare for all is a prime focus for Modi government as seen from its initiative to not only provide healthcare insurance to the poorest of the poor but also bring down the heavy cost of medicines and medical items.
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#REFORMS :
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India tightens rules on loan default disclosure for public firms. Companies must inform within 24 hours about default after 30 days have passed since default happened : IN REUTERS.COM : PMO INDIA : Report Caerd
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------India tightens rules on loan default disclosure for public firms : Nupur Anand, Sachin Ravikumar :
MUMBAI/BENGALURU (Reuters) - India’s publicly listed firms must disclose any failure to repay loans within 24 hours in cases where 30 days have passed since the default, its securities regulator said on Wednesday, tightening rules at a time when bond defaults have soared.
The decision was aimed at addressing any gaps in the availability of information to investors surrounding corporate defaults, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) said in a statement.
“The philosophy is that more and more information should be in the public domain that guide investors and other stakeholders,” SEBI Chairman Ajay Tyagi told reporters in Mumbai.
The move comes as loan and bond defaults by companies, particularly several housing finance firms, are rising - adding to pressure on India’s banks, which are saddled with a level of bad debt that is one of the world’s highest.
India’s housing finance companies and shadow lenders, a key source of credit to millions, have been battling a credit crunch since giant shadow bank IL&FS collapsed in late 2018 amid fraud allegations.
Publicly-listed Dewan Housing Finance Corp Ltd is one of India’s top defaulters, and owes close to 1 trillion rupees ($14 billion) to its debtors, which include banks and mutual funds.
The SEBI also tightened rules for portfolio managers, requiring that such firms must have a net worth of 50 million rupees ($696,233) from the earlier 20 million rupees.
It also doubled the required minimum investment by clients of portfolio managers to 5 million rupees from 2.5 million rupees.
“We have many clients between the 2.5 to 5 million-rupee bracket that are going to be disappointed,” said Deepak Shenoy, the founder of Capitalmind, a portfolio manager in Bengaluru that manages 1.1 billion rupees in assets.
“It’s not extremely bad ... (but) it will definitely affect business,” Shenoy said.
($1 = 71.8150 Indian rupees)
Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; Editing by Bernard Orr
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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#NATIONWIDE PEOPLE CONTACT :
WATCH VIDEO :
#PM’s address in the 6th Episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat 2.0’ : 24 Nov, 2019 : News Updates : PMINDIA ===============================================
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My dear countrymen, welcome to ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Today’s episode begins with the young people of the young nation; their enthusiasm, patriotism and the sense of selfless service that envelops them. As you know, every year, the fourth Sunday of the month of November is celebrated as NCC Day. Generally speaking, our young generation is more likely to remember ‘Friendship Day’, without fail. But there are many people who, equally keep in mind NCC Day. So let’s talk about NCC today. I too will get an opportunity to refresh a few memories. At the outset on the occasion of NCC, Day, I extend my best wishes to all NCC Cadets, both former & present. More so, since I too have been a cadet once; I consider myself to be a cadet even, today. All of us know that India’s National Cadet Corps, NCC is one of the largest uniformed youth organizations of the world.
It is a Tri-services organization comprising the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. NCC means, cultivating the qualities of Leadership, patriotism, selfless service discipline & hard work as an integral part of one’s character; the thrilling journey of imbibing them into one’s habits. To discuss more about this journey, let’s call up a few young people, who have made a name for themselves in the NCC. Let’s talk to them.
PM: Friends, how are you?
Tarannum Khan : Jai Hind, Hon’ble Prime Minister
PM: Jai Hind
Tarannum Khan: Sir, this is Junior under Officer Tarannum Khan
PM: Tarannum, where are you from?
Tarannum Khan: I belong to Delhi sir.
PM: Okay. So how many years have you been with the NCC?
How were your experiences?
Tarannum Khan: Sir I was enrolled in the NCC in 2017; these
three years have been the best years of my life.
PM: Great… it’s nice to hear that
Tarannum Khan: Sir, I would like to share my best experience during an ‘Ek Bharat – Shreshth Bharat’ Camp. This camp was held in August and had children from the North Eastern Region, NER too. We stayed with those cadets for 10 days. We learnt elements from their way of life, their lifestyle. We were introduced to their language. We learnt a lot about their tradition & culture. Such as ‘Vaizomi’ means ‘Hello,’ how are you? Similarly, during our Cultural Nite they taught us their dance. It is called Tehra. And they taught me wearing the ‘Mekhla’ attire. Believe me, our Delhi group was looking pretty, as well as our friends from Nagaland. We also took them around on a tour of Delhi; we showed them the National war Memorial & India Gate too. There we treated them to Delhi’s snack ‘Chaat’ & also the Bhelpuri. But they found it a bit hot & spicy. They told us they generally like having a soup, along with a few boiled vegetables. So they didn’t like it much. But, other than that, we clicked a lot of pictures with them and shared many experiences.
PM: Are you still in touch with them?
Tarannum Khan: Yes Sir. We still contact each other.
PM: Great. That’s good
Tarannum Khan: Yes sir
PM: Who else is there with you?
Hari G.V: Jai Hind Sir
PM: Jai Hind
Hari G.V: This is senior under Officer Sri Hari G.V. I belong to
Bengaluru, Karnataka.
PM:And where do you study?
Hari G.V: Kristujayanti College, Bengaluru Sir.
PM: Okay, in Bengaluru?
Hari G.V: Yes sir.
PM: So, tell me
Hari G.V: Sir, I came back from the youth Exchange Programme,
Singapore just yesterday.
PM: That’s great
Hari G.V: Yes sir
PM: So you got an opportunity to go there!
Hari G.V: Yes sir
PM: How was your experience in Singapore?
Hari G.V: Six countries had come together, there, comprising United Kingdom, United States of America, Singapore, Brunei, Hong Kong & Nepal. Here we learnt an exchange on combat lessons & International Military exercises. Our performance there was one of its kind. It was here that we learnt water sports and adventure activities. Sir, the Indian team won the Water Polo tournament. And in the cultural segment, we were adjudged as overall performers. They admired our Drill & word of command, sir.
PM: Hari, how many of you were there?
Hari G.V: 20 of us Sir. We were 10 boys & 10 girls.
PM: Okay. Were they from different States of India?
Hari G.V: Yes sir.
PM: Fine. Your friends must be eager to listen to your experiences. I liked it. Who else is there with you?
Vinole Kiso: Jai Hind Sir
PM: Jai Hind
Vinole Kiso: This is senior under Officer Vinole Kiso. I belong to the North Eastern Region, Nagaland State sir.
PM: Yes Vinole. Tell us about your experience.
Vinole Kiso: Sir, I’m studying B.A. History (Honours) at St. Joseph’s College, Jakhama (Autonomous). I joined NCC in the year 2017. It was the greatest & the best decision of my life Sir.
PM: With NCC, where all did you get a chance to travel to?
Vinole Kiso: Sir NCC taught me a lot, and gave me many opportunities.
I would love to share one of my experiences. This year in June I attended a camp. It was the combined Annual Training Camp held at Sazolie College, Kohima. 400 cadets attended the Camp.
PM: So, all your friends in Nagaland must be eager to know about the various places in India, you visited, what all you saw! Do you share all your experiences with them?
Vinole Kisu: Yes sir.
PM: Who else is there with you?
Akhil: Jai Hind Sir, this is Junior under Officer Akhil.
PM: Yes Akhil, tell me
Akhil: I belong to Rohtak, Haryana Sir.
PM: Okay
Akhil: I am doing Physics Honours from Dayal Singh College, Delhi University.
PM: That’s good.
Akhil: Sir, the best thing I like about the NCC is discipline.
PM: Great!
Akhil: It has made me a more responsible citizen Sir. I love the drill and the uniform of a NCC cadet.
Prime Minister: How many camps you have had a chance to attend? What places did you get the opportunity to visit?
Akhil: Sir, I have done 3 camps. I recently was a part of the attachment camp at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.
Prime Minister: How long was that camp?
Akhil: Sir, it was was a 13-day camp.
Prime Minister: Good
Akhil: Sir, there I witnessed from close quarters how officers are inducted into the Indian Army … and after that my resolve to become an officer in the Indian Army has become even firmer.
Prime Minister:Great …
Akhil: And Sir, I also participated in Republic Day Parade! It was a matter of great pride for me and my family.
Prime Minister: Well done…
Akhil: My mother was much happier than me, sir. When We used to get up at 2 in the morning to go and practice on Rajpath, the enthusiasm in us was worth seeing! People from the rest of the contingents also encouraged us quite a lot. It was while marching on Rajpath, we had goosebumps!
Prime Minister: All right I got a chance to have a word with all four of you, and that too on NCC Day. It is matter of joy for me because I also had the good fortune to be an NCC Cadet in my village school as a child, so I know that this discipline, this uniform, enhances the confidence level, all these things I had a chance to experience as an NCC Cadet during childhood.
Vinole:Mr. Prime Minister I too have a question.
Prime Minister: Sure,ask!
Vinole: That you have also been a part of NCC
Prime Minister: Who? Is that Vinole speaking ?
Vinole: yes sir, yes sir
Prime Minister: Yes, Vinole please tell me.
Vinole: Did you ever get punishment?
Prime Minister: (laughing) That means that you people get
punishment?
Vinole: Yes sir.
Prime Minister: No! It never happened because I was in a way quite disciplined! But yes once a misunderstanding crept up. While we were at camp I climbed a tree. At first sight it seemed that I had broken some rule but later everyone came to realize that a bird was stuck in a kite string. So I climbed the tree to save it. So, at first it seemed that there would be some disciplinary action against me, but later I garnered a lot of praise. So I had a different sort of experience in this manner!
Tarannum Khan: Sir, it was great to know that.
Prime Minister: Thank you.
Taranum Khan: This is Taranum speaking.
Prime Minister: Yes Tarannum, tell me…
Tarannum Khan: If you permit sir, I would like to ask you a question?
Prime Minister: Yes, please tell me.
Tarannum Khan: Sir, in your messages you have told us that every
Indian citizen should visit to 15 places in 3 years. Would you like to tell us what places we should visit? And what was the one place that made you feel good rather best?
Prime Minister: Well I have always had a certain fondness for the Himalayas.
Tarannum Khan: Yes …
Prime Minister: But even then I will urge the people of India that if you love nature,
Tarannum Khan: Yes Sir.
Prime Minister: Dense forests, waterfalls, If you want to see a unique type of environment, then I tell everyone to go to the North East.
Tarannum Khan: Yes sir.
Prime Minister: I always tell this fact and because of this I hope Tourism will also increase a lot in the North East; the economy will also benefit a lot and the dream of ‘Ek bharat! Shrestha Bharat!’ will also get strengthened there.
Tarannum Khan: Yes sir.
Prime Minister: But there are lot of places everywhere in India which are worth visiting, worth studying, worth imbibing.
Shri Hari G.V. : Prime Minister sir, I am Shri Hari speaking!
Prime Minister: Yes Hari Please tell me.
Shri Hari G.V. : I want to know from you;had you not been a politician, what would you have been?
Prime Minister: Now this is a very difficult question because every child goes through multiple phases in life. Sometimes one wants to become this, sometimes one wants to become that, but it is true that I never had the desire to go into politics, nor ever thought about it, but now that I have reached here,I keep thinking howI can work for the welfare of the country with all my heart, and the mere thought that ‘Where would I have been if I hadn’t been here’ should never enter my thought. Now, wherever I am, I should live life to the fullest and I should wholeheartedly work ceaselessly for my country, not worrying whether it is day, or night. I have now dedicated myself for this purpose only.
Akhil: Prime Minister …
Prime Minister: Yes …
Akhil: If you are so busy during the day, then I’m curious to know whether you get time to watchTV, movies or read books?
Prime Minister: By the way, I was always fond of reading books since it is not a time bound activity. I have never had any interest in watching films, nor do I watch TV with the same intent. I watch very little. Earlier I used to watch Discovery channel for the sake of curiosity. And I used to read books.But these days I am unable to read and due to Google, the habit of reading has deteriorated because if you want to seek a reference, then you immediately find a shortcut. So like everyone certain habits of mine have also been spoiled. Ok,friends, I loved talking to you all very much and through you I wish the very best to all the NCC cadets. Thanks a lot my friends, Thank You!
All NCC cadets: Thank you very much Sir, Thank You!
Prime Minister: Thank you, Thank You.
All NCC cadets: Jai Hind Sir
Prime Minister: Jai Hind
All NCC cadets: Jai Hind Sir
Prime Minister: Jai Hind, Jai Hind
My dear countrymen, we should never forget that Armed Forces Flag Day is celebrated on the 7thof December. This is the day when we pay homage to our brave soldiers, for their valour, their sacrifices; we also contribute.Only a sense of respect does not suffice. Participation is also necessary and every citizen should come forward on the 7thof December and everyone should possess the flag of the Armed Forces on that day; everyone should also contribute. Come. On this occasion, let us express our gratitude for the indomitable courage, valour and spirit of dedication of our Armed Forces and remember the brave soldiers.
My dear countrymen, by now you must be familiar with the Fit India Movement. CBSE has taken a commendable initiative of introducing the concept of ‘Fit India week’. Schools can celebrate ‘Fit India week’ anytime during the month of December. There are many types of events to be organized with regards to the aspect of fitness. This includes quiz, essays, articles, paintings, traditional and local sports, yogasana, dance,sports and games competitions. Students as well as their teachers and parents can also participate in the Fit India Week. But don’t forget that Fit India doesn’t mean just exercising the mind or making fitness plans on paper or merely looking at fitness apps on the laptop or computer or on a mobile phone. Not at allyou’ve to sweat it out. The food habits have to change. The habit of maximising focus activity should be inculcated.
I appeal to the school boards and management of all the states of the country that Fit India Week should be celebrated in every school, in the month of December. This will inculcate the habit of fitness in our daily routine. In the Fit India Movement, schedules have been drawn for ranking schools in accordance with fitness. The schools that achieve this ranking will also be able to use the ‘Fit India’ logo and flag. The Schools can declare themselves as Fit by visiting the Fit India portal. Fit India three star and Fit India five star ratings will also be given. I appeal that all schools should enroll in the Fit India ranking system and Fit India should become innate to our temperament. That it become a mass movement and bring awareness is what we must strive for!
My dear countrymen, our country is so large…so full of diversity. It is so ancient… that so many things just slip our mind…and that’s quite natural. But I do wish to share something with you. I happened to glance at a comment on the MyGov portal a few days ago. Mr Ramesh Sharma from Nagaon in Assam has written this comment. He writes, that a festival is being celebrated on Brahmaputra river. It’s called Brahmaputra Pushkar. This festival was held between 4th and 16th November, and people had come from all corners of the country to take part in this Brahmaputra Pushkar. Weren’t you also surprised to hear this? See, that’s the thing, this is such an important festival, and our forefathers have fashioned it in a way that once you hear the full details, you will be even more surprised. But unfortunately, the extent to which this should have been publicized, the extent to which this information should have been disseminated to every corner of the country, it isn’t done. And it is also true, that this event in a way signifies the concept of one country-one message. And that we are all ONE. It fills us with that feeling, it energises us.
First of all let me thank Shri Ramesh for having shared his thoughts with the entire country through the Man Ki Baat forum. You have also agonized about the fact that such an important event is not adequately publicized, not discussed as much as it should be. I can empathise with you.
Not many people in the country know about this. Well, if someone would have given it the moniker “International River Festival”, or used some other highfalutin lingo to reference it, well then, it might have resulted in some sort of discussion around this topic in the country.
My dear countrymen, Pushkaram, Pushkaraalu, Pushkaraha. – have you ever heard these terms? Do you know what these are? Let me tell you. These are the different names by which festivals organized on 12 different rivers across the country are called. One river every year…that means it would recur on that particular river after 12 years…and this festival is held sequentially every year in 12 different rivers spread across the country …and it lasts for 12 long days. Just like the Kumbh festival, this too, encourages the concept of national unity. And echoes the philosophy of “Ek Bharat-ShreshTh Bharat” (One India Best India)…Pushkaram is a festival in which the greatness of the river, the glory of the river, the importance of the river in our lives…all these are brought forth naturally.
Our forefathers put a lot of emphasis on nature, on environment, on water, on land, on forests.
They understood the importance of rivers, and tried to inculcate a positive mindset towards rivers in the society. They constantly strove to conflate the river with the cultural stream, the stream of tradition, and with the society. And the interesting thing is that, not only did it bring the society closer to the rivers, it also brought people closer to each other. Last year the Pushkaram was held on the TaamirabaraNi river in Tamil Nadu. This year it was held on the Brahmaputra river. Next year it will be held in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka on the Tungabhadra river.
In a way, you can travel to all these 12 places, as part of a tourist circuit as well. Here I would like to appreciate the warmth and hospitality of the people of Assam, who acted as wonderful hosts for pilgrims from all over the country. The organizers also paid great attention to cleanliness. They ensured plastic free zones. Bio-toilets were also provided at many places. I hope that this ancient festival, that has helped create a positive mindset towards rivers among us, will continue to bring our future generations also closer to the rivers. Nature, environment, water – all these things should not only be part of our tourism – they should also be a part of our lives.
My dear countrymen, young Shweta writes in from Madhya Pradesh on the NaMo app. And she says, sir, I am studying in Class 9, and there is still a year to go before I sit for my board examinations. But I regularly listen to your conversations with students and exam warriors. The reason I am writing to you is that you have not yet shared with us the scheduled date for your next interaction on examinations. Please schedule it at the earliest. If possible, please schedule it in January.
Friends, this is something I really like about the “Man Ki Baat” programme. The love and sense of entitlement with which my young friends complain to me, instruct me or give suggestions to me – I really am gladdened by them. Shveta ji, you have raised this issue at an opportune time. Exams are round the corner…so like every other year, we need to discuss examinations. And you are right, that this program needs to be scheduled a bit earlier.
After the last exam interaction, many people have written in with suggestions to make it more effective. Some have even complained that it was held too close to the date of the exam. And Shweta is right that I should conduct it in the month of January. The HRD ministry and the MyGov team are jointly working on it. It will be my endeavour to hold this discussion on exams in the beginning or middle of January. Student friends across the country have two opportunities. One, they can become part of this through their respective schools. Alternatively, they can be part of the program being conducted here in Delhi. Students participating in the Delhi event will be selected through the MyGov portal. Friends, we have to banish the fear of examinations collectively. I want to see my young friends smiling during examinations, their parents should be stress-free, teachers should be assured. We have been constantly striving to achieve this objective – through the Man ki baat program, through the “Discussions on Examinations” Townhall or through the Exam Warriors book. Students, parents and teachers from across the country have taken this mission forward, and I am grateful to all of them. We will all celebrate the upcoming program on Examination Discussion together – I cordially invite you all.
Friends, in the last edition of Man Ki Baat, we had discussed the 2010 Allahabad High Court Judgment on the Ayodhya issue. And I have referred to how we had maintained peace and harmony back then. Whether it was before the verdict, or after the verdict. This time too, when the Supreme Court pronounced its judgment on 9th November, 130 crore Indians once again proved, that for them, national interest is supreme. The values of peace, unity and goodwill are paramount in our country. When the verdict on Ram Mandir was pronounced, the entire country embraced it with open arms. They accepted the verdict with ease and with peace. Today, through the Man Ki Baat program, I would like to appreciate and thank my countrymen. I am particularly grateful to them for the patience, restraint and maturity shown by them. On the one hand, a protracted legal battle has finally come to an end, on the other hand, the respect for the judiciary has grown in the country. In the truest sense, this verdict has also proved to be a milestone for the judiciary in our country. After this historic verdict of the Supreme Court, the country has moved ahead on a new path, with a new resolve…full of new hopes and aspirations. It is my hope and wish that New India imbibes this feeling and forges ahead in a spirit of peace, unity and goodwill. It is the wish of each one of us.
My dear countrymen, our civilization, culture and languages preach the message of unity in diversity to the entire world. 130 crore Indians belong to a country about which it is said, “The taste of the water changes after every couple of kilometers, the lingo changes every few miles. Hundreds of languages have blossomed and flourished in our country for centuries. At the same time, we are also concerned about the possible extinction of these languages and dialects. Recently I read a story from Dhaarchulaa in UttaraakhanD. That gave me a lot of satisfaction. After reading that story, I got to know how people are coming forward to promote their languages. In innovative ways…I was attracted to this story from Dhaarchulaa since I too have stayed there while travelling. It has Nepal on one side, Kali Ganga on the other side – so it’s natural that my attention was drawn to this story from Dhaarchulaa. There are many people of the Rang community who inhabit Dhaarchulaa in PithauraagaRh. They converse among one another in the Ranglo language. They are quite saddened by the fact that the number of people who speak this language is rapidly dwindling. And then, one fine day, they got together and resolved to save their language. And in no time, people from the Rang community joined in. You will be amazed to hear that there are only a handful of people in this community. Roughly, their number is estimated to be around ten thousand. But in order to save the Ranglo language, everyone contributed their mite. Be it an 84 year old elderly man Diwan Singh, or a 22 year old youth Vaishali Garbyaal. Be it a professor or a trader, everyone contributed – in whatever way they could. In this mission, ample use was also made of the social media. Many WhatsApp groups were formed. Hundreds of people were connected to this mission through these groups. This language does not have a script. It finds usage only in the spoken form. So, people started posting stories, poems and songs. They started correcting each other’s language (errors). So, in a way WhatsApp became a kind of classroom, where everyone was a student and a teacher at the same time. There is an effort to conserve the Ranglo language in all this ?? Different kinds of programs are being held, magazines are being published, and social institutions are also assisting in this effort.
Friends, another important thing to note is that the United Nations has declared 2019 as the “International Year of Indigenous Languages”. That means, efforts are being made to conserve those languages which are on the verge of extinction. Hundred and fifty years ago, the father of modern Hindi Bharatendu Harishchandra had also said
“The progress of one’s language, is the source of one’s overall progress
All progress is meaningless if one’s mother tongue is neglected”
That means, no progress is possible without the knowledge of one’s mother tongue. This initiative of the Rang community, thus, is sure to be showing the path to the rest of the world. If you too, have been inspired by this story, then start using your language or dialect from today. Inspire the society and your family to do so.
Towards the end of the 19th century, Mahakavi (Great Poet) Subramanya Bharati had said, and he had said in Tamil.
मुप्पदु कोडी मुगमुडैयाळ- Mupppadu kODi mugam uDai yaaL
उयिर् मोइम्बुर ओंद्दुडैयाळ- uyir moim bura onDruDaiyaaL
इवळ सेप्पु मोळी पधिनेट्टूडैयाळ ivaL seppu mozhi padineTTuDaiyaaL
एनिर्सिन्दनैओंद्दुडैयाळ enil sindanai onDruDaiyaaL
And he said it back then, I am referring to the second half of the 19th century. And he said that Mother India has 30 crore faces, but one body. She speaks 18 languages, but thinks as one.
My dear countrymen, there are times when mundane things in life enrich us with a great message. Just the other day, I was reading a story in the media on scuba divers. This is a story that can be inspiring for all Indians. One day, these scuba divers, who impart training in Vishakhapattanam, were obstructed by plastic bottles and pouches on their way back from sea on Mangamaripetta beach. While cleaning the litter, they found the matter grave. They were appalled at the way our sea is being littered with garbage. For the last many days, these divers go up to 100 mts. away from the coast; dive deep and take out the garbage lying around. And I am told that just within 13 days ie 2 weeks, they have removed more than 4000kg of plastic waste from the sea. This small beginning by the divers is being transformed into a big mission.
They are being helped by local people now. Local fishermen have also started to help them by all means.
Pondering over, taking inspiration from these scuba divers, if we too, take a pledge to rid our surroundings of plastic waste, “Plastic Free India” can become a new example for the whole world.
My dear countrymen, the 26th of November is just two days away.. This day is special for the whole country. This is especially important for our republic since we celebrate this day as Constitution Day. This year it is even more special as we are completing 70 years of the adoption of the constitution. This occasion will be marked by a special programme in Parliament followed by many other events organised across the country throughout the year. Let us pay our respects and gratitude to all the members of the constituent assembly. Our constitution guards the rights and dignity of every citizen which has been ensured owing to the farsightedness of the architects of our constitution.
I pray that the ‘Constitution Day’ reinforces our obligation towards upholding the constitutional ideals and values thus contributing to nation building. After all, this was the dream of the makers of our constitution.
My dear countrymen, winter is knocking on the door. We can feel the pink of the season all around us. Parts of the Himalaya have begun to don sheets of snow, but this is the season of the ‘fit India movement’ too. You, your family, your friends, your friend circle, your companions, should not miss the opportunity. Use the weather to your advantage to take the ‘Fit India Movement ‘forward.
Many good wishes. Many thanks.
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JAY HIND
JAY BHARATHAM
VANDHE MATHARAM
BHARAT MATHA KI JAY.
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