PM Modi stresses on public awareness on malnutrition, water conservation; highlights expansion of internet

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday stressed the importance of social awareness in fighting malnutrition and promoting water conservation and also noted that expansion of internet connectivity has brought a new dawn in remote areas, especially in the Northeast.

In his 'Mann Ki Baat' broadcast, the prime minister said that "Amrit Dhara" was flowing in every corner of the country in this month of India's 75th anniversary of independence and mentioned the unique ways the people have celebrated during the ongoing "Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav".

"We have seen the collective might of the country. Such a big country, so many diversities but when it came to hoisting the tricolour, everyone seemed to flow in the same spirit," he said, adding his office hardly received any letter which had no mention of the national flag or freedom movement.

He touched on a host of issues, including official efforts to deal with malnutrition, and said social awareness is crucial to this fight. The month of September is observed as nutrition month.

The prime minister highlighted different innovative methods taken up in various states to tackle malnutrition.

With the UN accepting India's proposal to observe 2023 as the International Year of Millets, Modi lauded the nutritional benefits of these grains.

The prime minister said it has been his endeavour to serve dishes made from Indian millets to foreign guests visiting India.

"Our experience has been that these dignitaries have very much relished them and also try to collect a lot of information about our coarse grains, about millets. Coarse grains have been a part of our agriculture, culture and civilisation since ancient times," he noted.

Highlighting increasing digital connectivity in remote parts of the country through Digital India which has boosted digital entrepreneurs, he spoke about the Jorsing village in Arunachal Pradesh getting 4G internet services from Independence Day.

He said, "There has been a new sunrise in the form of 4G in the remote areas of Arunachal and the North East. Internet connectivity has brought a new dawn. Facilities once available only in big cities have been brought to every village through Digital India. For this reason, new digital entrepreneurs are rising in the country."

Modi cited some examples from different parts of the country using online facilities to boost their business.

In his comments on malnutrition, he said many creative and diverse efforts are being made to tackle it.

"Better use of technology and public participation have also become an important part of 'Poshan Abhiyan'.The Jal Jeevan mission is going to have a big impact in making India malnutrition free," he said.

Efforts associated with social awareness play an important role in dealing with the challenges of malnutrition, Modi said and called on the people to make efforts to remove malnutrition.

The prime minister also urged people to watch the Swaraj serial, which highlights the contributions of freedom fighters, especially the unsung heroes, on Doordarshan.

"It is a great initiative to acquaint the younger generation of the country with the efforts of unsung heroes who took part in the freedom movement," he said.

Modi also highlighted different individual efforts in various parts of India to celebrate Independence Day on August 15.

People in Indore made a map of India through a human chain while youths in Chandigarh made a giant human tricolour. Both these efforts have also been recorded in the Guinness Records, he said.

These colours of the Amrit Mahotsav were seen not only in India but also in other countries of the world, he said.

"Local singers living in Botswana sang 75 patriotic songs to celebrate 75 years of India's independence. What is more special in this is that these 75 songs were sung in languages like Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bangla, Assamese, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Sanskrit," he said.

With his government calling for constructing 75 'Amrit Sarovar' water bodies to mark India's 75th anniversary of independence in every district, he said it has become a mass movement.

He spoke about special efforts being made by people in different places for building water bodies.

"The Amrit Sarovar Abhiyan not only solves many of our problems today; it is equally necessary for our coming generations.

"Under this campaign, in many places, old water bodies are also being rejuvenated. Amrit Sarovars are being used for quenching the thirst of animals as well as for farming," he said.

In his monthly broadcast, Modi also greeted the people on the upcoming festivals and the National Sports Day, which falls on August 29 on the birth anniversary of hockey wizard Dhyanchand.