01 December 2023, New Delhi: The Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi interacted with beneficiaries of the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra via video conferencing today. He also launched Pradhan Mantri Mahila Kisan Drone Kendra. During the program, the Prime Minister dedicated the landmark 10,000th Jan Aushadhi Kendra at AIIMS, Deoghar. Mr. Modi also launched the program to increase the number of Jan Aushadhi Kendras in the country from 10,000 to 25,000. Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Mr. Narendra Singh Tomar gave the welcome address. Lakhs of youth, women, farmers and people from different sections across the country joined this program of the Government of India’s Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra. Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister, Central and State Ministers, MPs-MLAs and other public representatives also participated at various places.
On the occasion, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi said that the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra is completing 15 days today and has now picked up pace. Noting the affection and participation of the people that has led to a change in the nomenclature of the VBSY van from ‘Vikas Rath’ to ‘Modi Ki Guarantee vehicle’, the Prime Minister thanked the citizens for their trust in the government. The Prime Minister interacted with beneficiaries from Deoghar in Jharkhand, Raigarha in Odisha, Prakasam in Andhra Pradesh, Namsai in Arunachal Pradesh, and Arnia in Jammu and Kashmir. He informed that ‘‘Modi Ki Guarantee vehicle’ has so far reached more than 12,000 gram panchayats where approximately 30 lakh citizens have engaged with it. He also lauded the participation of women in VBSY. “Every person in every village understands the meaning of development”, the Prime Minister remarked as he noted that VBSY has transformed into a public movement from a government initiative. Observing the increased digital activities on social media platforms by the new and old beneficiaries and those engaging with VBSY, Mr. Modi urged them to upload such photographs and videos on Namo App as he monitors it on a daily basis. “Youth have become ambassadors of VBSY”, Mr. Modi said. He also observed the impact of VBSY on the cleanliness of villages as campaigns have been undertaken in multiple places to welcome the ‘Modi Ki Guarantee vehicle’. He further added,“India is now unstoppable and untiring. It is the people of India who have made a decision to make it a developed nation”. He also touched upon the push for ‘Vocal for Local’ in the recently concluded festive season.
Mr. Narendra Modi said that the government’s approach of recognizing the needs of citizens and giving them their rights based on the principles of natural justice-social justice has created new aspirations and ended the feeling of neglect among crores of citizens. The Prime Minister said that where expectations from others end, Modi’s guarantee begins from there. The Prime Minister said that the resolution of a developed India is not of Modi or any government, it is a resolution of taking everyone along on the path of development. Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra aims to extend government schemes and benefits to those who are left behind. He also informed that he is closely monitoring the developments on the NaMo app. He also urged the youth to register as Mera Bharat volunteers and join the Mera Bharat campaign. Underlining at the start of the VBSY that it is based on 4 Amrit pillars of ‘Viksit Bharat’, the Prime Minister recalled India’s Nari Shakti, Yuva Shakti, the farmers and the poor families of India and said that the progress of these four creeds will make India a developed country. Mr. Modi said that the government strives to improve the standard of living and drive away poverty from poor families, create employment and self-employment opportunities for the youth, empower the women of India by tackling their issues, and improve the income and capabilities of India’s farmers. “I will not rest until the issues of the poor, women, farmers and the youth are completely addressed”, PM Modi said. The ongoing campaign to make women self-reliant through self-help groups will get strength from Drone Didi and additional sources of income will be available. With this, farmers will be able to get modern technology like drones at a very low cost, which will save time, medicine and fertilizers.
Referring to the inauguration of the 10,000th Jan Aushadhi Kendra, Mr. Modi said that it has become a center for procuring medicines at cheaper rates for the poor and middle class. “Jan Aushadhi Kendras are now being called ‘Modi’s Medicine Shop’”, the Prime Minister added and thanked the citizens for their affection. He informed that roughly 2000 types of medicines are sold at an 80 to 90 percent discount at such centers. He also congratulated the citizens, especially the women of the country, for the launch of program to further expand the number of Jan Aushadhi Kendras from 10,000 to 25,000. He also expressed happiness that the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna has been extended for another 5 years. “Modi’s guarantee means the guarantee of fulfillment”, he added. Concluding the address, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of the entire government machinery and government employees in initiating this entire campaign. He also recalled the success of the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan a few years ago and informed that the campaign was run in two phases in about 60 thousand villages of the country with seven schemes being taken to the beneficiaries. “Thousands of villages in aspirational districts were also included in this”, he added. Mr. Modi praised the efforts of government representatives involved in this campaign to serve the country and society. “Stand firm with complete honesty, keep reaching every village. The Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra will be completed only with Sabka Prayas”, Mr. Modi concluded.
Union Minister Mr. Narendra Singh Tomar, present at the program in Ghaziabad, said that after independence, many Prime Ministers ran the affairs of the country and tried to take the country forward, but ever since Mr. Modi took over as Prime Minister in 2014, he has been praised for his passion for taking the country forward, commitment to transparency and sensitivity towards the poor. Generally, governments make plans and announcements, but implementation is not given the required attention. This is a reflection of the sensitivity of Prime Minister Mr. Modi that on one hand he conceives and creates schemes and then also works hard for 100 percent implementation. Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra is an example of this. This program is not limited to just distributing benefits to the beneficiaries. The Prime Minister envisions that the country should transform into a developed India by 2047. This is a big and comprehensive campaign. If every citizen of the country and people of all sections join hands with this campaign and try to move forward, then in the future our country will be able to establish itself as the best India on the global map. To conduct the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, about 3 thousand vehicles have been made available in the form of chariots, which will reach about six thousand villages every day. The yatra, which started in November, will continue till January 26.
Mr. Narendra Singh Tomar said that the Prime Minister wants to make efforts through this yatra to ensure that the schemes made to bring changes in the living standards of the poor reach the general public and the eligible people get their benefits. In the race of development, the Prime Minister selected backward districts and named them as aspirational districts, so that they can come at par with others. Schemes were started to provide justice and basic facilities to the tribals. Prime Minister Mr. Modi ensures the implementation of whatever he says at the grassroots level. In his speech on August 15, he had said that the government will promote technology in the rural development and agriculture sectors and provide 15 thousand drones to women. Through this Drone Didi, women will be empowered, they will become self-reliant, their livelihood will improve through employment generation. Besides, by increasing the use of drones in farming, farming will also improve. Today it is being inaugurated by the Prime Minister. On August 15, he had also said that 10 thousand Jan Aushadhi Kendras would be opened in the country. With the inauguration of the 10,000th center in Deoghar today, the number of Jan Aushadhi Kendras will be increased to 25 thousand. Everyone knows about Jan Aushadhi Kendra that the medicines which are usually available in the market for Rs 100 are available at half the price at these centres, some medicines are available for just Rs 10 only. Since their inception, the common man’s expenditure on medicines has reduced by lakhs of rupees and people are using this amount for other purposes. If there will be 25 thousand Jan Aushadhi kendras in the country, then the countrymen will get great facilities and it will benefit the them.
Mr. Tomar said that about 10 crore sisters are associated with about 90 lakh self-help groups across the country, who are not only bringing changes in their lives but are also making important contributions in social service and development of villages. The idea of Drone Didi program to enhance their capabilities and improve their livelihood is wonderful. When urea, DAP and pesticides are sprayed in the fields, it affects the health. Also, there remains an imbalance like over- and under-spraying at some places, but when the use of drones increases, the side effects on the health will be less and the consumption of fertilizer will also reduce. Use of Nano Urea and Nano DAP as alternatives will also increase. Union Minister Mr. Tomar said that under the leadership of the Prime Minister, through Kisan Samman Nidhi, more than Rs 2.80 lakh crore has been given in 15 installments to the accounts of about 11 crore farmers of the country. Through the Ujjwala scheme, work has been done to provide free LPG cylinders to more than 9 crore sisters. Through PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, work is being done to provide free food grains to more than 80 crore people of the country, which is the largest program in the world. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Mr. Modi, India became self sufficient and can give to the world rather than taking from them. A large part of the world today looks towards India for help.
