PM Narendra Modi shares 'Mann ki Baat' in first radio address

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi connected with the people through national broadcaster All India Radio on Friday.

The speech, titled 'Man ki Baat', is exclusive to AIR and will also be telecast on all news channels of Doordarshan. A "recording point" has been set up at 7, Race Course Road, the PM's official residence for the address.

Here are the highlights: 

• Today is Vijaya Dashmi. My greetings to all of you. I wish to share my thoughts today.
• Today's day celebrates the victory of good over evil. Ganesh sent me a mail on eliminating the ills within us.
• Let us pledge to affirm to remove dirt. Yesterday we began the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan & I want you all to join this Abhiyaan.
• Modi had announced in the beginning of September on the website mygov.in that he will be sharing his ideas through radio, and also said in a tweet that he has received many ideas and suggestions for it.
• If you buy Khadi you light the lamp of prosperity in the house of a poor person.
• We have to understand ourselves better and integrate our strengths. We are not lacking in strength.
• Our scientists have shown our might, Mars mission is our pride.
• 125 crore Indians are blessed with immense skill and strengthen. All we need to do is to understand our strengths.
• Through mails, social media lot of people write to me. Gautam Pal wrote to me about specially abled children.
• I really liked what he wrote. I remember we began Khel Mahakumbh for specially abled athletes & I myself would go & see the sports.
• This nation belongs to everyone. It is important for people to be a part of the development journey.
• On mail lot of people wrote to me that children should begin skill development courses at a very young age. This is a good suggestion.
• Some wrote to me that we should have more dustbins. This is also a good point.
• I want you to keep sharing these things with me. Together let us serve India and take our Nation to newer heights.
• Today is the start. In future too I will keep talking to you on the Radio. It will be on a Sunday at 11:00 am.
• I am really happy to be talking to you on the Radio. I can reach all of you through Radio, especially our poor, the villages.
• Share your thoughts and ideas with the PM on http://www.mygov.in
• The program has concluded.

According to officials, the speech will be quickly translated into 24 Indian and 16 foreign languages.

The radio programme is one of the efforts being made by Modi to connect with the people.

According to AIR old-timers, former prime minister Indira Gandhi was the last leader to have regularly used the radio medium to address the nation.

According to the AIR website, its service comprises 413 stations located across the country, reaching nearly 92 per cent of the country's area and 99.19 per cent of the population.

AIR originates programming in 23 languages and 146 dialects.