New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced that a nationwide “Mera Yuva Bharat” platform will be launched on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary on October 31. During his monthly radio show “Mann ki Baat”, Mr Modi said the initiative will be a “unique effort of integrating the youth power of India in building a developed India” and called upon the youth to register through a website -- MYBharat.Gov.In
"MYBharat will provide an opportunity to the youth of India to play an active role in various nation-building events. This is a unique effort to integrate the youth power of India into building a developed India," the Prime Minister said.
Mr Modi also noted that October 31 marks former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's death anniversary and paid tribute to her.
In his remarks, Mr Modi reiterated his strong pitch for being "vocal for local". He said, "Like every time, this time too, during festivals, our priority should be vocal for local… I want to reiterate my request that wherever you go on tourism or pilgrimage, buy products made by local artisans."
"Today, India is becoming the world's biggest manufacturing hub. Many big brands are manufacturing their products here. If we adopt those products, then Make in India gets a fillip and this too is being vocal for local," he said.
Mr Modi urged people to insist on using the UPI digital payment system during transactions and said buying local products will spread the brightness of the upcoming Diwali festival for artisans.
Speaking on various issues, the Prime Minister said that on Gandhi Jayanti, khadi products witnessed record sales, with a store at Connaught Place in the national capital alone chalking up a sale of Rs 1.25 crores in a single day. Earlier, the sale of khadi products could barely touch Rs 30,000 crores; it has risen to almost Rs 1.25-lakh crores now, he said.
Noting that "Amrit Kalash Yatras" were organised to collect soil from across the country, the Prime Minister said these yatras are now reaching Delhi and the collected soil will be used in building Amrit Vatika.
"It will remain as a grand legacy of the Amrit Mahotsav in the heart of the country's capital. The Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, which has been going on for the last two-and-a- half years across the country, will conclude on October 31," Mr Modi said.
The Prime Minister also paid tribute to revered tribal figure Birsa Munda, noting that his birth anniversary on November 15 is observed as "Janjaatiya Gaurav Diwas".
"We can learn from his life what true courage is and what it means to stand firm on one's resolve. He never accepted foreign rule. He envisioned a society where there was no room for injustice. He wanted that every person should be entitled to a life of dignity and equality," he said.
Mr Modi said India has a rich history of tribal warriors and cited many prominent figures like Tilka Manjhi, Sidhho and Kanhu and Tantiya Bheel.
The country is currently celebrating the 500th birth anniversary of Rani Durgavati, who inspired the tribal society, the Prime Minister said, while expressing hope that more youths will come to know about the tribal personalities of their region and derive inspiration from them.
"The country is grateful to its tribal society, which has always held the self-respect and upliftment of the nation paramount," Mr Modi said.
The Prime Minister referred to a famous pilgrim site, Amba Ji Mandir, in Gujarat and noted that sculptures made from scrap dot the way to the temple.
Mr Modi said these statues have also become a centre of attraction for devotees and urged the Gujarat government to start a competition and invite people who are proficient in making artefacts from waste.
This will also inspire people for the "Waste to Wealth" campaign across the country, the Prime Minister said.
Speaking about India winning over 200 medals, including 75 gold, at the Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin, Mr Modi noted that several athletes performed admirably at the event where athletes with disabilities participate.
