Lauding India’s export figures, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the country had reached a whopping 400 billion dollars worth of deals.
Addressing his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, the PM called for ‘making the local reach the global’ and further developing the reputation of Indian products.
“At first instance, it might come across as a matter related to the economy. But more than the economy, it is related to the capability of India, the potential of India. At one time, the figure of exports from India used to be 100 billion, at times 150 billion, sometimes 200 billion. Today, India has reached 400 billion dollars,” he said in his first Mann ki Baat address after the BJP’s victory in assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa.
He said that in a way, this meant the demand for items made in India was increasing all over the world, and that it also signalled the supply chain of India getting stronger by the day. “The nation takes great strides when resolves are bigger than dreams. When there is a sincere effort day and night for the resolves, those resolutions also attain fruition. And you see, the same happens in a person’s life as well. when one’s resolve, one’s efforts, become bigger than one’s dreams, success comes to the person on its own,” he said.
The Prime Minister said new products from all corners of the country are reaching foreign shores. “Leather products from Hailakandi in Assam or handloom products from Osmanabad, fruits and vegetables from Bijapur or black rice from Chandauli, the exports of all of these are increasing. Now, you will also find the world famous apricot of Ladakh in Dubai too and in Saudi Arabia, you will find bananas shipped from Tamil Nadu,” he said.
He also called attention to an array of new products being sent to ever newer countries. “For example, the first consignment of millets grown in Himachal and Uttarakhand was exported to Denmark. Bainganapalli and Subarnarekha mangoes from Krishna and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh were exported to South Korea. Fresh jackfruits from Tripura were exported to London by air and for the first time King Chilli from Nagaland was dispatched to London. Similarly, the first consignment of Bhalia wheat was exported from Gujarat to Kenya and Sri Lanka. This means, now if you go to other countries, Made in India products will be more visible than ever before,” he said.
Modi said the basis of the country’s strength are farmers, artisans, weavers, engineers, small entrepreneurs, the MSME sector, among others. “It is only due to their hard work, that the goal of exporting to the tune of $ 400 billion has been achieved and I am happy that this power of the people of India is now reaching new markets in every nook and corner of the world,” he said.
“When each and every Indian is vocal for local, it does not take long for the local to become global. Let’s make the local ‘global’ and augment the prestige of our products further,” he said.
Modi also mentioned Yoga instructor 126-year-old Swami Sivananda, who was recently awarded the Padma Shri. “You must have observed Baba Sivanand ji in the recently held Padma Awards ceremony. Both, the age of 126 years and the fitness of Baba Sivanand are the subject of discussion in the country today,” the PM said.
“I was shocked after looking at the agility of the 126-year-old Yoga practitioner. When we came across each other, Swami Sivananda politely bowed down to greet me in the Nandi mudra. Reciprocating the gesture, even I promptly bowed to greet him,” Modi said, adding that he wished him a long life. “He has a burning passion for Yoga and he lives an extremely healthy lifestyle.”
Modi also lauded small entrepreneurs for playing a major partnership role in government procurement through Government e-Market place (GeM). “A much transparent system has been developed through technology. During the last one year through the GeM portal, the government has purchased items worth more than one lakh crore rupees. Close to 1.25 lakh small entrepreneurs, small shopkeepers from every corner of the country have sold their goods directly to the government,” he said.
He said there was a time when only big companies could sell goods to the government but that now the country was changing and so were the old systems. “Now even the smallest of shopkeepers can sell one’s goods to the government on the GeM Portal – this is the New India. She not only dreams big, but also shows the courage to reach that goal, where no one has reached before. On the basis of this very courage, all of us Indians together will definitely fulfill the dream of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, a self-reliant India,” he concluded.
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