Modi seeks inputs for Independence Day speech in Mann Ki Baat

Last year the Prime Minister had stressed toilet for all schools

What Prime Minister Narendra Modi may say this Independence Day has been a subject of speculation  in the past few weeks, but it seems the speech is yet to be decided. The PM, in his Mann Ki Baat programme on Sunday, sought inputs from people of the country on what should be the theme of his Independence Day speech. Last year, in Modi’s first August 15 speech as PM, toilet for all schools was the most significant promise.

Modi began his Mann Ki Baat, which is broadcast on All India Radio and Doordarshan channels, with tribute to Kargil soldiers and talk around good rains. Expressing hope that kharif crops will be good because of good rains, the PM said pulse sowing was likely to be up 50 per cent and oilseeds 33 per cent. July 26 being the Kargil victory day, he said that like farmers, even soldiers were attached to the soil and described how every town and village of India was involved in the Kargil war.

Among the other issues Modi spoke on included the success of the website mygov.in, importance of road safety, involvement of government employees in their work, a village in Chhattisgarh meeting its toilet construction target, space mission achievements, 24X7 electricity for villages, and scouting for talent.

The PM said he encouraged IAS officers to interact with school and college children in remote areas in their free time, to give them a direction, while speaking on the HRD ministry’s Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan, a programme meant to nurture a spirit of enquiry and inculcate a scientific temperament.

The PM connected with the common man by talking about a recent Delhi accident where the victim didn’t get any help from the people around. He said he got many suggestions to speak on road safety, and gave out statistics on accidents—an accident every minute, a death in accident every four minutes and one-third of the accidents deaths in 15 to 25 years age group.

Modi wrapped up today’s Mann Ki Baat by reiterating the promise of electricity for all villages round the clock and greetings for the upcoming festival season.