Indians must replace imported products, become 'vocal for local': PM Modi

'Global best must be manufactured in India,' he says in this year's last edition of 'Mann Ki Baat' radio show

Indians must use domestically made products to replace foreign ones as their resolution for the New Year said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, reiterating his government's plan to become "self reliant" in manufacturing.

"I appeal to you to make a list of goods of daily-use imported articles that have unconsciously become part of our lives and made us their captive. Let us find out their Indian alternatives and resolve to use products produced by the hard work of Indians," said Modi on this year's last edition of Mann Ki Baat, his monthly radio speech. 

The PM said "the people of India have taken many steps forward and are getting vocal for local. Our manufacturers are also thinking about making top quality products. This will boost the efforts towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat" He added that while focusing on Made-in-India products the manufacturers should not compromise with the quality of materials produced by them.

"This is the right time to work with 'zero effect, zero defect' policy."

"The global best must be manufactured in India. For this, our entrepreneurs and startups must come forward… Vocal for Local is resonating in every house today," Modi said.

"India faced many challenges this year but came out triumphant because it was Atmanirbhar (self-reliant)," said Modi, referring to the coronavirus pandemic.

Modi urged citizens to resolve to make the country free from single-use plastic and appreciated the efforts by some people for undertaking cleanliness drive.

"We have to think how garbage gets on beaches and mountains in the first place; after all, it is one amongst us who leaves this garbage there, we should take a resolve that we will not leave garbage at all," the Prime Minister said.

"We should take a vow that we will not litter, this is the first resolve of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan. I want to remind you of one more thing which couldn't be discussed that much because of Corona. We have to make our country free from single-use plastic; this should also be one of the resolutions for 2021," he added.

India is the second worst affected nation in the coronavirus pandemic, with 10.2 million cases and 49,129 deaths. The country on Saturday reported a net reduction of 252 to bring its count of active coronavirus cases down to 281,667, the lowest since July 10 and 72.32 per cent lower than the September 18 peak of 1,017,754.

India’s coronavirus worries are multiplied by its struggling economy that recorded its worst performance in at least two decades. It will be the worst-affected among the world’s major economies even after the pandemic wanes.