Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged people to suggest to him issues he can include in his Independence Day speech on August 15.
Addressing the nation in ‘Mann ki Baat’ programme, Mr. Modi said he did not want people to think that only the Prime Minister spoke from the Red Fort.
“Suggest me whatever comes to your mind, I will share it with the country,” he said.
Free check-up for pregnant women
Expressing concern over pregnancy related deaths and other complications, Mr. Modi said government hospitals and other facilities will provide free medical care to needy pregnant women in the country.
Mr. Modi called upon doctors across the country to join in the government’s mission to provide free medical care once in a month to pregnant women in their areas.
“The government of India has started a mission to help such women. Lots of doctors have already written to me, but we will need more,” he said, adding that on 9th day of every month pregnant woman will be checked and given medical aid at government hospitals free-of-cost.
Cautions people on mobile, internet frauds
Mr. Modi also cautioned citizens against falling victim to frauds perpetrated through the use of mobile phones and internet.
“People receive tempting offers of gift prizes and other swindling schemes over their mobile phones or via internet,” Mr. Modi said, referring to reports of a women committing suicide after being duped in this manner.
“These are new ways thrown up by technology to loot the public. I know of a retired person with a daughter to marry off and a home to build, who received such a gift offer from abroad, asking that he first deposit Rs. 2 lakh in a bank as customs duty for receiving the item,” he said.
“A new way of digital crime is where criminals falsely get your bank, credit card details and soon find their accounts emptied of money. People should become aware and not fall into the trap of such tempting offers,” he noted.
‘We must focus on research, innovation in technology’
The Prime Minister said that the country needs to focus on research and innovation in the field of technology to fulfil former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s dream.
“We can only fulfil Kalam’s dream if the next generation work towards developing technology to which can be used in day-to-day life,” he said.
“Technology keeps changing from time-to-time, you can’t hold technology. The coming century is technology-driven. Therefore, we must focus on research and innovation in technology,” he asserted.
He further said that the government has launched ‘Atal Innovation Mission’ to create an ecosystem for innovation in technology.
“Let us aim to innovate. The NITI Ayog is promoting ‘Atal Innovation Mission’ which will create an ecosystem for innovation, experiment and entrepreneurship. This will also create employment opportunities,” he noted.
Mr. Modi also said that the government has allocated separate funds to set up tinkering labs and implementation centres to for Atal Innovation Mission.
“The government will sanction Rs. 10 lakh to set up tinkering labs in schools. The government received as many as 13,000 applications from schools to set up tinkering labs,” he said.
“We have also allocated Rs. 10 crore to set up new implementation centre strengthen existing ones,” the Prime Minister added.
‘Ready to play postman for Indian players’
The Prime Minister also said that he was ready to play “postman” in sending best wishes to Indian contingent at Rio Olympic Games 2016, scheduled to begin on August 5.
“A sports ‘Mahakumbh’ is being organised. The whole world will play. Every country will watch its players very closely and we too will do the same. I am ready to send your messages to our players,” Mr. Modi said in his Mann ki Baat radio programme.
“A person does not become a player overnight. It takes a lot of hard work and patience,” said the Prime Minister wishing well to the biggest ever Indian sports contingent in Rio.
