‘Mann Ki Baat’ To Not Broadcast For Next 3 Months, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s monthly radio show, ‘Mann Ki Baat,’ will not be broadcast for the next three months due to the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, the PM announced on Sunday.

“Mann ki Baat will not be broadcast for the next three months in view of upcoming Lok Sabha polls,” PM Modi said while addressing the nation in his 110th edition of the programme.

The 110th episode of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly radio address, Mann Ki Baat, aired on Sunday at 11 a.m., marking his second show of the year.

The show is televised on the last Sunday of each month.

Mann Ki Baat, which debuted on October 3, 2014, attempts to engage with several elements of Indian society, including women, the elderly, and the youth.

PM Modi uses this forum to share information about government projects, policies, and welfare schemes.

Aside from 22 Indian languages and 29 dialects, ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is broadcast in 11 foreign languages: French, Chinese, Indonesian, Tibetan, Burmese, Baluchi, Arabic, Pashtu, Persian, Dari, and Swahili. Mann Ki Baat was broadcasted by more than 500 All India Radio broadcast centres.

A study on the impact of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on people’s lives found that over 100 crore people have connected to it at least once; it speaks directly to people, celebrates grassroots-level changemakers and achievements, and has influenced people to take positive actions.

Notably, in his 110th episode of ‘Mann ki Baat’ on Sunday, the Prime Minister stated that women’s power in the country is reaching new heights of growth in all areas.

“After a few days on March 8, we will celebrate Women’s Day. This special day is an opportunity to salute the contributions of women’s power in the developmental journey of the country. The great poet Bharathiyar Ji has said that the world will prosper only when women get equal opportunities. Nari Shakti (women power) is touching new heights of progress in every field,” the PM said.

The PM also mentioned the ‘NaMo Drone Didi’ plan, which PM Modi started last year, and stated that it had improved the lives of rural women.

“Who would have thought till a few years ago that in our country, women living in villages would also fly drones? But today this is becoming possible. Today, there is so much discussion about Drone Didi in every village, Namo Drone Didi, Namo Drone Didi is on everyone’s lips. Everyone is talking about them,” he said.

Last year, PM Modi inaugurated the Namo Drone Didi project. Since then, in addition to IFFCO, numerous fertilizer firms have stepped up to empower women through self-help group schemes such as ‘Lakhpati didi’.

A landmark effort to empower women working in the agriculture sector involves the deployment of 15,000 drones and making ‘drone didis’ out of women–(SHGs) under the Pradhan Mantri Mahila Kisan Drone Kendras initiative.

Under this ‘Drone Ki Udaan’ program, these SHGs undergo training on drone operation and maintenance.