My dear countrymen,

Today’s Budget, though an Interim Budget, is an inclusive and innovative Budget. This Budget carries the confidence of continuity. This Budget will empower all four pillars of ‘Viksit Bharat’ — youth, the poor, women, and farmers. Nirmala ji’s Budget is a Budget for building the future of the country. This Budget carries the guarantee of strengthening the foundation of ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. I congratulate Nirmala ji and her team wholeheartedly.

Friends,

This Budget reflects Bharat’s young aspirations. Two important decisions have been taken in the Budget. A fund of Rs. 1 lakh crore has been announced for research and innovation. There has also been an announcement in the Budget to expand the tax exemption for start-ups.

Friends,

While keeping the fiscal deficit under control in this Budget, a historic high of Rs. 11 lakh 11 thousand 111 crore has been allocated for capital expenditure. In the language of economists, this is somewhat of a sweet spot. This will not only lead to the construction of 21st-century modern infrastructure in Bharat, but also create countless new opportunities for employment for the youth. In the Budget, it has been announced to manufacture 40,000 modern coaches under the ‘Vande Bharat Standard’ and induct them in regular passenger trains. This will enhance the experience of comfortable travel for millions of passengers on different railway routes across the country.

Friends,

We set a big goal, achieve it, and then set an even bigger goal for ourselves. We have built more than 4 crore houses for the poor in villages and cities. Now we have set a goal of building 2 crore more new houses. Our initial goal was to make 2 crore women ‘Lakhpati Didis’. Now, this goal has been increased to making 3 crore ‘Lakhpati Didis’. The Ayushman Bharat scheme has greatly helped the poor. Now, Anganwadi and ASHA workers will also benefit from this scheme.

Friends,

In this Budget, significant emphasis has been placed on empowering the poor and middle class, creating new income opportunities for them. Under the Rooftop Solar campaign, one crore families will receive free electricity through solar rooftop panels. Not only this, people will also earn an additional income of 15 to 20 thousand rupees annually by selling surplus electricity to the government. This income will be available to every family.

Friends,

The announcement of the income tax remission scheme today will provide significant relief to nearly one crore middle-class individuals. Previous governments had burdened the common man with a heavy sword hanging over their heads for decades. Today, crucial and significant decisions have also been made for the farmers in this Budget. Whether it’s the use of Nano DAP, a new scheme for livestock, expansion of the PM Matsya Sampada Yojana, or the Aatmanirbhar Oil Seed Abhiyan, farmers’ income will increase, and there will be considerable reduction in expenses. Once again, I extend my best wishes to all citizens for this historic Budget. Thank you very much.

The Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Interim Union Budget for 2024-2025 in Parliament today announced that the capital expenditure outlay for the next year is being increased by 11.1 per cent to Rs 11,11,111 crore, which would be  3.4 per cent of the GDP.

She said, this is in the wake of building on the massive tripling of the capital expenditure outlay in the past 4 years resulting in huge multiplier impact on economic growth and employment creation.

As per the First Advance Estimates of National Income of FY 2023-24, presented along with the Finance Minister’s speech, India’s Real GDP is projected to grow at 7.3 per cent. This is also in line with the upward revision in growth projections for FY2023-24 by the RBI (in its December 2023 Monetary Policy Committee meeting) from 6.5 per cent to 7 per cent, prompted by strong growth in Q2 of FY2023-24.

Indian economy has demonstrated resilience and maintained healthy macro-economic fundamentals, despite global economic challenges. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its World Economic Outlook (WEO), October 2023, has revised its growth projection for India for FY2023-24 upwards to 6.3 per cent from 6.1 per cent projected in July 2023. This reflects increasing global confidence in India’s economic prowess at a time when global growth projection for 2023 remains unchanged at 3 per cent.

As per the IMF, India is likely to become the third-largest economy in 2027 (in USD at market exchange rate) and it also estimated that India’s contribution to global growth will rise by 200 basis points in 5 years. Moreover, various international agencies such as the World Bank, the IMF, OECD and ADB project India to grow between 6.4 per cent, 6.3 per cent, 6.1 per cent and 6.7 per cent, respectively in 2024-25.

The Finance Minister stated that strong growth in economic activity has imparted buoyancy to revenue collections and pointed out that GST collection stood at ₹1.65 lakh crore in December 2023.This is the seventh-time that gross GST revenues have crossed ₹1.6 lakh crore benchmark.

She said, coming to 2024-25, the total receipts other than borrowings and the total expenditure are estimated at Rs 30.80 and 47.66 lakh crore respectively. The tax receipts are estimated at Rs 26.02 lakh crore.

In a major announcement, the Finance Minister said, the scheme of fifty-year interest free loan for capital expenditure to states will be continued this year with total outlay of Rs1.3 lakh crore. A provision of seventy-five thousand crore rupees as fifty-year interest free loan is proposed this year to support the milestone-linked reforms of Viksit Bharat by the State Governments.

Referring to the fiscal consolidation, as announced in her Budget Speech for 2021-22, to reduce fiscal deficit below 4.5 per cent by 2025-26, Smt Sitharaman said, the fiscal deficit in
2024-25 is estimated to be 5.1 per cent of GDP, adhering to that path.

Similarly, the gross and net market borrowings through dated securities during 2024-25 are estimated at Rs 14.13 and 11.75 lakh crore respectively and both will be less than that in 2023-24.

Pointing out at some of the bright spots of the economy, the Finance Minister informed that the  Revised Estimate of the total receipts other than borrowings is Rs 27.56 lakh crore, of which the tax receipts are Rs 23.24 lakh crore. The Revised Estimate of the total expenditure is Rs 44.90 lakh crore.  The revenue receipts at Rs 30.03 lakh crore are expected to be higher than the Budget Estimate, reflecting strong growth momentum and formalization in the economy.

Smt Sitharaman also stated that the gross and net market borrowings through dated securities during 2024-25 are estimated at Rs14.13 and 11.75 lakh crore respectively and both will be less than that in 2023-24.

She announced that the FDI inflow during 2014-23 was USD 596 billion marking a golden era and this is twice the inflow during 2005-14.
For encouraging sustained foreign investment, we are negotiating bilateral investment treaties with our foreign partners, in the spirit of ‘first develop India’, the Finance Minister added

Smt Nirmala Sithraman said, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi firmly believes and focused  on four major castes. They are, ‘Garib’ (Poor), ‘Mahilayen’ (Women), ‘Yuva’ (Youth) and  ‘Annadata’(Farmer). She said, their needs, their aspirations, and their welfare are government’s highest priority, because the country progresses, when they progress.

Smt Nirmala Sitharaman elaborated that this government’s humane and inclusive approach to development is a marked and deliberate departure from the earlier approach of ‘provisioning up-to-village level’. Development programmes, in the last ten years, have targeted each and every household and individual, through ‘housing for all’, ‘hargharjal’, electricity for all, cooking gas for all, bank accounts and financial services for all, in record time, she added.

The Finance Minister stressed that this Government is working with an approach to development that is all-round, all-pervasive and all-inclusive (सर्वांगीण, सर्वस्पर्शी और सर्वसमावेशी). It covers all castes and people at all levels. She said, “We are working to make India a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. For achieving that goal, we need to improve people’s capability and empower them”.

She also pointed out, “Previously, social justice was mostly a political slogan. For our Government, social justice is an effective and necessary governance model”.

The Finance Minister announced amidst thumping of desks that the Indian economy has witnessed profound positive transformation in the last ten years and the people of India are looking ahead to the future with hope and optimism. She added, “Conditions were created for more opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship. The economy got a new vigour. The fruits of development started reaching the people at scale. The country got a new sense of purpose and hope”.

The Finance Minister informed that with the pursuit of ‘SabkakaSaath’ in these 10 years, the Government has assisted 25 crore people to get freedom from multi-dimensional poverty and the  Government’s efforts are now getting synergized with energy and passion of such empowered people.

She informed that PM Mudra Yojana has sanctioned 43 crore loans aggregating to Rs 22.5 lakh crore for entrepreneurial aspirations. It may be mentioned that thirty crore Mudra Yojana loans have been given to women entrepreneurs.

The Interim Budget contains a number of announcements and strategies indicating directions and development approach for making India Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Making a slew of announcements, Smt Nirmala Sitharaman said, the Government will pay utmost attention to make the eastern region and its people a powerful driver of India’s growth, PM Awas Yojana (Grameen) is close to achieving the target of three crore houses and two crore more houses will be taken up in the next five years to meet the requirement arising from increase in the number of families.  Similarly, through rooftop solarization, one crore households will be enabled to obtain up to 300 units free electricity every month.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana has benefitted 38 lakh farmers and generated 10 lakh employment. Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Yojana has assisted 2.4 lakh SHGs and sixty thousand individuals with credit linkages.

Smt Nirmala Sitharaman announced that for our tech savvy youth, this will be a golden era, as a corpus of rupees one lakh crore will be established with
fifty-year interest free loan. She said, the corpus will provide long-term financing or refinancing with long tenors and low or nil interest rates. This will also encourage the private sector to scale up research and innovation significantly in sunrise domains, she added

For Railways, three major economic railway corridor programmes will be implemented-energy, mineral and cement corridors, port connectivity corridors, and high traffic density corridors. Moreover, forty thousand normal rail bogies will be converted to the Vande Bharat standards to enhance safety, convenience and comfort of passengers.

On Aviation Sector, the number of airports have doubled to 149 and today five hundred and seventeen new routes are carrying 1.3 crore passengers. Indian carriers have pro-actively placed orders for over 1000 new aircrafts.

Smt Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the Government will form a high-powered committee for an extensive consideration of the challenges arising from fast population growth and demographic changes and the committee will be mandated to make recommendations for addressing these challenges comprehensively in relation to the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’.

The Finance Minister pointed out that Prime Minister in his Independence Day address to the nation, in the 75th year of our Republic said, “we commit ourselves to national development, with new inspirations, new consciousness, new resolutions, as the country opens up immense possibilities and opportunities”. It is our ‘KartavyaKaal’. She said, “Every challenge of the pre-2014 era was overcome through our economic management and our governance and these have placed the country on a resolute path of sustained high growth”.

Smt Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized, “This has been possible through our right policies, true intentions, and appropriate decisions. In the full budget in July, our Government will present a detailed roadmap for our pursuit of ‘Viksit Bharat’.

PART-B SUMMARY

No change relating to taxation has been proposed in the Interim Budget. The same rates for direct taxes and indirect taxes, including import duties, have been retained. However, to provide continuity in taxation, certain tax benefits to Start-Ups and investments made by sovereign wealth or pension funds as also tax exemptions on certain income of some IFC units have been extended by one year up to 31st March, 2025.

Withdrawal of Outstanding direct tax demands

Smt. Sitharaman made an announcement to improve tax payer services  which is in line with the government’s vision to improve ease of living and ease of doing business. There are a large number of petty, non-verified, non-reconciled or disputed direct tax demands, many of them dating as far back as the year 1962, which continue to remain on the books, causing anxiety to honest tax payers and hindering refunds of subsequent years. The Interim Budget proposes to withdraw such outstanding direct tax demands up to Rs. 25000/- pertaining to the period up to financial year 2009-10 and up to Rs. 10,000/- for financial years 2010-11 to 2014-15. This is expected to benefit about a crore tax payers.

Direct tax collections trebled

Appreciating the tax payers for their support, Smt. Sitharaman said that over the last 10 years the direct tax collections have more than trebled and the return filers swelled to 2.4 times. She highlighted the fact the Government has reduced and rationalised the tax rates due to which under the new tax regime there is no tax liability for tax payers with income up to Rs. 7 lakh. She also mentioned about increase in threshold for presumptive taxation for retail businesses as well as professionals. The Minister also mentioned about decrease in corporate tax rates for existing domestic companies from 30% to 22%, and for certain new manufacturing companies to 15%. In her Interim Budget speech, the Minister said that in the last 5 years the Government’s focus has been to improve tax-payer services which has led to transformation of age-old jurisdiction-based assessment system, and filing of tax returns has been made simpler and easier. Average processing time of returns has been reduced from 93 days in the year 2013-14 to a mere ten days this year, thereby making refunds faster, she added.

GST reduced compliance burden

On indirect taxes, the Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman said that GST has reduced the compliance burden on trade and industry by unifying the highly fragmented indirect tax regime in India. Mentioning about a recent survey conducted by a leading consulting firm, she said that 94% of industry leaders view the transition to GST as largely positive. In her Interim Budget speech, the Minister highlighted the fact that tax base of GST has more than doubled and average monthly gross GST collection has almost doubled to Rs. 1.66 lakh crore this year. States too have benefited. States’ SGST revenue, including compensation released to states, in the post-GST period of 2017-18 to 2022-23, has achieved a buoyancy of 1.22. The Minister said that the biggest beneficiaries are the consumers as reduction in logistics cost and taxes have brought down prices of most goods and services. Mentioning about a number of steps taken in customs to facilitate international trade, Smt. Sitharaman said the import release time declined by 47 per cent to 71 hours at Inland Container Depots, by 28 per cent to 44 hours at air cargo complexes and by 27 per cent to 85 hours at sea ports, over the last four years since 2019.

Laying of White Paper

On the status of Indian economy, the Union Minister said that in 2014 the responsibility to mend the economy step by step and to put the Governance systems in order was enormous, which she said was done by the Government sucessfully following its strong belief of ‘nation-first’. She assured that the crisis of those years has been overcome and economy has been put firmly on a high sustainable growth path with all-round development. She announced that the Government will come out with a white paper, on ‘where we were then till 2014 and where we are now, only for the purpose of drawing lessons from the mismanagement of those years’.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi interacted with students, teachers and parents at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi today during the 7th edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC). He also took a walkthrough of the art and crafts exhibition showcased on the occasion. PPC is a movement driven by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to bring together students, parents, teachers and society to foster an environment where each child’s unique individuality is celebrated, encouraged and allowed to express itself fully.

Addressing the gathering of students, teachers and parents, the Prime Minister mentioned the creations by the students in the exhibition where they have expressed aspirations and concepts like New National Education Policy in various shapes. He said these exhibits reflect what the new generations think about various topics and what solutions they have for these issues.

Starting his interaction, the Prime Minister explained the importance of the venue, i.e. Bharat Mandapam to the students and told them about the G20 summit where all the major leaders of the world assembled and discussed the future of the world.

External pressure and stress

Dania Shabu from a private CBSE school in Oman and Md. Arsh from Govt. Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya, Burari in Delhi raised the issue of addressing external factors such as cultural and societal expectations contributing to added pressure on students. The Prime Minister noted that questions regarding cultural and societal expectations have always come up in PPC, even though it is the 7th edition. He highlighted the role of teachers in mitigating the impact of added pressure from external factors upon students and also pointed out that parents have experienced this from time to time. He suggested making oneself capable of handling pressure and preparing for it as a part of life. The Prime Minister urged the students to prepare themselves mentally by giving the example of travelling from one extreme climate condition to the other where the mind already prepares to face extreme weather conditions. He also suggested assessing stress levels and moving forward by gradually incrementing it so that the student’s ability is not hampered by it. Shri Modi urged the students, families and teachers to collectively address the issue of external stress while evolving the process rather than implementing a systematic theory. He also suggested that families of students should discuss different ways that work for each of them.

Peer pressure and competition among friends

Addressing the issue of peer pressure and competition among friends raised by Bhagya Laxmi from Govt Demonstration Multipurpose School in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Drashti Chauhan from JNV Panchmahal in Gujarat and Swathi Dileep from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Calicut, Kerala, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of competition however, he emphasized that competition should be healthy. He pointed out that often the seeds of unhealthy competition are planted in the family situations leading to perverse competition among the siblings. PM Modi asked the parents to avoid comparison among the children. The Prime Minister gave an example of a video where children prioritized helping each other while competing in a healthy manner. He said that doing well in exams is not a zero-sum game and competition is with oneself as good performance by a friend does not restrict the field to do well. This tendency, said the Prime Minister, may give rise to a tendency to befriend those who will not be an inspiring company. He also asked the parents not to compare their children with other children. He also asked them not to make the achievement of their children their visiting card. PM Modi asked students to rejoice in the success of their friends.”Friendship is not a transactional emotion’, the Prime Minister said.

Role of teachers in motivating students

Throwing light on the role of teachers in motivating students, the Prime Minister replied to questions by Shri Kondakanchi Sampatha Rao, a Music teacher from ZP High School, Upparapalli, Andhra Pradesh, and Bunty Medi, a teacher from Sivasagar Assam. The Prime Minister underlined that music has the capability to relieve the stress of students who not only belong to one class but the entire school. Shri Modi emphasized gradually expanding the student-teacher association right from the first day of class to the time of the exam and said that it would completely eliminate stress during exams. He also urged the teachers to become more accessible to students rather than associating with them on the basis of subjects taught. Giving the example of doctors who have a personal connection with their patients, the Prime Minister said that such a bond acts as half the cure. He also suggested developing a personal connect with the families and appreciating the students for their achievements before them. “Teachers are not in a job role but they shoulder the responsibility of grooming the lives of students”, PM Modi added.

Dealing with exam stress

Adrita Chakraborti of Pranavanda Bidya Mandir, West Tripura, Shaikh Taifur Rehman, a student of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Bastar, Chhattisgarh and students from Adarsh Vidyalaya, Cuttack, Odisha, Rajyalaxmi Acharya asked the Prime Minister about dealing with exam stress. The Prime Minister emphasized the need to avoid mistakes due to over enthusiasm of the parents or over sincerity of the students. He asked the parents not to over-hype the exam day by new clothes, rituals or stationery. He also asked the students not to keep preparing until the last moment and approach exams with a relaxed mindset and to avoid any external destruction that can lead to unwanted tension. The Prime Minister advised them to read the question paper and plan with time allocation to avoid panic at the last moment. The Prime Minister reminded the students that most of the exams are still written and the habit of writing is declining due to computers and phones. He asked them to stay in the habit of writing. He asked them to devote 50 percent of their reading/study time to writing. He said only when you write something you truly understand that. He asked them not to be panicked by the speed of the other students.

Maintaining healthy lifestyle

Raising the issue of striking a balance between exam preparation and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, Dhiraj Subhas, a student of Senior Secondary School from Rajasthan, Najma Khatoon a student of PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya in Kargil, Ladakh and Abhishek Kumar Tiwari, and a teacher from Tobi Lahme a government higher secondary in Arunachal Pradesh asked the Prime Minister about managing studies along with exercise. The Prime Minister mentioned the need to recharge mobile phones to illustrate the need to take care of physical health. He asked for maintaining a balanced lifestyle and avoiding excess of everything. “Healthy body is critical for a healthy mind”, PM Modi said.  He said being healthy requires some routines and asked about spending time in sunlight and  getting regular and complete sleep. He pointed out that habits like screen time are eating into the required sleep which is considered very important by modern health science.  The Prime Minister said that in his personal life too he has maintained a system of going into deep sleep within 30 seconds of going to bed. “Awake fully when awake and sound sleep while asleep, is a balance that can be achieved”, he said. Speaking about nutrition, PM Modi stressed the balanced diet. He also emphasized the importance of regular exercise and physical activities for fitness.

Career progression

Giving insights on career progression, an issue raised by Madhumita Mallick of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Barrackpore, North 24 Pargana, West Bengal and Aditi Tanwar of The Millennium School in Panipat, Haryana, the Prime Minister suggested attaining clarity when it comes to career path and avoiding confusion and indecisiveness. Giving the example of cleanliness and the Prime Minister’s resolve behind, PM Modi underlined that ‘Swachhata’ is becoming a priority area in the nation. He informed that India’s market in the art and culture sector has grown 250 times in the last 10 years. “If we have the capability, we can liven up anything”, PM Modi said urging students to not underestimate themselves. He also suggested going all in with full dedication. Speaking about the National Education Policy, the Prime Minister highlighted the provisions to adopt different courses rather than being bound by a single stream.  He lauded the participation, skill and dedication of students in the exhibition showcased on the occasion and underlined that the work done by them to communicate government schemes is much better when compared to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of Government of India. “We must be decisive to eliminate confusion”, PM Modi said, giving the example of ordering food in a restaurant where one must decide on what to eat. He also suggested evaluating the positives and negatives of the decisions to be made.

Role of Parents 

Deepasri, a student from Puducherry Government Higher Secondary School, who joined the program via video conferencing from Delhi, asked the Prime Minister about the role of parents and how students can build trust. The Prime Minister touched upon the trust deficit in families and asked the parents and teachers to tackle this serious issue. He said that this deficit is not sudden but is a result of a long-drawn process and requires a deep self-analysis of everyone’s conduct, be it teachers, parents or students. Honest communication can reduce the chances of trust deficit, he said. Students should be sincere and honest in their dealings. Similarly, parents should also convey their confidence in their children instead of suspicion. The distance created by the trust deficit can push children into depression. The Prime Minister asked the teachers to keep channels of communication open with the students and avoid favoritism. He asked for an experiment and requested families of friends to regularly meet and discuss positive things that can help children.

Intrusion of technology

Chandresh Jain, a parent from Pune, Maharashtra raised the issue of the intrusion of technology in students’ lives and Kumari Puja Srivastava, a parent from Ramgarh, Jharkhand asked about managing studies with the abundance of social media platforms. Abhinav Rana, a student from TR DAV School, Kangoo, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, raised the issue of educating and encouraging students to manage exam stress effectively while also harnessing the benefits of mobile technology as a tool for learning. “Excess of anything is bad”, the Prime Minister said  drawing an analogy to excess mobile phone usage with home-cooked meals which when taken in excess can lead to stomach problems and other issues, even though it is rich in nutrients. He stressed making effective use of technology and mobile phones with the help of judgement-based decision-making. “Every parent faces this issue”, the Prime Minister said pointing out the subject of privacy and secrecy. He stressed formulating a set of rules and regulations in the family and mentioned no electronic gadgets during dinner and creating no gadget zones in the house. “In today’s world”, the Prime Minister said, “one cannot run away from technology.” He said that it should not be considered a burden but it is mandatory to learn its effective usage. The Prime Minister suggested students educate their parents about technology being an educational resource and also recommended sharing the passcodes of every mobile phone in their homes with every member to establish transparency. “This would prevent a lot of evils”, he added. Prime Minister Modi also touched upon monitoring screen time with the use of dedicated mobile applications and tools. He also suggested educating the students about the  resourcefulness of mobile phones  in the classroom.

How does the Prime Minister handle stress and stay positive?

M Vagesh, a student of Modern Senior Secondary School, Chennai, Tamil Nadu asked the Prime Minister about how he handles pressure and stress in the position of Prime Minister. Sneha Tyagi, a student of Dynasty Modern Gurukul Academy, Udam Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand asked the Prime Minister “How can we be positive like you?”.  The Prime Minister said that it is good to know that children know the pressures of the position of the Prime Minister. He said that everyone faces unforeseen situations. One can react to them by avoidance, however, said the Prime Minister, such people are not able to achieve much in life. “My approach which I found useful is that ‘I challenge every challenge’. I do not wait passively  for the challenge to pass. This gives me an opportunity to learn all the time. Dealing with new situations enriches me”. He further said “My biggest confidence is that I have 140 crore countrymen with me. If there are 100 million challenges, there are billions of solutions. I never find myself alone and everything is on me, I am always aware of the capabilities of my country and countrymen. This is the fundamental crux of my thinking”.  He said that though he will have to be at the forefront and mistakes will be his but the capabilities of the nation give strength. “The more I enhance the capabilities of my countrymen, my ability to challenge the challenges improves”, he said. Giving an example of the poverty issue, the Prime Minister said when the poor themselves decide to remove poverty, poetry will go away. “It is my responsibility to give them tools for dreaming such as a pucca house, toilet, education, Ayushman, piped water. Once he is unshackled of the daily indignities, he will be sure  of the abolition of poverty”, The Prime Minister said. He said that in his tenure of 10 years, 25 crore people came out of poverty.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister said that one should have the wisdom to prioritize things. This comes with experience and analyzing everything. He also said that he considers his mistakes as lessons.

He gave an illustration of the Covid pandemic and said that instead of sitting idle he chose to rally the people and raise their collective strength through acts like calling for diya, or ‘thali’. Similarly, celebrating sporting success and right strategy, direction and leadership have resulted in a massive medal haul at international events.

He said for proper governance also, there should be a system of perfect information from bottom to top and a system of perfect guidance from top to bottom.

The Prime Minister emphasized not being disappointed in life and said that once this decision is made, only positivity remains. “I have shut all doors and windows of disappointment in my life”, the Prime Minister said. He said that decision-making becomes easier when the resolve to do something is strong. “When there is no selfish motive, there is never confusion in decision”, he said. Giving emphasis on making the lives of the present generation easier, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the generation of today must not face the difficulties faced by their parents. “Government strives to make a nation where not just the present but future generations have a chance to shine and show their capabilities”, the Prime Minister said  stressing that it should be the collective resolve of the entire nation. Throwing light on the power of positive thinking, the Prime Minister said that it gives the strength to look for positive outcomes even in the most negative situations.  The Prime Minister concluded his interaction by encouraging all students and conveyed his best wishes to achieve their life goals.

Union Minister for Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan was present on the occasion among others.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today inaugurated the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the Supreme Court of India on 28 January at the Supreme Court auditorium in Delhi. He also launched citizen-centric information and technology initiatives that include Digital Supreme Court Reports (Digi SCR), Digital Courts 2.0 and a new website of the Supreme Court.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister congratulated everyone and expressed gratitude for being present when the Supreme Court of India is marking the beginning of its 75th year today and also mentioned the Constitution of India entering its 75th year two days ago.

The Prime Minister said that the makers of the Indian constitution saw the dream of a free India based on freedom, equality and justice and the Supreme Court has continuously tried to preserve these principles. The Prime Minister said that “Whether it is freedom of expression, personal freedom or social justice, the Supreme Court has strengthened India’s vibrant democracy.” The Prime Minister noted the milestone judgments on individual rights and freedom of speech that have given a new direction to the nation’s socio-political environment.

PM Modi reiterated the parameters of goals for the next 25 years for every branch of the government and said that today’s economic policies will form the basis of tomorrow’s vibrant India. “Laws that are being laid down today will strengthen the bright future of India”, PM Modi said.

Amidst the changing landscape of global geopolitics, the Prime Minister underlined that the eyes of the world are on India and its trust is constantly increasing. He emphasized the need to capitalize on all opportunities coming our way and mentioned ease of living, ease of doing business, travel, communication and ease of justice as the nation’s top priorities. “Ease of justice is the right of every Indian citizen and the Supreme Court of India, its medium”, PM Modi exhorted.

Noting that the entire justice system in the country is administered and guided by the Supreme Court of India, the Prime Minister stressed the government’s prioritization towards making the Supreme Court accessible to the remotest parts and mentioned giving acceptance to the third phase of the E-Courts Mission Project. He informed that the fund allocation for the third phase has been increased four times more than the second phase. PM Modi expressed delight that the digitization of all courts in the country is being monitored by the Chief Justice of India himself and congratulated him for his efforts.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to improving the physical infrastructure of the courts, the Prime Minister informed that after 2014, more than 7000 crore rupees have been already distributed for this purpose. Acknowledging the problems of the current Supreme Court building, PM Modi informed the gathering about last week’s approval of Rs 800 crore for the expansion of the Supreme Court Building Complex.

Commenting on the digital initiatives of the Supreme Court that were launched today, the Prime Minister expressed happiness about the availability of the decisions in a digital format and the beginning of the project of translation of the Supreme Court decision in the local language. He expressed the hope for similar arrangements in other courts of the country.

Highlighting that today’s occasion is the perfect example of technology being helpful in Ease of Justice, the Prime Minister informed that his address is being translated into English in real time with the help of AI and it can also be heard via Bhashini app. He said that there might be a few issues that arise initially but it also expands the horizons of technology usage. Even in our Courts, the Prime Minister said that similar technology can be implemented to make lives easier for the common people. Recalling his suggestions to draft laws in simple language for a better understanding of the people, Shri Modi suggested a similar approach to drafting court judgements and orders.

Underscoring the essence of Indian values and modernity in our legal framework, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the need for our laws to reflect both Indian ethos and contemporary practices. He stated, “The convergence of Indian values and modernity is equally essential in our legal statutes.” Prime Minister Modi further remarked, “The government is actively working on modernizing laws to align with the present situation and best practices.”

Prime Minister Modi highlighted the government’s initiatives in abolishing outdated colonial criminal laws and introducing new legislation such as the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Samhita, Bhartiya Nyaya Samhita, and Bhartiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. He emphasized, “Through these changes, our legal, policing, and investigative systems have entered a new era.” Emphasizing the significance of transitioning from centuries-old laws to new statutes, Prime Minister Modi stressed, “The transition from old laws to new ones should be seamless, which is imperative.” In this regard, he noted the commencement of training and capacity-building initiatives for government officials to facilitate the transition. Prime Minister Modi urged the Supreme Court to also engage in capacity-building for all stakeholders.

Prime Minister Modi underscored the crucial role of a robust justice system as the cornerstone of Viksit Bharat. He highlighted the government’s continuous efforts to create a reliable legal framework, citing the enactment of the Jan Vishwas Bill as a step in the right direction while also reducing the number of pending cases thereby alleviating unnecessary pressure from the judiciary. Prime Minister Modi also mentioned the introduction of provisions for alternative dispute resolution through mediation, which has contributed to easing the burden, especially the subordinate judiciary.

Prime Minister Modi reiterated the collective responsibility of all citizens towards realizing India’s vision of becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047. He concluded by acknowledging the significant role the Supreme Court will play in shaping the country’s future over the next 25 years and congratulated the institution on its 75th anniversary. The Prime Minister mentioned Padma Bhushan being conferred posthumously to M. Fathima Beevi and expressed pride for this opportunity.

Chief Justice of India, Dr D Y Chandrachud, Union Minister for Law and Justice, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Judges of Supreme Court, Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, Attorney General of India, Shri R Venkataramani, President of Supreme Court Bar Association, Dr Adish C Aggarwal and Chairman of Bar Council of India, Shri Manan Kumar Mishra were present on the occasion.

Background

Unveiling the seventy-fifth year of the Supreme Court, the Prime Minister launched citizen-centric information and technology initiatives that include Digital Supreme Court Reports (Digi SCR), Digital Courts 2.0 and the new website of the Supreme Court.

The Digital Supreme Court Reports (SCR) will make Supreme Court judgments available to the citizens of the country free of cost and in electronic format. The key features of digital SCR are that all 519 volumes of the Supreme Court reports since 1950, covering 36,308 cases, shall be available in a digital format, bookmarked, user-friendly, and with open access.

Digital Courts 2.0 application is a recent initiative under the e-Courts project to make court records available to the Judges of the district courts in electronic form. This is coupled with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for transcribing speech to text on a real-time basis.

The Prime Minister also launched the new website of the Supreme Court. The new website will be in bilingual format in English and Hindi and has been redesigned with a user-friendly interface.

My dear countrymen, Namaskar. This is the first ‘Mann Ki Baat’ program of 2024. There is a new enthusiasm, a new wave in Amritkaal. Two days ago, all of us countrymen celebrated the 75th Republic Day with great pomp and fervour. This year our Constitution is also attaining completion of 75 years… and the Supreme Court is also completing 75 years. These festivals of our democracy further strengthen India as the Mother of Democracy. The Constitution of India has come into being after such intense brainstorming that it is called a living document. In part three of the original copy of this very Constitution, the fundamental rights of the citizens of India have been described and it is note-worthy that at the beginning of Part three, the makers of our Constitution had allotted due space to the pictures of Bhagwan Ram, Mata Sita and Lakshman ji. The rule of Prabhu Ram was also a source of inspiration for the makers of our Constitution and that is why on January 22 in Ayodhya, I had talked about ‘Dev se Desh’… I’d referred to ‘Ram se Rashtra’.

Friends, the occasion of Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya seems to have bound around a common thread, crores of people of the country together. Everyone’s feelings are unanimous, everyone’s devotion is in unison… Ram is in everyone’s words, Ram is in everyone’s heart. During this period, many people of the country sang Ram Bhajans dedicating them at the feet of Shri Ram. On the evening of the 22nd of January, the entire country lit Ram Jyoti and celebrated Diwali. During this time, the country saw the power of togetherness, which is also a major basis for our resolves of a developed India.

I had requested the people of the country to run a cleanliness campaign from Makar Sankranti to the 22nd of January. I felt good that lakhs of people joined with devotion and cleaned religious places of their area. Many people have sent me pictures and videos related to this – this sentiment should not diminish… this campaign should not stop. This power of collectivity will take our country to new heights of success.

My dear countrymen, this time the parade of 26th January was awesome, but the most discussed element was seeing Women Power in the Parade… when the women contingents of Central Security Forces and Delhi Police started marching on Kartavya path, everyone was filled with pride. On Seeing the Marching of the women’s band and seeing their tremendous coordination, people in the country and abroad were thrilled. This time, out of the 20 contingents that marched in the Parade, 11 were of women. We saw that even in the tableaux that went by, all the artistes were women. About one and a half thousand daughters took part in the cultural programs that took place. Many female artistes were playing Indian musical instruments like Conch, Nadaswaram and Nagada. The tableau belonging to DRDO also attracted everyone’s attention. It showed how woman power is protecting the country in every field – water, land, sky, cyber and space. India of the 21st century is thus moving ahead with the mantra of Women Led Development.

Friends, you must have watched the Arjuna Award ceremony just a few days ago. In that, many promising players and athletes of the country have been honoured at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Here too, something that attracted a lot of people’s attention was the Arjuna Awardee daughters and their life journeys. This time 13 women athletes have been honored with the Arjuna Award.

These women athletes participated in many major tournaments and brought glory to the flag of India. Physical challenges, economic challenges could not hold up vis-à-vis these courageous and talented players. In the changing India, our daughters, women of the country are performing wonders in every field. There is another area where women have made their mark, that is self-help groups. Today, the number of women self-help groups in the country has also increased and their scope of work has also expanded a lot. That day is not far when you will see Namo Drone Didis helping in farming using drones in the fields in every village. I came to know about women preparing bio fertilizer and bio pesticide using local ingredients in Bahraich, UP. The women of Nibiya Begumpur village, associated with self-help groups, prepare bio-fertilizer by mixing cow dung, neem leaves and many types of medicinal plants. Similarly, these women also prepare an organic pesticide by preparing a paste of ginger, garlic, onion and chilli. These women together have formed an organization named ‘Unnati Jaivik Ikai’. This organization helps these women in preparing bio products. The demand for bio fertilizer and bio pesticide made by them is also continuously rising. Today, more than 6 thousand farmers from nearby villages are buying bio products from them. Through this, the income of these women associated with self-help groups has increased, and their financial condition has improved as well.

My dear countrymen, in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ we highlight the efforts of those countrymen who are working selflessly to strengthen the society and the country. In such a situation, when the country has announced the Padma Awards three days ago, it is natural to discuss such people in ‘Mann Ki Baat’. This time too, Padma honors have been conferred upon many countrymen who, by connecting with the grassroots, have worked to bring about big changes in the society.

A lot of curiosity across the country to know about the life journey of these inspiring people has been noticed. Away from media headlines, away from the front pages of newspapers, these people have been engaged in social service without any lime-light. We have hardly seen or heard anything about these people earlier, but now I am happy that after the announcement of Padma Awards, people such as these are being discussed everywhere; people are eager to know more and more about them. Most of these Padma Award recipients are doing unique work in their respective fields. Like, somebody is providing an ambulance service, while another is arranging a roof over the head for the destitute. There are some who are engaged in nature conservation efforts by planting thousands of trees. There is also one, who has worked for the conservation of more than 650 varieties of rice. There is one as well who is spreading awareness in the society for the prevention of drug and alcohol addiction. Many people are engaged in connecting people with Self Help Groups, especially the Nari Shakti campaign. Countrymen are also very happy about the fact that 30 of those who received the honour are women. These women are taking the society and the country forward through their work at the grassroots level.

Friends, the contribution of each one of the Padma Awardees is an inspiration for the countrymen. This time, a large number of people receiving honors are those who are bringing glory to the country in the world of classical dance, classical music, folk dance, theater and bhajans. This honor has also been conferred upon those who have done excellent work in Prakrit, Malvi and Lambadi languages. Many people from abroad have also been honored with the Padma Award, whose work is lending new heights to Indian culture and heritage. These also include citizens of France, Taiwan, Mexico and Bangladesh.

Friends, I am very happy that the system of Padma awards has completely changed in the last decade. Now it has become the People’s Padma. There have been many changes in the system of conferring the Padma awards. People even have a chance to nominate themselves now. This is the reason why this time 28 times more nominations have been received compared to 2014. This shows that the prestige of The Padma Award, its credibility and respect for it is rising every year. I once again extend my best wishes to all those receiving the Padma Awards.

My dear countrymen, it is said that every life has a goal; everyone is born to fulfill a goal. For that, people perform their duties with full devotion. We have seen that some people perform their duties through social service, some by joining the army, some by teaching the next generation, but friends, there are some people among us who even after the end of life, fulfill their responsibilities towards society and life and their medium for that is organ donation. In recent years, there have been more than a thousand people in the country who donated their organs after their death. This decision is not easy, but this decision is a saver of multiple lives. I would also appreciate those families who respected the last wishes of their near and dear ones. Today, many organizations in the country are also making very inspiring efforts in this direction. Some organizations are making people aware about organ donation, some organizations are helping in registering the people willing to donate organs. Due to such efforts, a positive environment is being created in the country towards organ donation and people’s lives are also being saved.

My dear countrymen, I am now sharing with you an achievement of India which will make the life of patients easier and their problems will be mitigated to an extent.

There must be many people among you, who get help from Ayurveda, Siddha or Unani system of medicine for treatment. But such patients face problems when they go to some other doctor of the same system. In these medical practices, a common language is not used for the terminology of diseases, treatments and medicines. Every doctor writes the name of the disease and methods of treatment in one’s own way. This sometimes makes it very difficult for other doctors to understand. A solution to this problem that has been going on for decades has now been found. I am happy to share that the Ministry of AYUSH has categorized the data and terminology related to Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicine, with the help of the World Health Organization as well. Through the efforts of both, the terminology related to disease and treatment in Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha medicine has been codified. With the help of this coding, all doctors will now write the same language on their prescriptions or slips. One advantage of this would be that if you go to another doctor with that slip, the doctor will get complete information about it from just that slip. That slip will help one in knowing one’s illness, treatment, what medicines one has been taking, for how long the treatment has been going on, what things one is allergic to. Another benefit of this will accrue to those people, who are associated with research work. Scientists from other countries will also get complete information about the disease, medicines and their effects. As the research expands and many scientists come together, these medical systems will field better results and people’s inclination towards them will rise. I am confident that our doctors associated with these AYUSH systems will adopt this coding as soon as possible.

My friends, when I am referring to AYUSH system of medicine, pictures of Yanung Jamoh Lego are also coming before my eyes. Ms. Yanung is a resident of Arunachal Pradesh and is a herbal medicinal expert.

She has done a lot of work to revive the traditional medical system of the Adi tribe. This time she has also been conferred with the Padma Award for this contribution. Similarly, this time Hemchand Manjhi of Chhattisgarh has also received the Padma Award. Vaidyaraj Hemchand Manjhi also treats people with the help of AYUSH system of medicine. He has been serving poor patients in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh for more than 5 decades. People like Ms. Yanung and Hemchand ji have a big role in preserving the treasure of Ayurveda and herbal medicine hidden in our country.

My dear countrymen, our mutual relationship through ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is a decade old now. Even in this era of social media and internet, radio is a powerful medium to connect the entire country. A unique example of how much change the power of radio can bring about is being seen in Chhattisgarh. For the last almost 7 years, a popular program is being broadcast on the radio here, whose name is ‘Hamar Hathi – Hamar Goth’. Hearing the name you may wonder what connection there could be between radio and the elephant! But this is the beauty of radio. In Chhattisgarh, this program is broadcast every evening from four stations of Akashvani – Ambikapur, Raipur, Bilaspur and Raigarh and you will be surprised to know that the people living in the forests of Chhattisgarh and its surrounding areas listen to this program with great attention. In the program ‘Hamar Hathi – Hamar Goth’ it is announced through which area of the forest a herd of elephants is passing. This information is very useful for the people here. As soon as people get information through radio about the arrival of a herd of elephants, they become alert. The danger of crossing the paths through which elephants pass is averted. On the one hand, this reduces the possibility of damage caused by elephant herds; on the other, it helps in gathering data about elephants. The use of this data will also help in the conservation of elephants in future.

Here, information related to elephants is also being disseminated to the people through social media. This has made it easier for the people living around the forest to strike a balance with the elephants. People living in other forest areas of the country can also take advantage of this unique initiative of Chhattisgarh and its experiences.

My dear countrymen, on this very 25th of January we all have celebrated National Voters Day. This is an important day for our glorious democratic traditions. Today there are approximately 96 crore voters in the country. Do you know how big this figure is? This is almost three times more than the total population of America. This is about one and a half times more than the total population of entire Europe. If we refer to polling stations, their number in the country today is around 10.5 lakh. To enable every citizen of India to exercise their democratic rights, our Election Commission sets up polling booths even at places where there is only one voter. I would like to commend the Election Commission, which has made relentless efforts to strengthen democratic values in the country.

Friends, today it is a matter of enthusiasm for the country that while the voting percentage is decreasing in many countries of the world, the voting percentage in India is increasing. In 1951-52, when elections were held for the first time in the country, only about 45 percent of the voters cast their votes. Today this figure has increased significantly. Not only has the number of voters increased in the country, but turnout has also increased. The government has also made amendments in the law so that our young voters can get more opportunities for registration. I am also happy to notice that many efforts are being made at the community level to increase awareness among voters. At some places people go door to door and tell voters about voting.

At other places the youth are being attracted through painting; elsewhere through street plays. Every such effort is infusing myriad colors into the celebration of our democracy. Through ‘Mann Ki Baat’ I will ask my first time voters to definitely get their names added to the voter list. They can easily complete it online through the National Voter Service Portal and Voter Helpline App. You should always remember that one vote of yours can change the destiny of the country; can fashion the destiny of the country.

My dear countrymen, today the 28th of January also marks the birth anniversaries of two great personalities of India who have set an example of patriotism in different periods of time. Today the country, is paying tribute to Punjab Kesari Lala Lajpat Rai ji. Lala ji was a freedom fighter, who sacrificed his life to liberate us from foreign rule. Lala ji’s personality cannot be limited only to the freedom struggle. He was immensely far sighted. He played an instrumental role in the establishment of Punjab National Bank and many other institutions. His objective was not only to expel foreigners from the country, but the vision of giving economic strength to the country was also an important part of his thought. His thought and his sacrifice greatly influenced Bhagat Singh. Today is also a day to pay homage to Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa ji with reverence. He set an example of courage and bravery by leading our army during an important period of history. He has an important contribution in making our army stronger.

My dear countrymen, today India is attaining new heights every day in the world of sports. To excel in the world of sports, it is imperative that players get as many opportunities as possible to play and well organized sports tournaments are held in the country. With this thought in mind, new sports tournaments are being organized in India today.

Just a few days ago, Khelo India Youth Games were inaugurated in Chennai. More than 5 thousand athletes of the country are participating in this. I am happy that today such new platforms are continuously being created in India, in which players are getting an opportunity to display their potential. One such platform that has been created – Beach Games, was organized in Diu. You know for sure that ‘Diu’ is a Union Territory, very close to Somnath. These Beach Games were organized in Diu in the beginning of this year itself. These were India’s first multi-sports beach games. These included competitions like Tug of war, Sea swimming, pencak silat, Malkhamb, Beach volleyball, Beach Kabaddi, Beach soccer, and Beach Boxing. In this, every contestant got ample opportunity to showcase one’s talent and you will be surprised to know that in this tournament many players came from states which have no connection whatsoever with the sea. Madhya Pradesh won the maximum medals in this tournament, where there is no sea beach. It is this temperament towards sports that makes any country the crowning glory of the sports world.

My dear countrymen, that’s all this time with me in ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Shall talk to you once again in February. Our focus will be on how the country is marching ahead through the collective and individual efforts of the people of the country. Friends, tomorrow, on the 29th at 11 am we will also have Pariksha Pe Charcha’. This will be the 7th edition of ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’. This is one program, which I always look forward to. This gives me an opportunity to interact with students, and I also try to mitigate their exam related stress. In the last 7 years, ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ has emerged as a very good medium to discuss various issues related to education and examinations. I am happy that this time more than 2.25 crore students have registered for it and have also put forward their inputs. Let me tell you that when we first began this program in 2018, this number was a mere 22,000.

Many innovative efforts have also been undertaken to inspire students and spread awareness about exam related stress. I urge all of you, especially the youth & students to join in record numbers tomorrow. I too would love to talk to you. With these words, I take leave of you in this episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’. See you again soon. Thank you.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today addressed the annual NCC PM rally at the Cariappa Parade Ground in Delhi. Shri Modi witnessed a cultural program and presented the Best Cadet Awards. He also flagged in Mega Cyclothon by NCC Girls and Nari Shakti Vandan Run (NSRV) from Jhansi to Delhi.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that as a former NCC cadet himself, it is natural to recall the memories when he is present among NCC cadets. “Being present among NCC cadets highlights the idea of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat”, the Prime Minister said as he observed the presence of cadets from different parts of the country. He expressed happiness that the sphere of NCC is constantly growing and said that today’s occasion marks a new beginning. He also noted the presence of more than 400 sarpanches of the villages from border areas which are being developed by the government under the Vibrant Villages scheme, and more than 100 women from self-help groups across the country.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the rally is strengthening the spirit of ‘one world, one family, one future’. He pointed out that in 2014 there were cadets from 10 countries in this rally, today the number has gone up to 24.

Noting that the historic 75th Republic Day was dedicated to Nari Shakti, PM Modi said that the country showcased the strides made by the daughters of India in every walk of life.  He praised the cadets who were awarded on the occasion. He acknowledged the Cycle groups from Vadodara and Kashi and mentioned him being MP from both places.

Recalling the times when the role of women in society was limited to cultural arrangements and organizations, the Prime Minister said that the world today is witnessing the daughters of India proving their mettle in every field, be it land, sea, air or space. He highlighted the determination of the women participants in the Republic Day parade and said that it is not a result of overnight success but the dedicated efforts of the last 10 years. “Nari has always been considered as Shakti in Indian traditions”, PM Modi remarked as he mentioned valiant warriors like Rani Lakshmi Bai, Rani Chennamma and Queen Velu Nachiyar who crushed the British. In the last 10 years, the Prime Minister said that the government has continuously strengthened this energy of Nari Shakti in the country. He mentioned removing all obstacles in the entry of women into sectors which were once barred or limited and gave examples of opening up the front line of all three defence forces, permanent commission for women in defence, and command roles and combat positions. “Be it Agniveer or fighter pilots, the participation of women is only increasing”, the Prime Minister said. He also mentioned opening up admission of girl students in Sainik Schools. Shri Modi informed that the number of women in Central Armed Forces has more than doubled in the last 10 years, while states are being encouraged to recruit more women in the state police force.

Referring to the impact of these steps on the mentality of society, the Prime Minister mentioned that women participation is increasing in other sectors also. He pointed out the great number of women in ensuring banking and insurance in rural areas. “The story is the same in sectors like startups or self-help groups”, he added.

He said that increasing the talent pool due to women participation is marking the creation of a Viksit Bharat. “Entire world is looking towards India as a “Vishwa Mitra” said PM Modi pointing to the increasing strength of India’s passport. “Many countries are seeing an opportunity in the talent and skill of the youth of India”, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined his vision for India’s youth, emphasizing their pivotal role in shaping the nation’s future over the next 25 years. Speaking from the heart, Prime Minister Modi declared, “This transformative era, the upcoming 25 years, will not only witness the creation of a developed India but will primarily benefit the youth, not Modi.” Highlighting the youth as the primary beneficiaries of India’s development journey, Prime Minister Modi remarked, “The biggest beneficiaries of this era are young individuals like you.” He underscored the significance of continuous hard work, stating, “It will be imperative for all of you to consistently strive for excellence.”

Reflecting on the strides made in various sectors over the past decade, Prime Minister Modi noted, “In the past 10 years, significant efforts have been made in every sector towards skill development, employment, and entrepreneurship on a large scale.” He emphasized harnessing the talent and skills of the youth for maximum impact in driving India’s progress.

Prime Minister Modi highlighted the government’s commitment to empowering the youth through initiatives such as the new National Education Policy and the Smart School Campaign under PM SHRI, aimed at modernizing thousands of schools nationwide. He also mentioned the unprecedented growth in colleges, universities, and institutions related to professional education over the past decade.

Underlining the advancements in India’s educational landscape, Prime Minister Modi stated, “In the last 10 years, there has been significant improvement in the global rankings of Indian universities.” He also celebrated the record increase in the number of medical colleges and seats, along with the establishment of new IITs and AIIMS across several states.

Prime Minister Modi affirmed the government’s dedication to opening up sectors like defence, space, and mapping for young talent while introducing new laws to boost research endeavors. He reiterated, “All these initiatives have been undertaken for your benefit, for the youth of India.”

Switching gears to economic empowerment, Prime Minister Modi referenced the “Make in India” and “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” campaigns, emphasizing their alignment with the aspirations of India’s youth. He stressed, “These campaigns are also for young individuals like you, offering new employment opportunities.”

In a testament to India’s digital revolution, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the exponential growth of the digital economy and its profound impact on the youth. He remarked, “In the past 10 years, India’s digital economy has become a new source of strength for our youth.”

Acknowledging India’s emergence as the third-largest startup ecosystem globally, Prime Minister Modi praised the entrepreneurial spirit among the youth, stating, “Today, India is home to over 1.25 lakh registered startups and more than a hundred unicorns.” The Prime Minister also pointed out the growth in mobile manufacturing and affordable data in India and optical fiber connectivity to every village.

Referring to the expansion of e-commerce, e-shopping, home delivery, online education and remote healthcare, Prime Minister Modi urged the youth to leverage the opportunities presented by digital India, citing the proliferation of digital content creation and the establishment of over five lakh Common Service Centers in rural areas, employing numerous young individuals.

The Prime Minister underlined the future-looking policy making and clear priorities. He talked about the change in mentality of calling the border village as the last village. Now these villages are the ‘first villages’ the ‘Vibrant Villages’. He said these villages are going to become big tourist centers in the coming days.

Addressing the youth directly, Prime Minister Modi expressed confidence in their ability to shape India’s future, calling for active participation in nation-building efforts. He urged them to register with “MY Bharat Organization” and contribute ideas for the development of a prosperous India.

In conclusion, Prime Minister Modi extended his congratulations to all participants and wished them success for the future. He reaffirmed his trust in the youth, declaring, “You are the architect of a Viksit Bharat.”

Union Minister for Defence, Shri Raj Nath Singh, Director General of NCC, Lt. Gen. Gurbirpal Singh, Union Minister of State for Defence, Shri Ajay Bhatt, Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Anil Chauhan, Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Manoj Pande, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari, Chief of  Naval Staff, Admiral R. Hari Kumar and Defence Secretary, Shri Giridhar Aramane were present on the occasion among others.

Background

The event included a cultural programme on the theme ‘Amrit Kaal Ki NCC’ showcasing the contribution and empowerment of the Amrit Peedhi. In the true Indian spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, more than 2,200 NCC cadets and young cadets from 24 foreign countries were a part of this year’s rally.

As special guests, more than 400 Sarpanches of the Vibrant Villages and more than 100 women belonging to various Self-Help Groups from different parts of the country also attended the NCC PM Rally.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the All India Presiding Officers’ Conference via video message today.

Emphasizing the significance of the conference as it comes in the wake of the 75th Republic Day celebrations, The Prime Minister said, “This conference holds added significance as it takes place immediately after the 75th Republic Day, marking the 75th year of our Constitution,” said Prime Minister Modi, expressing his tribute to the members of the Constituent Assembly.

Reflecting on the importance of learning from the Constituent Assembly, Prime Minister Modi stated, “There is much to learn from our Constituent Assembly. Constituent Assembly members had the responsibility to form a consensus among various thoughts, subjects, and opinions, and they lived up to it.” Highlighting the role of the attending Presiding Officers, Prime Minister Modi urged them to draw inspiration from the ideals of the Constituent Assembly once again. “In your respective tenures, strive to leave a legacy that can serve as a heritage for future generations”, he emphasized.

Speaking on the need to enhance the functionality of legislative bodies, Prime Minister Modi stated, “Enhancing the efficiency of legislative assemblies and committees is crucial in today’s scenario where vigilant citizens scrutinize every representative.”

Addressing the issue of maintaining decorum within legislative bodies, Prime Minister Modi remarked, “The conduct of members in the house and the conducive environment therein directly impact the productivity of the assembly. Concrete suggestions emanating from this conference will be instrumental in enhancing productivity.” He added that conduct in the House by the representatives decides the image of the House. He lamented the fact that parties instead of curtailing the objectionable behaviour of their members come out in their support. “This is not a good situation for either the Parliament or the Assemblies”, he said.

Reflecting on evolving norms in public life, Prime Minister Modi emphasized the need for accountability. “In the past, allegations of corruption against a member of the house would lead to their ostracization from public life. However, we now witness public glorification of convicted corrupt individuals, which is detrimental to the integrity of the executive, the judiciary and the constitution,” he remarked. Prime Minister Modi stressed the importance of discussing and providing concrete suggestions on this matter during the conference.

Recognizing the pivotal role of state governments and their legislative assemblies in shaping India’s progress, Prime Minister Modi asserted, “India’s progress hinges on the advancement of our states. And the progress of states depends on the determination of their legislative and executive bodies to define their development goals collectively.” Speaking on the significance of empowering committees for economic progress, Prime Minister Modi stated, “The empowerment of committees is crucial for the economic progress of your state. The more actively these committees work towards achieving the set goals, the more the state will advance.”

Addressing the need to streamline laws, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the efforts of the central government in repealing redundant laws. “Over the past decade, the central government has repealed over two thousand laws that were detrimental to our system. This simplification of the judicial system has eased the challenges faced by the common man and enhanced the ease of living,” he stated. Prime Minister Modi called upon the Presiding Officers to pay attention to unnecessary laws and their impact on citizens’ lives, stressing that their removal would have a significant positive impact.

Referring to Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, Prime Minister Modi encouraged discussions on suggestions aimed at enhancing women’s participation and representation. “Efforts to empower women and increase their representation must be amplified in committees in a country like India,” he stated. Similarly, he stressed the need to increase the participation of youth in the committees. “Our young representatives must get maximum opportunity to put their views and participation in policy-making”, PM Modi emphasized.

In conclusion, Prime Minister Modi recalled the concept of One Nation-One Legislative Platform put forward in his 2021 address to the Presiding Officers and expressed happiness that Parliament and State Assemblies are working on this goal through E-Vidhan and Digital Sansad Platforms.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for development projects worth over Rs 19,100 crores in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh. The projects are related to several important sectors like rail, road, oil and gas and urban development & Housing.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude for the affection and trust shown by the people of Bulandshahr, especially the mothers and sisters who turned up in huge numbers. Shri Modi thanked his good fortune for Lord Shri Ram’s darshan on the 22nd of January and the presence of the people of Uttar Pradesh on today’s occasion. He congratulated the people of Bulandshahr and the entire Western Uttar Pradesh for the development projects of today worth more than Rs 19,000 crores in sectors of railway, highway, petroleum pipeline, water, sewage, medical college and industrial township. He also mentioned the inauguration of projects related to cleanliness campaigns of Yamuna and Ram Ganga rivers.

The Prime Minister said that this region has given a son like Kalyan Singh to the nation who dedicated his life to both Ram Kaaj and Rastra Kaaj (Ram’s work and nation’s work). The Prime Minister expressed happiness that the country has fulfilled the dream of Shri Kalyan Singh and people like him in Ayodhya Dham. “We will have to gain further momentum to realize his dream of a strong nation and true social justice”, PM Modi said.

Touching upon the completion of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya, the Prime Minister emphasized prioritizing ‘Rashtra Pratishtha’ and taking it to new heights. “We must embolden the path of Dev to Desh and Ram to Rashtra”, Shri Modi said highlighting the government’s resolve to transform India into a Viksit Bharat by 2047. Speaking about accomplishing high goals, the Prime Minister stressed gathering all required resources along the spirit of Sabka Prayas. “Fast-paced development of Uttar Pradesh is imperative to the creation of Viksit Bharat”, PM Modi remarked as he noted the need to reinvigorate the sectors of agriculture, science, education, industry and enterprise among others. “Today’s occasion is a huge step in this direction”, he added.

Referring to the regional imbalance of development in post-independence India, the Prime Minister said that Uttar Pradesh, the state with the maximum population, was neglected. The Prime Minister criticized the ‘ruler’ mentality, and fomenting social divisions for the sake of power of earlier times resulting in huge costs for the state and the country. “If the country’s largest state was weak, how could the nation have been strong?”, asked the Prime Minister.

With the formation of the double-engine government in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, the Prime Minister underlined that the state has found new ways to tackle old challenges and provided impetus to economic development and that today’s occasion is proof of the government’s commitment. Giving examples of recent developments in Western Uttar Pradesh, the Prime Minister mentioned the development of one of the two defence corridors in India and the creation of several new national highways. He underlined the government’s emphasis on boosting connectivity to all parts of UP through modern expressways, initiation of the first NaMo Bharat train project, metro connectivity in several cities and the state becoming a hub for eastern and western dedicated freight corridors. “These development projects will remain impactful for centuries to come”, he emphasized. PM Modi further added that the region will find a new strength and flight with the completion of Jewar Airport.

The Prime Minister said, “Today, by the efforts of the government, Western Uttar Pradesh is becoming one of the main job provider regions in the country”. The Prime Minister informed that the government is working on 4 world-class Industrial Smart cities. One of these cities is in Greater Noida in western Uttar Pradesh, The Prime Minister inaugurated this important township today. This will benefit the industry, and small and cottage businesses of the region. PM Modi said that the township will create new avenues for agro-based industry and will provide immense benefit to the local farmers and workers.

Dwelling on the adverse impact of lack of connectivity in the earlier times on agriculture, the Prime Minister said that the solution can be seen in the new airport and the new dedicated freight corridor. The Prime Minister commended the double-engine government for an increase in sugarcane prices and for ensuring quick payment directly to the accounts of farmers once the produce is sold in the Mandi. Similarly, focus on ethanol is proving to be lucrative for the sugarcane farmers.

“Farmer’s welfare is a top priority of the government”, Shri Modi emphasized. He stated that the government is attempting to create a protective shield for the farmers and mentioned spending crores of rupees to make low-cost fertilizers available for Indian farmers. He informed that a bag of urea which costs Rs 3,000 outside India is made available to farmers at less than Rs 300. PM Modi also touched upon the creation of Nano urea where a small bottle makes up for a sack of fertilizers, thereby reducing consumption and saving money. Shri Modi informed that the government has transferred Rs 2.75 lakh crores in the bank accounts of farmers under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme.

Underlining the contribution of farmers in agriculture and agro-economy, the Prime Minister mentioned the continuous expansion of the ambit of cooperatives. He listed PACs, cooperative societies and FPOs as measures for strengthening the small farmers. Cooperative bodies are being promoted for sale purchase, loans, food processing or exports. Shri Modi also mentioned the world’s biggest storage-related schemes under which a network of cold storage is being created in the entire country.

The Prime Minister reiterated the government’s push to modernize the farming sector and underlined that Nari Shakti can become a huge medium for this. He mentioned the NaMo Drone Didi scheme where women self-help groups are being trained to become drone pilots. “NaMo Drone Didi is going to become a huge force for rural economy and agriculture in the future”, he added.

Throwing light upon the public welfare schemes undertaken in the last 10 years to empower small farmers and women, the Prime Minister mentioned building crores of pucca houses, toilets, tapped water connections, pension facilities for farmers and labourers, PM Crop Insurance Scheme where more than Rs 1.5 lakh crores have been handed out to farmers in case of crop failure, free ration scheme, and Ayushman Bharat scheme. “It is the government’s endeavour that no beneficiary is deprived of the government scheme and for this, Modi Ki Guarantee vehicles are reaching every village and enrolling lakhs of people even in Uttar Pradesh”, Shri Modi added.

“It is Modi’s guarantee that every citizen gets the benefit of the government schemes. Today the nation treats Modi’s guarantee as the guarantee of fulfillment of any guarantee”, said the Prime Minister. “​​Today we are making every effort to ensure that the benefits of the government scheme reach every beneficiary. That’s why Modi is guaranteeing saturation. Modi is emphasizing reaching 100 percent beneficiaries”, said the Prime Minister. This removes any possibility of discrimination or corruption. “This is true secularism and social justice”, he added. He said dreams of Farmers, women, poor and youth are the same in every society. He said due to genuine efforts of the government 25 crore people were brought out of poverty in the last 10 years.

Concluding the address, the  Prime Minister said, “For me, you are my family. Your dream is my resolution.” He underlined that Modi’s wealth remains with the empowerment of the common families of the nation. He assured that the campaign to empower everyone, be it villages, the poor, youth, women or farmers, will carry on.

Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Smt Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Brajesh Pathak, and Union Minister of State of Road Transport and Highways of India, Gen (Retd) V K Singh were present on the occasion among others.

Background

The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation the 173 Km long double line electrified section between New Khurja – New Rewari on Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) by flagging off goods trains from the two stations through video conferencing. This new  DFC section is important as it establishes crucial connectivity between the Western and Eastern DFCs. Further, this section is also known for its remarkable feat of engineering. It has a ‘one kilometre long double line rail tunnel with high rise electrification’, which is the first of its kind in the world. This tunnel is designed to seamlessly operate double-stack container trains. This new DFC section will help in improving the operation of passenger trains due to the shifting of goods trains on the DFC track.

The Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation the fourth line connecting Mathura – Palwal section & Chipiyana Buzurg – Dadri section. These new lines will improve the rail connectivity of the national capital to Southern Western & Eastern India.

The Prime Minister dedicated multiple road development projects to the nation. The projects include Aligarh to Bhadwas four-laning work Package-1 (part of Aligarh-Kanpur Section of NH-34); widening of Meerut to Karnal border via Shamli (NH-709A); and four laning of Shamli-Muzaffarnagar section of NH-709 AD Package-II. The road projects. These road projects, developed at a cumulative cost of more than Rs 5000 crore will improve connectivity and help in the economic development in the region.

During the programme, the Prime Minister also inaugurated Indian Oil’s  Tundla-Gawaria Pipeline. Built at a cost of about Rs 700 crore, this 255 km long pipeline project has been completed well ahead of the scheduled time. The project will help in the transportation of petroleum products from Tundla to Gawaria T-Point of Barauni-Kanpur Pipeline with pumping facilities at Mathura and Tundla and delivery facilities at Tundla, Lucknow and Kanpur.

The Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation ‘Integrated Industrial Township at Greater Noida’ (IITGN). It has been developed in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects under PM-GatiShakti. Built at a cost of Rs. 1,714 crore, the project is spread over 747 acres and is located near the intersection of Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors with the Eastern Peripheral Expressway to the south and the Delhi-Howrah broad gauge railway line to the east. IITGN’s strategic location ensures unparalleled connectivity as other infrastructures for multi-modal connectivity are present in the vicinity of this project viz. Noida-Greater Noida Expressway (5 km), Yamuna Expressway (10 km), Delhi Airport (60 km), Jewar Airport (40 km), Ajaibpur Railway Station (0.5 km) and New Dadri DFCC Station (10 km). The project marks a significant step towards fostering industrial growth, economic prosperity, and sustainable development in the region.

During the programme, the Prime Minister inaugurated the renovated Mathura sewerage scheme including the construction of a sewage treatment plant (STP) at a cost of about Rs 460 crore. This work includes construction of 30 MLD STP at Masani, rehabilitation of existing 30 MLD at Trans Yamuna and 6.8  MLD STP at Masani & construction of 20 MLD TTRO plant (Tertiary Treatment and Reverse Osmosis Plant). He also inaugurated Moradabad (Ramganga) sewerage system & STP works (Phase I). The project built at a cost of about Rs 330 crore consists of 58 MLD STP, about 264 km sewerage network and nine sewage pumping stations for pollution abatement of Ramganga River at Moradabad.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah launched e-bus service in Jammu and distributed more than one thousand appointment letters for Jammu & Kashmir Combined Examination-2024 and compassionate appointment through video conferencing from New Delhi today.

In his address, Shri Amit Shah said that today’s program is important in many ways because 100 fully air-conditioned e-buses have been dedicated to the people of Jammu. He said that this project has started with the operation and maintenance of these buses for 12 years at a cost of Rs 561 crore. Shri Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India has spread environmental awareness throughout the world and best steps in this direction have been taken in India. He said that the Modi government has implemented schemes for e-buses in the entire country and under the same measure, Jammu is getting 100 e-buses today. Of these, 25 buses are 12 meters long and 75 buses are 9 meters long. Shri Shah added that a reliable, comfortable, economical and durable public transport facility for the people of Jammu has started from today. He said that these buses will also ply from Jammu to Katra, Kathua, Udhampur and on the internal routes of Jammu. These buses will not only remove the commuting problems of the people in the coming days, but will also be very useful from the environmental point of view.

Union Home Minister said that today 209 successful candidates of Jammu and Kashmir Combined Examination-2024 batch have also received their appointment letters. These include 96 officers of the Jammu & Kashmir Administrative Service, 63 officers of Account Gazette Service and 50 officers of Police Service. He said that from today a new beginning is being made in the lives of these officers and the thinking of these officers at this point of time will help in paving the way for their entire life. Shri Shah said that due to the transparent system under Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s regime, these officers have got these jobs on the basis of merit. He said that during Modi ji’s tenure, jobs are provided not on the basis of recommendation slip but on the basis of examination papers. He said that earlier it was impossible to get a job without political recommendation or corruption. Shri Shah said that now Jammu and Kashmir is going through a phase of change and instead of terrorism, bomb blasts, firing, stone pelting and strikes, now studies, schools, colleges, various institutions, industries and infrastructure are being seen here.

Shri Amit Shah said that today 885 people have also received appointment letters under compassionate appointment. He said that after the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A since August 2019, 34,440 vacancies have been filledout of which 24,000 have been filled by Jammu & Kashmir Service Selection Board, 3900 by Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission, 2637 by Jammu & Kashmir Police and 2436 by Jammu & Kashmir Bank. Shri Shah said that no scope for corruption has been left to filling these appointments.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that today is the National Voters Day. He said that our country functions in a democratic system and its smallest unit is the voter of the country. TheHomeMinisterexhorted all youth above 18 years of age to register their names in the electoral rolls, become part of the democratic process and strengthen democracy in India and Jammu & Kashmir. Shri Shah said that after Shri Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, Panchayat elections were held in Jammu & Kashmir in 2018 in which 74% voting took place, Block Development Council elections were held in October 2019 in which 98% voting was recorded and 3650 Sarpanches were elected in 4483 constituencies. In this way, the Modi government has given an opportunity to 35,000 Panches, Sarpanches and public representatives of local bodies to work in a democracy. He said that now fresh delimitation is taking place here in which reservation arrangements are being made, so that the deprived people will be able to get their rights.

Shri Amit Shah said that due to the efforts of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, a new era of peace and security has started in Jammu & Kashmir. He said that after the abrogation of Article 370, there has been a 70% decline in total terrorism-related incidents, an 81% reduction in civilian deaths, and a 48% decline in the death of security forces, this shows that a new era of happiness and peace has begun in Jammu & Kashmir. Shri Shah said that there were 2654 incidents of organized stone pelting in 2010, which were reduced to Zero in 2023, there were 132 incidents of organized strikes in 2010, while not a single incident took place in 2023. He said that similarly in 2010, 112 civilians died in stone pelting, in 2023 not a single civilian died and in 2010 the number of civilians injured in stone pelting was 6235, which is Zero today. Shri Shah added that the Modi government is strictly cracking down on terror financing, sealing and freezing assets of terrorists, and has also outlawed several terrorist organizations to crack down on them.

Union Home Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and Lt. Governor Shri Manoj Sinha a new era of peace and security has begun in Jammu & Kashmir. He said that investment of Rs 297 crore came to J&K in 2019-20, which increased to Rs 2153 crore in 2022-23. Along with this, an investment of Rs 6000 crore is in the pipeline. Shri Shah said that GSDP was Rs One lakh crore in 2014-15, which increased more than 2 times to Rs 2,27,927 crore in 2022-23. Earlier, there were 94 colleges in Jammu & Kashmir, today there are 147, earlier there were no IIM, IIT, and AIIMS, today IIM, IIT, and two AIIMS have been established. Similarly, there were 4 medical colleges, now 7 new medical colleges have been established. There was not even a single nursing college, today there are 15 nursing colleges, medical seats were 500, now they have increased to 1300, PG seats were 367, now 300 more seats have been added and 3000 nursing seats have also been increased.

Shri Amit Shah said that 173 projects have been completed here under the Smart City Mission and homes to 1,45,000 people have been allocated within a very short period from 2019 to 2024. He said that the work of providing tap water to the houses of 13 lakh people has been done and along with this, the entire health expenses of up to Rs 5 lakh of 82 lakh people are being borne by the Government of India and the Government of Jammu & Kashmir. Shri Shah said that earlier only 60 services were online in Jammu & Kashmir, which has now increased to 1102, due to which corruption has been curbed. Earlier the number of players in Jammu & Kashmir was less than 2 lakhs, which has now increased to more than 60 lakhs. Shri Shah added that in the coming days, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, Jammu & Kashmir will continue to move ahead on the path of development at the same pace because now the youth here are taking computers in their hands instead of stones and are connecting with the development of the country and Jammu & Kashmir.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi interacted with Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) awardees at his residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg earlier today.

Prime Minister presented souvenirs to each awardee and then engaged in a freewheeling interaction with them. The children shared details of their achievements due to which they have been selected for the award. Various subjects like music, culture, solar power, sports like badminton, chess,  among others were discussed.

The children also asked the Prime Minister several questions as well, while answering one of which, he spoke about his interest in music of all kinds, and how it helps him in meditation. On being asked about the launch of Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana yesterday, Prime Minister recalled the steps taken by him to harness solar energy while he was Chief Minister of Gujarat, and also spoke about how people will benefit from this scheme. Prime Minister also discussed with the children about the significance of the day and told them about Parakram Diwas and how the government is honouring the legacy of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

The Government of India has been conferring the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar to children for their exceptional achievement in seven categories namely Art & Culture, Bravery, Innovation, Science & Technology, Social Service, Sports and Environment. Each awardee is given a medal, certificate and citation booklet. This year, 19 children from across the country, under different categories, have been selected for PMRBP-2024. The awardees include 9 boys and 10 girls, belonging to 18 States/UTs.