Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while interacting with beneficiaries of the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra via video conferencing on Thursday, congratulated a Sarpanch from Jammu’s border area for being the owner of a tractor that was purchased using Kisan Credit Card.
The Prime Minister said, “You have a tractor, I do not even have a bicycle.”
Balveer Kaur, Sarpanch of village Rangpur and a farmer from Arnia in Jammu district informed the Prime Minister that she has availed of the benefits of multiple government schemes namely the Kisan Credit Card scheme, Farm Machinery Bank Scheme and Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna.
During the interaction, as someone accidentally pushed her while seated, the Prime Minister, in a lighter vein, asked her to be mindful of her chair.
“Ab sarpanch wo hi ban jayengi. Aap apni kursi samhaliye”, he joked.
The Prime Minister commended her work and having all the data at her fingertips, she replied, “Aap se hi seekha hai grassroot par kaam karna. Kaam karti hoon aur bhoolti nahi hoon.” (I have learnt it from you to work at the grassroots level. I work and never forgets the details).
He emphasized the need to create awareness about attaining saturation of government schemes and suggested she reach out to ten neighbouring villages and spread the word.
The Prime Minister underlined the belief that all the benefits reach the last person standing in the queue.
Highlighting the purpose of Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, the Prime Minister said that it aims to learn from the experiences of the existing beneficiaries and also encompass those who have not yet availed the benefits.
Launching a program to increase the number of Jan Aushadi Kendras from 10,000 to 25,000 in the country, the Prime Minister said, “The expenditure on medicines was earlier Rs 12,000-13,000 which has now come down to Rs 2000-3000 because of Jan Aushadhi Kendra, that is, you save up to Rs 10,000.”
He directed the volunteers running Jan Aushadi kendras in villages to ensure that people receive the full benefits of the schemes.
Making healthcare affordable and easily accessible has been the cornerstone of the Prime Minister’s vision for a healthy India. The establishment of Jan Aushadhi Kendra to make medicines available at affordable prices is among the major initiatives in this direction.
He also launched Pradhan Mantri Mahila Kisan Drone Kendra during the event.
“I had announced from the Red Fort to make the rural sisters of the country ‘Drone Didi’. And I saw that in such a short time thousands of sisters of the village have learned to operate drones. For me, this is a program to pay homage to ‘Drone Didi’. That’s why I name this program ‘NaMo Drone Didi’,” he said.
Speaking about the same to a beneficiary, the Prime Minister said that though many were sceptical about using drones in villages for agricultural purposes, it proved to be empowering to women like many other women-oriented welfare programmes.
Under this programme, drones will be provided to women Self Help Groups (SHGs) so that this technology can be used by them for livelihood assistance.
Women will also be provided the necessary training to fly and use drones.
“You all are an inspiration for the entire country. Women have proved that drones, when used in agriculture, will emerge as an example of women’s empowerment as well. The participation of women in the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra is an inspiration for everyone,” he added. (ANI)
