'Mann ki Baat': PM Modi hails India meeting export target of $400 billion

Ravi S Singh

Advertisement

New Delhi, March 27

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his monthly ‘Mann ki Baat’ radio broadcast on Sunday lauded the quantum jump in exports of Indian products last week, saying that soon Indians products will go global riding on its campaign for “vocal for local” and “Make in India” drive.

Lauding India achieving the export target of USD 400 billion, i.e., Rs 30 lakh crore, Modi said: “At first instance, it might come across as a matter related to the economy; but more than the economy, it is related to the capability of India, the potential of India.”

He started his monthly radio broadcast with this very theme.

“At one time, the figure of exports from India used to be 100 billion, at times 150 billion, sometimes 200 billion…today India has reached 400 billion dollars,” Modi said, and added that, in a way, this means that the demand for items made in India is increasing all over the world; the other meaning is that the supply chain of India is getting stronger by the day.

He termed the development as a big message.

“The nation takes great strides when resolves are bigger than dreams. When there is a sincere effort day and night for the resolves, those resolutions also attain fruition… and you see, the same happens in a person’s life as well. When one’s resolve, one’s efforts, become bigger than one’s dreams, success comes to the person on its own.”

Elaborating on the Indian entrepreneurial achievement, Modi said that now new products from all corners of the country are reaching foreign shores. Leather products from Hailakandi in Assam or handloom products from Osmanabad, fruits and vegetables from Bijapur or black rice from Chandauli, the exports of all of these are increasing, he said.

The world famous apricot of Ladakh is gaining popularity in Dubai too and in Saudi Arabia, bananas are shipped from Tamil Nadu.

An array of new products is being sent to ever newer countries. The PM cited the first consignment of millets grown in Himachal and Uttarakhand was exported to Denmark.

He attributed success of “Make in India” drive to farmers, artisans, weavers, engineers, small entrepreneurs and MSME sector, among others, and pitched for making making the local ‘global’ and augment the prestige of Indian products further.

He urged the entrepreneurs in Aayush-related start-ups to propagate their products in languages for audiences in non-English speaking foreign countries.

Modi noted that during the last one year through the GeM portal, the government has purchased items worth more than one lakh-crore rupees.

Close to 1.25 lakh small entrepreneurs, small shopkeepers from every corner of the country have sold their goods directly to the government.

He also highlighted the success of “Swacch Bharat” campaign, and said it is directly related to health.

Modi paid tributes to iconic Dalit social reformer Mahtma Phule of Maharashtra and his wife, Savitri Phule, for their works on girls’s education and against inequality. He also lauded Dr BR Ambedkar in the matter.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of water conservation.