PM Narendra Modi Addresses Nation In Mann Ki Baat: Highlights

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that each and every expense incurred by a farmer will be considered, including his labour, while fixing the minimum support price (MSP) at 1.5 times the input cost. Addressing the nation on the 42nd edition of his programme, Mann ki Baat, PM Modi said: "In this year's budget to ensure adequate returns to farmers when the government decided to give at least one-and-a-half times the input costs as MSP for the scheduled crops". In the previous edition of the programme, aired on February 25, PM Modi lauded the contribution of India in the field of science and technology. Ahead of the National Science Day on February 28, the PM said that science and technology are value neutral. "It is up to us what we want the machine to do for us," he said.

Here are the highlights:

• Just like every time earlier, I have received a rather large number of letters, e-mails, phone calls and comments from people across India
• I read a post on MyGov by Komal Thakkar ji, where she referred to starting on-line courses for Sanskrit. Alongwith being IT professional, your love for Sanskrit has gladdened me. I have instructed the concerned department to convey to you efforts being made in this direction
• I shall also request listeners of Mann Ki Baat who are engaged in the field of Sanskrit, to ponder over ways & means to take Komalji's suggestion forward
• Yogesh Bhadresa Ji has asked me to speak to the youth concerning their health...Yogesh ji, I have decided to speak on 'Fit India'. In fact, all young people can come together to launch a movement of 'Fit India
• This time, people have written to me about exams, the upcoming vacations, water conservation among other issues
• When I heard the story of Kanpur-based doctor Ajit Mohan Chaudhary that he goes to footpath to treat the poor people there and provide them medicines, it provided me the opportunity to feel the brotherhood of this nation
• 13 years ago, Kolkata's cab driver Saidul Laskar lost his sister as she could not get medical facility on time. He then decided to build a hospital so that no poor ever dies due to absence of medical facility
• In this mission, Saidul sold jewllery from his home and collected money through donations. His customers also donated to him generously. After 12 years, Saidul built a 30-bed hospital in Punri village near Kolkata. This is the power of New India
• When a woman in UP manages to construct 125 toilets despite various challenges, it gives a sense of women power
•   Great people like Mahatma Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shastri ji, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Ji, Chaudhary Charan Singh Ji and Chaudhary Devi Lal ji spoke about the importance of agriculture and welfare of farmers
• Less than 100 days left for the 4th International Day of Yoga. Let us think of ways through which we can ensure more people join the programme and embrace Yoga
• It was Dr. Ambedkar who dreamt of India as an industrial powerhouse
• When I read in letters sent by you that how a rickshaw puller from Assam's Karimganj, Ahmed Ali built 9 schools for poor children, it gives me a glimpse into the nation's willpower
• In the mid-40s, the world was talking about World War II, the Cold War and divisions, but one man, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was talking about unity, Team India and cooperative federalism
• For people like us, who belong to the poor and backward sections of society, Dr. Ambedkar is our inspiration