Calling upon the youth to adopt digital payments in a big way, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said all individuals participating in the Digi Dhan Yojana constitute “an anti-corruption cadre”.
“To me, each and every individual involved in this mission constitutes a new anti-corruption cadre in the country. In a way, you are a soldier in the cause of cleanliness and purity,” Modi said in his monthly radio broadcast Mann Ki Baat .
Observing that people are “gradually shedding their hard currency mindset” and moving towards digital currency, he said the youth are leading the way, using their mobile phones as the new tool to make and receive payments.
“Digital transactions in India are witnessing a very rapid surge. The young generation, in particular, is getting habituated to digital payments through mobile handsets. I believe this to be a good portent,” he said.
The Prime Minister also lauded Indian scientists for scripting a world record in the arena of space by successfully launching 104 satellites at one go, adding that the country needs more scientists to become catalysts of change.
“Today’s scientist becomes a potent catalyst for enduring change in the lives of our future generations,” he said, adding that harnessing science and technology while keeping in mind the needs of common folk can lead to social innovations, such as the BHIM app.
Referring to “record” foodgrain production this year, the Prime Minister lauded the contribution and hard work of farmers.
“All signals indicate our farmers have broken all previous records. There has been such a bountiful crop this time in the fields of our farmers that every day has appeared to be a celebration of Pongal and Baisakhi. More than 2,700 lakh tonnes of foodgrains have been produced in the country this year. This is 8 per cent more than the last record reached by our farmers,” he said.
Waste to wealth Coming to his favourite topic of “cleanliness”, Modi recalled the recent event in Telengana, where a toilet pit emptying exercise was carried out, adding that with the advent of new technology, “psychological barriers” should not come in the way. “We can ourselves clean these toilet pits just as we do other general cleaning” and help in the conversion of waste to wealth, he said.
“This decomposed waste can be safely handled quite conveniently and can be used as NPK, which is a very useful fertiliser,” he added.