Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking on his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat, urged people to prioritise Indian-made products while shopping for Diwali and other upcoming festivals. He said choosing indigenous goods would strengthen local manufacturing and the economy, while also creating export opportunities.
The Prime Minister noted that Mann Ki Baat has completed 12 years, and described the programme as a journey to understand citizens’ efforts closely and to recognise contributions that often go unnoticed. He said India’s traditional skills and farming practices remain part of the country’s identity, and can be strengthened by combining them with modern approaches.
As an example, he referred to work in Punjab’s Malwa region where the “Kheti Virasat Mission”, through its “Nav Trinjan” initiative, is promoting cotton cultivation without chemicals and encouraging naturally coloured cotton varieties. He said the effort also supports traditional weaving by running a weaving training school.
He also highlighted a community-led initiative in Uttarakhand’s Tehri Garhwal, where local residents and village administration revived the dried-up Heval river through rainwater harvesting, raising groundwater levels and planting saplings. On exports, he cited makhana from Purnia in Bihar being shipped to Greece and tur dal from Kalaburagi in Karnataka being exported to the Maldives.
Modi pointed to the importance of packaging and design, mentioning Maharashtra tribal communities marketing products under “Sabari Naturals”, whose packaging featuring traditional art won Japan’s “Good Design” award. He added that khadi and village industry products recorded sales of over Rs 28 crore on October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti), higher than the previous year.
The Prime Minister also mentioned that the central government’s free online medical service “e-Sanjeevani” helped save the life of a boy with pneumonia in the Andaman region. He called on people to participate with family and friends in the nationwide “Run for Unity” on October 31, marking Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary, and urged citizens to celebrate festivals safely while supporting local products and maintaining cleanliness.
