Introducing the second edition of his radio programme Mann ki Baat on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the citizens to resort to conservation of water, saying that there is a pressing need to make water conservation a mass movement in the country akin to Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan. This was the first ‘Mann ki Baat’ programme in Modi’s second consecutive term as the Prime Minister after he led the party to a landslide victory in the Lok Sabha polls of 2019.

In addition to his pitch for water conservation, the prime minister touched upon voting exercise, 2019 Lok Sabha polls and the celebration of democracy by citizens who exercised their right to vote in the recently concluded elections, his learnings from the books he has read, the criticism surrounding his Kedarnath pilgrimage and the global recognition of Yoga.

Highlights:

11:34 am IST Only 8 percent rain water conserved in India: PM Modi The prime minister reminded citizens today that water scarcity is affecting many parts of the country every year. “You will be surprised that only 8 percent of the water received from rains in the entire year is harvested in our country,” PM Modi said.





11:33 am IST PM introduces India’s exclusive ministry for water The country saw an addition to the list of ministries with PM Modi-led BJP returning to power. The PM re-introduced Jalashakti Ministry in his radio programme today, which was founded on May 31 earlier this year. “Keeping the importance of water in mind, a new #Jalashakti Ministry has been created in the country. This will allow faster decision-making on all subjects related to water,” PM Modi said.





11:32 am IST PM Modi lauds global celebration and recognition of Yoga Talking on Mann ki Baat, PM Modi said, “Yoga was not just practised everywhere, but was also celebrated collectively. There must hardly be a place where a human being exists without a bond with Yoga.” He also mentioned the resounding success of Yoga in Japan and Europe among other places. The 5th Yoga Day was marked with immense enthusiasm across the world. #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/ot0x8CVWGH — PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 30, 2019





11:30 am IST Visit 200-year old tank in a house behind Bapu’s house in Porbandar: PM Even as the PM continued to recollect how different parts of the country are working towards water conservation, he told people about a 200-year-old tank behind Mahatma Gandhi’s house. “If any of you gets an opportunity to go to Porbandar, then there is a house behind the house of revered Bapu, where a 200-year old water tank still exists,” PM Modi said.





11:28 am IST Suggest ways to conserve water using #JanShakti4JalShakti: PM Modi PM Modi has asked people across the country to share methods unique to region and people using the #JanShakti4JalShakti on social media platforms.





11:25 am IST “Want Swachh Bharat like national movement for water conservation” Pitching a national movement for conserving and preserving water - akin to Swachh Bharat- PM Modi said, “I appeal to all Indians, including eminent people from all walks of life to create awareness on water conservation. Please share knowledge of traditional methods of water conservation. If you know about any individuals or NGOs working on water, do share about them.”





11:22 am IST Let us conserve every drop of water: PM Modi As India finds itself in the midst of a water-crisis, PM Modi has requested Indian citizens to conserve water. “There is no fixed way to conserve water. In different parts, different methods may be adopted but the aim is same- to conserve every drop of water,” the PM said. Let us conserve every drop of water. #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/ffUs8G5Enp — PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 30, 2019





11:15 am IST PM Modi replugs his ‘No bouquet, just a book” request PM Modi talks about the book he has read in the recent past and shared the morals from his readings on Mann ki Baat. “Just recently, someone gave me a book entitled, popular short stories by Premchand. It was a great feeling,” PM Modi said. It is my request to you all- please devote some time to reading.



I urge you all to talk about the books you read, on the 'Narendra Modi Mobile App.'



Let us have discussions on the good books we read and why we liked the books: PM @narendramodi #MannKiBaat — PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 30, 2019





11:12 am IST India saw over 61 cr voters exercising their franchise in 2019 polls: PM Modi PM Modi also talked about the recent concluded Lok Sabha elections and congratulated voters for exercising their franchise. “Just recently, our country celebrated a mega festival of democracy, a mammoth election campaign, from rich to poor, all were happily eager in this festival to decide the fate of their country. In the 2019 Lok Sabha Election, India saw over 61 crore voters exercising their franchise. It was the largest democratic Election ever held in the world,” PM Modi said.





11:08 am IST Emergency saw outrage in conscience of one and all: PM Modi In his radio address, PM Modi said, “When Emergency was imposed, resistance against it was not limited to the political arena or politicians; the movement was not curtailed to the confines of prison cells. There was an outrage in the conscience of one and all.”





11:05 am IST Went to Kedarnath to meet myself: PM Modi Talking about his visit to Kedarnath temple, the prime minister said, “Amidst hectic election engagements, many people asked me a flurry of questions on why I had gone to Kedarnath. For me, it was an opportunity to meet myself.”





11:03 am IST Through ‘Mann ki Baat’, I tell your story in my voice: PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his radio programme by mentioning the intervening period between the last episode of Mann ki Baat from February and the episode aired today. “There came a moment when I felt the need to reach out to you immediately after Elections concluded. Then I thought no, the established Sunday sequence should be maintained. But this Sunday has made one wait endlessly!”





10:50 am IST Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP workers expected to tune in from Dwarka Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to listen to the radio programme with other party workers at the Kakrola stadium in Dwarka, reported ANI.



