People’s role must for ‘Clean Ganga’, says PM Modi

Sharing concern over many issues in various parts of the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ talked about efforts to clean Ganga and Yamuna rivers, hoping that these will show results in some time.

He delved on education, emphasising that the focus should now shift from enrolment to providing quality education.

During his 30-minute broadcast, Mr Modi also expressed gratitude to one crore households which gave up LPG subsidy in response to his call and exhorted media to highlight positive news.

Turning to efforts to clean Ganga, he said this process has been underway for about 30 years during which several governments came, a number of programmes were undertaken and “huge costs” incurred. “This task can never succeed without people’s participation and that is we all have to become an agent of change in this,” he said. “From government’s side, many efforts are being made. Efforts are being made to take utmost cooperation of states located on the banks of Ganga,” he said.

Talking about the ‘Give it Up’ scheme for LPG cylinders, he took a dig at the political system wherein the number of subsidised gas cylinders was considered crucial to woo voters.

He said economists would put pressure for reduction in subsidy and because of that several committees were formed which suggested several ways to reduce subsidy. He said he had “casually” mentioned that if people could bear the burden of Rs 1500 or Rs 2000 annually, then why not give up LPG subsidy as this will help some poor people.