Youth Will Shape New India: PM Says in Last Mann Ki Baat of 2017

The last Mann Ki Baat comes on 31 December 2017 in bypoll-bound Bijepur, Odisha.

File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally.

(Photo: PTI)

PM Modi’s last Mann Ki Baat for the year 2017 comes on none other than the last day of the year.

‘The Youth Will Shape New India’

PM Modi said 1 January 2018 would a be special day, because 2018 is the year those born in 2000 would attain the age of majority, and be eligible to vote. Modi urged those turning 18 to vote and help shape the future of India.

He said he imagines a new India free of corruption, terror, and other evils that plague the country.

'Pessimism Leads to Weakness, Optimism to Power'

Modi went on to urge a positive outlook among citizens and work towards ‘Positive India,’ adding that thousands had tweeted the hashtag #PositiveIndia.

He added that he dreamed of a ‘Jan Andolan’ or a people’s movement that would rise up for development, progress, and against corruption in the country. He then shared anecdotes that citizens had recorded and sent in to demonstrate the how efficient the ‘new, positive India’ was.

‘Women Can Go on Haj Alone Now’

The PM also spoke about how Muslim women without male guardians could embark on the Haj pilgrimage, stating that the Haj Committee had revised the guidelines and around 1,300 women had applied for the same.

This comes just days after The National Platform for Rights of Disabled wrote to Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi stating that a number of provisions from the government's guidelines for Haj pilgrims bar differently-abled people from undertaking the annual pilgrimage.

‘Will Conduct Largest Cleanliness Survey in 2018’

PM Modi delivered his last Mann Ki Baat of 2017 on 31 December.(Photo: ANI)

A cleanliness survey will be conducted from 4 January till 10 March 2018 to evaluate benchmarks in cleanliness and sanitation levels in our urban areas, the PM added.

We will gift ‘Swachh Bharat’ to Gandhiji on his 150th birth anniversary. It was his dream after all. We will conduct the largest cleanliness survey in the world.

PM Modi in his last Mann Ki Baat of 2017

He added that the survey will cover 4,000 cities and take 40 crore people into account.

Apart from cleanliness efforts, and cleaner disposal of waste, he added that the Centre would recommend behavioural changes to ensure cities stay clean and sanitary.

In Poll-Bound Odisha, BJP Leaders Ensure People Hear PM

In bypoll-bound Bijepur, Odisha, the BJP unit made arrangements in all 270 booths to bring together people for listening to this last Mann Ki Baat address of 2017.

Senior leaders, including Union Ministers Jual Oram and Dharmendra Pradhan, were in Bijepur to ensure that people heard the Prime Minister’s programme.

Besides the two union ministers, the BJP's state unit President Basant Panda, BJP Legislature Party leader, and all legislators were present in the booths to listen to the Prime Minister and address people after the programme ended.

The bypoll dates are yet to be announced.

The Bijepur seat has remained vacant since 22 August 2017 after the death of its sitting Congress MLA, Subal Sahu.

(With inputs from IANS)