Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi bats for self-reliance, urges people to buy local products amid festive shopping

Partaking in the 115th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat', Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked people to strengthen government's pitch of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' by blending the concept of 'vocal for local' in their everyday lives as they shop with an eye on the ongoing festive season.

Emphasising on the importance of self-reliance, he said, "This is the new India where Make in India has become Make for the World... We not only have to make India self-reliant but also establish our country as a global powerhouse of innovation."

Speaking on govt's 'self-reliant India' campaign, the PM said the campaign is becoming a mass movement. Highlighting the steps taken under it, he said: "This month we inaugurated Asia's largest 'imaging telescope MACE' in Hanle, Ladakh. It is located at an altitude of 4300 meters... In a place where the cold is less than -30 degrees, where there is even a lack of oxygen, our scientists and local industry have done what no other country in Asia has done. The Hanley telescope may be looking at a distant world, but it is also showing us the power of self-reliant India."

Highlighting the achievements of Indian animation industry, the PM said the animation sector has infused new thinking in the domain and thereby outlined the potential of this sector. "You might have noticed that from the Smartphone to the cinema screen, gaming console to virtual reality, animation is omnipresent. India is on the way to ushering in a new revolution in the world of animation," iterated the PM.