Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi highlights efforts for marginalised communities, wildlife conservation

New Delhi, Feb 25: During the Mann Ki Baat programme on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned about the Musahar community of Bihar and said that this community has been extremely marginalised in the state.

The Prime Minister talked about one Bhim Singh Bhavesh from Bihar and said that there has been a lot of discussion among the Musahar community in his area about his actions.

“Bhim Singh has focused on the education of children in this community so that the future of these children can be brightened. He has enrolled 8,000 children from the Musahar community in schools,” said the PM.

The Prime Minister further said that Singh has established a library, providing better facilities for education to children.

“He is also helping in obtaining essential documents for the people of his community, improving access to essential resources in the village, thus enhancing the health of the people. He has organised more than 100 medical camps to improve the health of the people,” said the PM.

The Prime Minister said that when the COVID crisis was at its peak, Singh motivated the people of his area to get vaccinated. PM Modi said that there are many people like Bhim Singh who are engaged in such noble deeds in society.

“If we fulfil our duties as responsible citizens, it will be very helpful in building a strong nation,” said the PM.

During the programme, the Prime Minister also mentioned wildlife conservation and said that in recent years, due to the efforts of the government, the number of tigers in the country has increased.

He said that the Chandrapur Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra, where the number of tigers has increased to more than 250, is using artificial intelligence to reduce conflicts between humans and tigers.

“Similarly, a company in Bengaluru has developed apps called 'Bagheera' and 'Garuda'. Through the Bagheera app, speed of vehicles and other activities can be monitored during jungle safaris. This app is being used in many tiger reserves across the country. Moreover, connecting the Garuda app, based on artificial intelligence, with any CCTV results in real-time alerts,” said the PM.

The Prime Minister said that for thousands of years, we have lived with a sense of coexistence with nature and wildlife.

He also mentioned the Melghat Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra, where tribal families have converted their homes into homestays.

The PM said that goat farming is becoming a means to improve the livelihoods and living standards of the people in Kalahandi, Odisha.

He mentioned the decision of Jayanti Mahapatra and her husband Biren Sahu, who were management professionals in Bengaluru, to come to the villages of Kalahandi. “With a sense of service and dedication, they started working with farmers here. They have also opened a goat bank here,” said the PM.

The Prime Minister said that here, farmers are given two goats for 24 months. “During this time, goats give birth to 9 to 10 kids. Of these, six goats are kept by the bank, and the rest are given to the same family engaged in goat farming. Today, more than 1,000 farmers from 50 villages are connected to this scheme,” said the PM.