‘Take the fight against black money & graft to next level’

PM urges citizens to use less cash, reduce fuel consumption

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday began the process of outlining his vision for a “New India,” by calling on the people to demonstrate greater civic responsibility.

He also called on the citizens to take the fight against corruption and black money to the next level.

In his monthly radio address, Modi identified traffic rules and fuel consumption as areas where people might be able to contribute to the “New India.”

“If every citizen resolves to obey traffic rules, if every citizen resolves that he will discharge his duties honestly, if every citizen resolves that he will not use petrol or diesel one day in a week – these are not very big things. But these will contribute to the realisation of the dream of this country,” he said, dubbing the move as a clarion call to create a magnificent India and shift from Swaraj (self-rule) to Suraj (good rule).

Terming discharge of civic duties as a “good beginning” to the New India, Modi maintained that “all these things are not necessarily achieved through the Budget, government projects, or government money.”

The “New India” campaign is expected to be the cornerstone of the Modi government’s agenda in the remaining two years of its term, leading up to the 2019 general election.

A senior Opposition leader, Tathagat Satpathy of BJD, however, felt that the Centre needs to be proactive if it wants to see a “New India”.

“When citizens become conscious and aware of their responsibilities and rights, things will always improve. But for this, radio talk alone is not sufficient,” he said. “Proactive action on the part of the Narendra Damodardas Modi government has been invisible,” he added.

After the BJP swept UP polls recently and pitched it as a referendum on demonetisation, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi also returned to the more familiar theme of a cashless economy, asking people if they can collectively make 2500 crore digital transactions during this year.

“We must take our fight against black money and corruption to the next level. Can 125 crore countrymen resolve to undertake 2500 crore digital transactions during this year?” the PM asked.

Modi maintained that people can become “brave soldiers” in fight against corruption.

“If we pay school fees, we shall do so not by cash but digitally, if we travel by train, air, we shall pay digitally, if buy medicines, we shall pay digitally, if we run fair price shops, we will use the digital mode. We can do this in our day to day lives.”

The PM said that the poorest of the poor is trying to learn to pay digitally while there has been a surge in various modes of digital payment after demonetisation.

While talking about people’s responsibilities, Modi asked them to think about wastage of food, an issue that he said people raised since the beginning of Mann ki Baat.

He also advised people on ways to overcome depression, an unusual topic for his radio show. “Depression is not incurable. There is a need to create a psychologically conducive environment to begin with. The first mantra is the expression of depression instead of its suppression,” Modi said.

He added that depressed people can “go out in society with a sense of service.

“Devote yourself with all your heart into helping others and sharing their joys and sorrows.”