Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme on Sunday heaped praises on Odisha's Kunni Dehury and IIT Bhubaneswar for their initiatives which make them different from others.
A resident of the nondescript Kardapal village in Odisha’s Keonjhar district, Kunni runs a silk spinning centre. What makes her stand apart from others is the fact that she uses only solar power to run the centre.
Besides earning a living from this centre, she is also giving training and employment to local girls.
“She trains tribal women to spin silk on a solar-powered reeling machine. Due to the solar machine, these tribal women do not have to bear the burden of electricity bills, and they are earning income. This is the very boon of Sun God's solar energy. The more the boon and the blessings spread, the better it is. Therefore, I urge you to join this and add others too,” said the PM.
Kunni’s joy knew no bound after hearing the PM speaking about her. “We are living in tribal area where round the clock supply of electricity is a dream. This is why we decided to use solar power. In case of solar power, the investment is one-time but we get lifelong benefits. We are no longer worried about power cuts”
The PM also lauded IIT Bhubaneswar for the portable ventilator it has developed.
“A team from IIT Bhubaneswar has developed a portable ventilator for newborn babies. It runs on battery and can be used easily in remote areas. This can prove to be very helpful in saving the lives of babies who are born prematurely,” said the PM.
He further said, “Be it electric mobility, drone technology, 5G, many of our students are engaged in developing new technology related to them. Several IITs are also working together on a multilingual project that makes learning local languages easier.”
Sharing thoughts on the Mann Ki Baat programme, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Vice President Baijayant Panda said, “Mann Ki Baat programme is observed on the last Sunday of every month. It has been a source of inspiration for crores of people. It is not a political programme. Modiji gives lots of information for the benefit of the country. He brings those youths, women and tribal people who are trying to take the country to a higher level to the fore. It is a source of encouragement for us. We the crores of workers feel it is our duty not only to hear Mann Ki Baat but also to propagate the message by incorporating local people so that such examples come from every corner of the country and take the country ahead by their efforts.”