In his address, Mr Modi said that the sales of khadi have gone up 400 per cent. "The rising sales of khadi and handloom are creating new job opportunities in large numbers," he said, adding that mostly women are associated with this industry, so they are benefiting the most. He also called on people to buy khadi clothes.
Speaking about the Paris Olympics, the Prime Minister said that the games give athletes a chance to hoist the national flag at the international level. He urged people to encourage Indian athletes and "cheer for Bharat".
During the broadcast, the Prime Minister interacted with Indian students who performed well in the recently held Mathematical Olympiad. "A few days ago, an Olympics took place in the world of mathematics as well -- the International Mathematics Olympiad. Indian students have performed well in this Olympiad. Our team won four gold medals and one silver medal," he said.
Touching on a host of issues, Mr Modi hailed the inclusion of the "Moidams" in Assam in the Unesco World Heritage list and said that it is a matter of immense joy for every Indian. He also recalled unveiling the tallest statue of the great Ahom warrior Lachit Borphukan, a symbol of indomitable courage and bravery.
Noting that he has often spoken about the menace of substance abuse, the Prime Minister said that every family is worried that their child may get caught in the tentacles of drugs.
He said that to help such people, the government has opened a special centre named "Manas" and described it as a big step in the fight against drug abuse.
"The government has issued a toll-free number 1933. Anyone can call this number to get necessary advice or information related to rehabilitation. If anyone has any other information related to drugs, they can also share it with the Narcotics Control Bureau by calling this number. All information shared with Manas is kept confidential," Mr Modi said.
Highlighting that 70 per cent of the tiger population in the world is in India, the Prime Minister said this will make people proud and praised the "tiger mitras", who are trained to ensure that there is no human-tiger conflict in the territories inhabited by the majestic beasts.
Mr Modi mentioned that along with the increase in tiger population, the forest area in our country is also increasing rapidly. In that too, great success is being achieved through community efforts.
"Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserve in Maharashtra is one of the main habitats of tigers. The local communities here, especially our brothers and sisters of the Gond and Mana tribes, have taken rapid strides towards ecotourism. They have reduced their dependence on the forest so that the activities of tigers can increase here," Mr Modi said.
With Independence Day approaching, the Prime Minister urged people to upload selfies with the national flag on the website harghartiranga.com, saying the campaign has caught on with every section of society.
