&w=3840&q=100)
PM Modi lauds Drone Didis, ITBP climbers in Mann Ki Baat
Referring to 'Drone Didis' as 'Sky Warriors', Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday highlighted women in villages revolutionising agriculture by flying drones, while also praising the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) for scaling the 'world's most difficult' peak, Mount Makalu, in his monthly radio programme. read more
Refering 'Drone Didis' as 'Sky warriors', Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday highlighted the women of the village who are flying drones, ushering in a new revolution in the agriculture sector.
Addressing the 122nd episode of Mann Ki Baat, PM Modi said, 'Today, there are many women who are working in the fields as well as touching the heights of the sky. Yes! You heard it right; now the women of the village are flying drones as Drone Didi and ushering in a new revolution in agriculture. In Sangareddy district of Telangana, women who had to depend on others till some time ago.'
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
'Today those very women are completing the work of spraying pesticides on 50 acres of land with the help of drones. Three hours in the morning, two hours in the evening and the work is done. Neither the scorching sun nor the danger of poisonous chemicals. The villagers have also accepted this change wholeheartedly. Now these women are not known as 'drone operators' but as 'sky warriors',' he added.
Notably, Namo Drone Didi is a central sector scheme aiming to empower women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by equipping them with drone technology to provide agricultural services.
Through this scheme, the Government of India is taking a significant step towards advancing agricultural practices while empowering women in rural areas. This initiative aligns with the government's broader goals of promoting women-led development and infusing technology into traditional sectors like agriculture. The scheme promises to revolutionise farming practices, provide a sustainable income source for SHGs, and inspire a new generation of women entrepreneurs in rural India.
Prime Minister in his monthly radio programme, also praised the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) for climbing the 'world's most difficult' peak, Mount Makalu.
'Just imagine a person is climbing snowy mountains, where it is difficult to breathe and there is danger to life at every step, and still that person is engaged in cleaning there. Something similar has been done by members of our ITBP team. Our ITBP team went to climb the world's most difficult peak, Mount Makalu,' the Prime Minister stated.
He further said that the ITBP personnel who climbed Mount Makalu also took up the task of removing the garbage lying near the peak.
'But they didn't just climb the mountain; they also took up the task of removing the garbage lying near the peak! The members of this team brought down more than 150 kg of non-biodegradable waste with them,' he added.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) successfully scaled Mt Makalu (8,485 m), the world's fifth highest peak, on April 19, marking the first-ever ascent of the peak by any Central Armed Police Force (CAPF).
The summit was part of ITBP's historic International Mountaineering Expedition to Mt Makalu and Mt Annapurna (8,091 m), flagged off from ITBP Headquarters in New Delhi on March 21.
This dual-peak mission, a first in the force's history, showcased ITBP's enduring legacy in high-altitude operationsLed by Deputy Commandant Anoop Kumar Negi, with Deputy Commandant Nihas Suresh as deputy leader, the 12-member expedition team was split into two groups of six.
The Makalu group recorded an 83 per cent summit success rate, with five climbers reaching the peak around 08:15 hrs on April 19. The successful summiteers included Assistant Commandant Sanjay Kumar, Head Constable (HC) Sonam Stobdan, HC Pradeep Panwar, HC Bahadur Chand, and Constable Vimal Kumar.
Meanwhile, the Annapurna team battled extreme conditions, including blizzards and whiteouts, reaching an altitude of 7,940 meters–just 150 meters shy of the summit–before retreating safely at 14:45 hrs on the same day.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
In line with its 'Clean Himalaya - Save Glacier' campaign, the expedition collected 150 kg of non-biodegradable waste from high-altitude camps, reinforcing ITBP's environmental commitment.
With the successful ascent of Mt Makalu, the ITBP has now scaled six of the world's 14 eight-thousanders, including Mt Everest, Mt Kanchenjunga, Mt Dhaulagiri, Mt Lhotse, and Mt Manaslu. The force has conquered a total of 229 peaks to date, underscoring its unmatched expertise and resilience in some of the harshest terrains on earth.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
16 minutes ago
- Hans India
Omar's witty reminder to Centre on statehood
Katra: Mixing humour with political resolve, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday used the flagging-off ceremony of the first train to Kashmir by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Katra to subtly but clearly articulate his government's demand for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Recalling the opening of the Katra Railway Station -- the last programme of his first government in 2014 -- Abdullah pointed to a 'coincidence' that four people present at the event on Friday were also on stage that day. Humorously pointing out the differing career trajectories of the persons involved, Abdullah said, 'You (Narendra Modi) became the Prime Minister for the first time then... You came here right after the election. And by the grace of God, you inaugurated the Katra Railway Station here. 'After that, you won the election twice in a row and remained the Prime Minister of this country. Your minister of state in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, was also present... Even our respected Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who was the minister of state for railways at that time, was present.' Referring to his own position, Abdullah said, 'And I, as the chief minister of a full-fledged state then, stand slightly demoted. I was the chief minister of a state. Now I am the chief minister of a union territory.' 'But I believe that it will not take long for this to be corrected. And with your help, Jammu and Kashmir will again attain the status of a state,' Abdullah added. The chief minister's direct plea for the restoration of statehood was met with applause by the large gathering. The erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised into two union territories – J-K and Ladakh – following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. During his speech at the inauguration of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway link, Abdullah reflected on the significant passage of time since the project's inception in early 1980s. 'I was an eighth-grade student when this project was started. Today, I am 55 years old. My children have also completed college. Now this project has been completed,' he said, pointing at the decades-long journey of the railway link between Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country. He also underscored the historical significance of the railway link, noting that even the British envisioned connecting Kashmir by rail via Uri and Jhelum, but failed to realise the dream. 'But today, what the British could not fulfil, has been fulfilled by your hands. The Kashmir Valley has been connected with other parts of the country,' Abdullah said, commending the Centre's achievement. Remembering former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Abdullah said, 'I will be making a huge mistake if I do not thank Vajpayee ji on this occasion... This happened after he gave it the status of a project of national importance and made it a part of the Budget.' Abdullah also highlighted the immense benefits the railway project would bring to Jammu and Kashmir. 'Jammu and Kashmir will benefit a lot with this project. It will benefit from tourism. It will benefit the residents of Jammu and Kashmir,' he said. The chief minister also specifically mentioned the inflated airfares during highway closures. 'When the highway closes as soon as it rains, the airlines start looting us. A ticket for Rs 5,000 suddenly costs Rs 20,000 within hours. But with the completion of the rail link, at least the loot of the passengers will be reduced now.' Abdullah further expressed hope that the railway line would also help facilitate the transportation of fruits like apples and cherries to markets across the country. Acknowledging the development of broader infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir by the Centre, Abdullah said, 'With your auspicious hands, another infrastructure project has been completed in Jammu and Kashmir. Similarly, many other projects are moving forward rapidly.' He also cited the ongoing work on various projects in Jammu and Kashmir, including ring roads in Jammu and Srinagar, the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra expressway, Jammu-Srinagar four-laning, and airport and railway network expansions.
Mint
37 minutes ago
- Mint
PM Modi extends Eid ul-Adha 2025 wishes, calls for harmony and peace on Bakrid
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended wishes for Bakrid on Saturday, June 7, 2025. In a post on the social media platform X, PM Modi wrote, 'Best wishes on Eid ul-Adha. May this occasion inspire harmony and strengthen the fabric of peace in our society. Wishing everyone good health and prosperity.'
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
Reforms aim to give big boost to mineral sector: Kishan
Hyderabad: Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy inaugurated the National Critical Minerals Mission Outreach Forum (NCMMOF) at the Critical Minerals Processing Seminar at India Habitat Center in the national capital on Friday. During his speech at the inauguration of the forum, he mentioned that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, several reforms have been introduced to enhance the mineral sector performance in the country. These reforms have facilitated the transparent auctioning of mineral blocks and, in turn, increased accountability. The auction process for 34 blocks has already been successfully completed. 'We are taking further steps to auction additional critical minerals. In the past three years, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has conducted a total of 445 exploration projects focused on critical mineral extraction. Funds have been allocated for 185 projects through the National Mineral Exploration Trust. We have signed bilateral agreements with countries such as Australia, Argentina, and Chile to facilitate the extraction of minerals from abroad,' he added. Kishan Reddy said the central government company Kabil has already begun extracting minerals from 15,000 hectares of land in Catamarca province, Argentina. In January of this year, the Union Cabinet approved the National Critical Minerals Mission with an outlay of Rs 16,300 crore. Additionally, central government companies will invest an extra Rs 18,000 crore for this mission. We are focusing on the extraction of critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements, which are in high demand for promoting clean energy in the country. The union minister said that by 2040, the demand for critical minerals is expected to increase by four to six times. Currently, India imports 100 per cent of these critical minerals from abroad. The mining sector is continuously striving for self-reliance in the critical minerals sector. India has now surpassed Japan to become the world's fourth-largest economy this financial year. In this context, the sector is advancing towards meeting the energy needs required to transform India into a developed nation by 2047. The National Critical Minerals Mission plays a crucial role in ensuring the country's power security. The central government has decided in this year's budget to eliminate the import duty on 12 critical minerals, including cobalt powder, lithium-ion battery scrap, and lead and zinc. Collaboration among government, private sector, public sector, and academia is crucial to strengthen the critical minerals processing industry. The National Critical Minerals Mission Outreach Forum, which launched today, aims to unite various industries within this sector. This forum will provide an opportunity to raise awareness about the critical minerals industry and its impact on power and food security in the country. He urged industry representatives to invest in the critical minerals processing sector, as their involvement will help strengthen the mining sector in India. Companies such as Coal India Limited, Hindustan Copper Limited, and Singareni need to acquire blocks both domestically and internationally to commence mining operations.
