Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Jan 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today cited the efforts of a youth from South Kashmir’s Anantnag district for mobilising community participation to make his village tobacco-free during the monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’.
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In the 130th episode of the broadcast-the first of the year 2026-the Prime Minister said that when the strength of family and society comes together, even the most difficult challenges can be overcome.
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He said he had learned about Sheikhgund village in Anantnag, where problems related to drugs, tobacco, cigarettes and alcohol had increased significantly.
“Seeing all this, Mir Jafar, who hails from there, became so distressed that he resolved to address this problem. He united everyone in the village, from the youth to the elders,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister said the impact of the initiative was such that shops in the village stopped selling tobacco products. “This effort also increased public awareness about the dangers of drugs,” he added.
Speaking to ‘Excelsior’, Jaffar expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for acknowledging the initiative, saying he felt encouraged and more motivated.
“I am thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for appreciating the initiative of this village. It has encouraged us, and we feel that we have done something good-something we should be proud of,” he said.
Jaffar said the rising number of drug cases and cancer incidents in Kashmir prompted him to take action and to take the village residents on board.
“We are seeing a rise in drug cases and cancer in Kashmir. The root cause is the use of tobacco; more so, there is the issue of drug abuse. I felt it was time to act and save both the younger generation and the elders. I spoke to them, and together we made the village a smoking-free area,” he said.
Referring to the Prime Minister naming him and the village during the broadcast, he added, “With the Prime Minister naming me and the village, it has come to the fore that good initiatives are appreciated. I urge people to make better use of their knowledge and stay away from such menaces.”
During the programme, the Prime Minister also touched upon several national issues.
Noting that it was the first Mann Ki Baat of 2026, he said the country would celebrate Republic Day on January 26, marking the day the Constitution came into effect.
He also referred to January 25 as National Voter’s Day, describing a voter as “the soul of democracy”.
He said that while becoming a voter at the age of 18 is often seen as a routine milestone, it is, in fact, a significant moment in an Indian’s life and should be celebrated collectively to strengthen awareness about voting.
The Prime Minister expressed appreciation for those involved in the electoral process and urged young citizens to register as voters upon turning 18, saying it would strengthen India’s democracy and fulfil a Constitutional duty.
Highlighting India’s progress, the Prime Minister said the country has become the world’s third-largest start-up ecosystem, with start-ups working in sectors such as artificial intelligence, space, nuclear energy, semiconductors, mobility, green hydrogen and biotechnology.
He also referred to the upcoming India AI Impact Summit scheduled to be held next month, saying experts from across the world would participate and the event would showcase India’s achievements in Artificial Intelligence.
Concluding the programme, the Prime Minister extended his greetings to the nation ahead of Republic Day.
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