Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed the 42nd edition of his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat and said that each and every expense incurred by a farmer will be considered, including his labour, while fixing the minimum support price (MSP) at 1.5 times the input cost.

The Prime Minister also said that a major decision was taken in this year’s budget to ensure adequate returns to farmers when the government decided to give at least one-and-a-half times the input costs as MSP for the scheduled crops.

“Further to ensure adequate income to farmers, agriculture marketing reforms are being initiated in a big way. Efforts are being made to link village markets to wholesale market and global market,” he said.

During his address, PM Modi also talked about Preventive healthcare and Yoga.

Here are the highlights from his address:

– The way India is perceived globally has changed

–  Mahatma Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Ram Manohar Lohia, Chaudhary Charan Singh and Chaudhary Devi Lal, all considered agriculture an important part of India’s economy

–  All farmers should connect with Doordarshan’s channel exclusively for them.  We are working on agriculture marketing reforms to ensure farmers get the right price for their crops.

– On International Yoga Day on June 21, let’s spread awareness about yoga. Let’s ensure that we and those around us practice yoga. Yoga has attained worldwide recognition as a measure of preventive health care; it is a guarantee of both fitness and wellness

– Preventive healthcare is affordable and simple. The more aware that we are about it, the more will it benefit individuals, families and society as a whole

– The world is looking at India as a hub of investment and innovation

– A clean India and a healthy India are complementary to each other

– To lead a healthy life, it is vital to maintain hygiene. In the last four years, efforts have been made to almost double the country’s sanitation coverage to 80 per cent. Wellness centres too are being opened across the country

– It was Dr Ambedkar who dreamt of India as an industrial powerhouse. He saw ‘Jal Shakti’ as ‘Rashtra Shakti’

– In the mid-40s, the world was talking about World War II, the Cold War and divisions, but one man, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was talking about unity, Team India and cooperative federalism

-Today India is a bright spot in the world economy. It has the highest foreign direct investment in the world

-When I read in letters sent by you that how a rickshaw puller from Assam’s Karimganj, Ahmed Ali built 9 schools for poor children, it gives me a glimpse into the nation’s willpower.

-When I got to know the story of Dr Ajit Mohan Chaudhary of Kanpur that he goes to footpath to treat the poor people there and provide them medicines, it provided me the opportunity to feel the brotherhood of this nation.

-13 years ago, Kolkata’s cab driver Saidul Laskar lost his sister as she could not get medical facility on time. He then decided to build a hospital so that no poor ever dies due to absence of medical facility.

-In this mission, Saidul sold jewllery from his home and collected money through donations. His customers also donated to him generously. After 12 years, Saidul built a 30-bed hospital in Punri village near Kolkata. This is the power of New India.