Guwahati/Agartala, May 31 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed the northeast people for making business out of local produce, and even daily wagers helping people in the time of coronavirus pandemic.
"Sudip from Assam wrote to me about his business of handicrafts, designed and produced by rural women. Sudip has decided to turn his bamboo-based handicraft business into a global brand in two years," Modi said in his monthly radio programme "Mann Ki Baat".
Modi said he was confident that the self-reliance mission would take India to a new heights in this decade.
The Prime Minister also praised Gautam Das, a vegetable vendor, for providing rice and pulses to the poor by using his his meagre daily earnings.
Das, who earns living by selling vegetables on push-cart in areas on the outskirts of Agartala, capital of Tripura, had provided food to the poor to survive the Covid-19-induced lockdown.
Soon after the Prime Minister talked about the Tripura man in his radio programme, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb felicitated Das.
"Happy to meet Goutam Das, a cart-puller from Tripura who has spent his savings to serve people during the lockdown. In today's 'Man ki Baat' programme PM Narendra Modiji also appreciated his efforts. He is an inspiration to many, our government will always support him," the Tripura Chief Minister tweeted.
The state government would financially help the family of Das, the Chief Minister said later. The state government had identified 12,000 vendors to be given INR 1,000 each from the CM Relief Fund.