Awaken the nation, initiate a movement: PM Modi to YouTubers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged YouTube content creators to spread awareness on cleanliness, digital payment and the 'vocal for local' campaign through their work.

'Awaken the nation, initiate a movement,' he said, noting that for 15 years he has been connecting to the country and the world through a YouTube channel.

Addressing the nearly 5,000 content and aspiring content creators, he said their product impacts people and they have an opportunity to make it even more effective.

'Together, we can easily teach and make crores of people understand important matters. Friends, although there are thousands of videos on my channel, the most satisfying for me has been when I talked to lakhs of students in our country through YouTube on subjects like exam stress, expectation management, productivity,' he said.

Highlighting some topics, he said cleanliness (Swachh Bharat) became a big campaign in the last nine years with everyone contributing to it and children bringing an emotional power to it.

Celebrities endorsed it and people in all corners of the country turned it into a mission and YouTubers made cleanliness more cool, he told the gathering.

'But we don't have to stop. Till the time cleanliness becomes India's identity, we won't stop. Therefore, cleanliness must be a priority for each one of you,' he added.

'The second topic is - digital payments. Due to the success of UPI, India today has 46 percent share in digital payments of the world. You should inspire more and more people of the country to make digital payments, teach them to make digital payments in simple language through your videos,' he added.

Another topic, the prime minister said, is 'vocal for local'.

In India, so many products are made at the local level, he said, adding local artisans have amazing skills.

He told content creators that they can promote them also through their work, and help in making India's local turn global.

These topics are connected with mass movement, and the power of the people of the country is the basis for their success, he said.

'And I have one more request. Inspire others also, make an emotional appeal that we will buy the product that has the fragrance of our soil, which has the sweat of a labourer or artisan of our country. Whether it's Khadi, handicrafts, handloom, or anything else. Awaken the nation, initiate a movement,' he said.

Along with the identity that they have as a YouTuber, they can add an activity, he suggested.

'Consider putting a question at the end of each episode or provide action points to do something. People can do the activity and share it with you. This way, your popularity will also grow, and people will not just listen but also engage in doing something,' he said.