Mann ki Baat: Make lives of 'divyangs' easier by using Artificial Intelligence, PM Modi urges scientists

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also urged scientists to make use of artificial intelligence for early detection of natural calamities.

NEW DELHI: In the 41st edition of Mann Ki Baat programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the contribution of India in the field of sciene and technology. Ahead of the National Science Day on February 28, the PM said that science and technology are value neutral. "It is up to us what we want the machine to do for us," he said. 

Focussing on artificial intelligence, he urged the scientists to find ways for the betterment of those who are specially-abled. "I urge the scientists to find ways in which we can enhance lives of our 'divyang' brothers and sisters through artificial intelligence," he said. He also urged scientists to make use of artificial intelligence for early detection of natural calamities.

He asked people to inculcate safety in their day-to-day lives, stressing that India needs to become a "risk-conscious" society. "Most of the accidents barring national disasters in some way or the other occur due to our negligence. If we remain vigilante and follow rules then we can avoid such situations," he said.

Applauding the role of women, he said that the country is looking beyond the concept of women's development and talking in terms of development being led by women. "Women today are leaders in various spheres of life," he said and urged women in rural areas to become a part of an initiative for "clean energy and green jobs". 
Speaking baout the recently-launched "Gobardhan" programme, he said that through the scheme, livestock waste including cow dung in villages can be used to generate clean energy. "In this budget, emphasis was laid on 'waste to wealth' and 'waste to energy' through bio-gas for villages under 'Swacch Bharat' initiative called 'GOBAR-Dhan' (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources)," he said.

He also spoke about the recently held Kachra festival in Raipur and said that several other cities are taking inspiration from the same and organising such events. "We hear of music festivals, food festivals and film festivals but in a unique move Chhattisgarh celebrated 'Kachra Mahotsav'. The objective behind it was to utilise waste creatively and to spread awareness about ways to reuse garbage," he said.