PM’s secret: People informing him of black money

In his last radio talk of the year on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi let out a ‘secret’. People, he said, may have noticed that these days, every day currency notes are being seized, influential people are being arrested and raids are being conducted.

The ‘secret’, he declared, was “That my sources of such information are people themselves” and that information from common citizens is many times higher than information obtained through Government agencies. He reiterated his invitation to the people to share more such information.

In his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on Christmas day the Prime Minister defended demonetisation and declared that there was no question of going back on the campaign against black money. Next year, he said, the law against benami property will be operationalised.

Here are 10 important take-aways from the PM’s Mann Ki Baat on December 25

• Every day for the next 100 days as many as 15,000 people will be rewarded through draw of lots with ₹1,000 each for making digital transactions.
• Digital transactions of over ₹50 and up to ₹3,000 will be eligible for the lucky draws.
• There will be weekly draws in which the prize money will be higher.
• A mega draw will be held on April 14 in which prizes will run into crores of rupees.
• Traders encouraging digital transactions will be rewarded separately
• Digital, cashless transactions will convert the informal sector into formal sector and exploitation and middlemen will come to an end.
• “Somebody spread a rumour that the spelling on the new currency note was faulty; someone said salt prices had spiraled, someone proclaimed that the ₹2,000 notes would also be withdrawn” but happy that people paid no heed to rumours.
• Some people trying to give even communal colour to the fight against black money.
• The Government has been accused of changing rules too frequently. But rules were changed about banking norms because as a responsive Government, its attempt was to redress difficulties faced by the people.