'COVID-19 taught us to be self reliant': PM Modi during interaction with sarpanches

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the coronavirus crisis has taught the country to become self-reliant. He made the while remark interacting with village heads from across the nation via video conferencing on the occasion of Panchayati Raj Day.

“The coronavirus pandemic taught us the biggest lesson - that we have to become self-dependent. The villages became self-reliant, and it’s very important that districts, states and the entire country should become self-reliant,” he said.

Modi further said, “villages, districts and cities need to be reliant,” adding that "the coronavirus pandemic has thrown up new challenges which we never faced before, but it also made us learn new things."

He also launched the e-Gram Swaraj portal and a mobile application. During the interaction, Panchayati Raj Minister Narendra Singh Tomar was also present.

“Earlier we used to interact face-to-face, but we now are interacting with technology's help due to coronavirus," Modi said.

"Indians with their limited resources are not bowing to coronavirus but facing it with resolve and determination. The coronavirus has shown that those living in villages have shown examples of their culture and traditional knowledge," the PM said.

Modi also hailed people's efforts in the fight against coronavirus. “It is because of the efforts of our people that entire world today is talking about how India has responded to COVID-19 crisis. Despite limited resources amid coronavirus crisis, citizens are taking on this challenge instead of succumbing to difficulties,” he said.

National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated on April 24