Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation through a radio broadcast called 'Mann ki Baat'. When did this program first air?

Correct option is A

The correct answer is (A) October 2014

Explanation:

• Mann Ki Baat (Inner Thoughts) is an Indian radio program hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which he addresses the people of the nation on All India Radio, DD National, and DD News.
• The first episode of the program was aired on October 3, 2014, coinciding with the festival of Vijayadashami.
• The program aims to establish a dialogue with the citizens on issues of day-to-day governance and social reform, often highlighting the achievements of ordinary Indians.
• The broadcast usually takes place on the last Sunday of every month at 11:00 AM.

Information Booster:

• As of April 30, 2023, the program reached a historic milestone by completing its 100th episode.
• The program is translated into multiple regional Indian languages and several foreign languages to ensure a wider reach.
• According to studies by Prasar Bharati, the program has a massive reach, with over 100 crore (1 billion) people having listened to it at least once.

Additional Knowledge:

Significance of October 2014 (Option A)

• This was shortly after the NDA government took office in May 2014. The PM chose radio as a medium because of its vast reach into the most remote rural areas of India where television or internet access might be limited.

Other Options (B, C, and D)

• While the program continued through these years, they do not mark the inception. By October 2015, the program had already been running for a year and had touched upon topics like the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and Give It Up (LPG subsidy) campaigns.