<span style="color: #222222;">Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Singh Thakur, participated in the Youth Festival – "Meri Mati, Mera Desh" program organized by the Nehru Yuva Mandal in Mandi on Saturday (21st October 2023). <br />''<br />''On this occasion, he administered the oath of Panch Pran to the youth and also honored the brave women. Anurag Thakur mentioned that the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav was celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country, and the "Meri Mati, Mera Desh" program marks the beginning of paying tribute to the heroes and honoring the motherland.<br />''<br />''He stated that under the "Meri Mati, Mera Desh" initiative, sacred soil collected from all over the country will be used to create an "Amrit Vatika" near the War Memorial in Delhi. He highlighted that this would be a true homage to the courageous freedom fighters and a sincere tribute to the soil. Under this program, sacred soil and grains are being collected from over 6 lakh villages and urban wards across the country. He encouraged the youth to embrace digital technology, emphasizing that India now holds a 46% share in e-payments worldwide. He also mentioned that in the next three years, India is set to become the world's third-largest economy.</span><br />