Dear Mr. Sagar In my column 'Retrofit' that appeared in Mail Today on 8th October I argue that the Swatchh Bharat campaign is indeed laudable. But it can be sustained only if our economy grows more rapidly and our people are productively employed and empowered. This could be the focus of future 'man ki baat' programs.  Your feedback and response will be truly appreciated. Best regards Rajiv Kumar    Hifi, Wifi and Safai   A few days away from Delhi, the newspapers and all known TV anchors, in the calmer, dare I say saner environments of Kumaon hills, brings on a fresh perspective. Most importantly, it renews one's optimism about the future of our country, based almost entirely on the remarkable degree of innovative skills, resilience and capacity for creative activity of ordinary Indians.   This was on display everywhere. From the women's cooperative for producing woollen textiles near Almora; to an elderly couple having trained themselves in Switzerland and now selling quality chocolates near Mukteshwar; to an old couple running a small tea shop and freshly made samosas in Bhaisuli village, near Binsar, having rejected Delhi as a place for retired life after working there for two decades. Invigorating   Despite these remarkable examples of human spirit amidst invigorating and cleansing nature, and perhaps because I am an economist, a peddler of the dismal science, some nagging questions would not leave me.   Will our people not do far better if public governance could be improved? Could we not successfully synergise the people's capabilities with good governance to complete our ongoing triple transition that we have so audaciously embarked upon?   Can we continue our business with the usual mindset and still avert the social disaster that will overtake us if our young people, who constitute 65 per cent of our population, do not get absorbed in productive employment?   All these questions came rushing up when a young man, who had given up his regular job to start his own dhaba-cum-provision store, asked us if Prime Minister Modi will ensure he gets at least 12 hours of electricity each day and that will highways be repaired and improved so that more tourists stop by his canteen.   Having run a hugely successful Presidential-style election campaign, Modi is now seen by the people as being exclusively responsible for improving their lives and of their children.   He has aroused huge expectations and now has to carry the burden of these expectations. He had asked the people to give him 60 months to improve their destiny and they handed him a mandate beyond all expectations. I doubt if people will accept any pleas in case their lives could not improve because the Opposition ran the particular state government.   Therefore, the question that Mr. Modi must answer for himself is: how can he be seen and heard by the people as trying to deliver on his electoral promises. Initiative   The 'Man ki Baat' radio initiative is a good step in this direction by the prime minister talking directly and regularly with the people. This will encourage them to place greater trust in him and dilute their cynicism.   People will accept being told what to do and be reminded about their responsibilities during these sessions, which will hopefully be on television channels as well. But sooner than later, Indians want to hear news about positive outcomes and prospective development that will touch their lives in a positive manner. Thus, it is important for the PMO to gather success stories from all parts of the country, irrespective of whether those states are governed by the NDA or the opposition parties, for the PM to mention them in his 'man ki baat'. People want to be enthused about India's future. They like to emulate success if they are told about it. And there could be no better method to do so than to devote a part of the program to these positive stories. It will also be important that there is a genuine attempt to respond to at least some feedback right from the ground during these sessions. This will ensure a two-way communication during 'man ki baat' and not merely a sermon session.   One person per district could suffice for the PMO to gather feedback.This small step will make the prime minister's invitation to write on his website appear more sincere, for those who don't have access to laptops. It is good to remember that the internet coverage is still only 30 per cent in India.  Cleanliness The prime minister has so far used his direct communication with the people to emphasise the virtues of and the need for cleanliness. I can assure him that the vast legions of Indians strongly desire clean homes and environment. Otherwise, could the metros in Kolkata and Delhi have remained as clean as they are? But people can achieve cleanliness only if they have the material basis to do so. A manual rickshaw puller or a woman carrying bricks on her head the whole day and then having to cook for her family, after collecting the firewood, cannot remain clean or keep their environment hygienic. We should be grateful to the prime minister for his honest effort to raise the civic consciousness in our people. We now look to him to afford us the material basis for putting it in practice. May I therefore, with all humility, suggest to the PM that he uses his subsequent 'man ki baat' sessions to tell the countrymen about his plans for generating 12 million jobs each year that are needed to absorb the entrants to the workforce; about the measures to achieve higher efficiency in the highway building program so that hopes are raised in Binsar and Koshi; and about greater availability of coal and electricity that will allow the children in Bageshwar to study for their upcoming exams. Safai will happen only and only if there is an increasing availability of bijli, Wi-Fi and Hi-Fi - hopefully he will focus on these in the coming session. Author is a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research. He is also the Director of Pahle India Foundation and his most recent book is Exploding Aspirations.