Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he was confident that India would shine like gold after the government's decision to demonetise high value currency notes that would curb unaccounted wealth in the country.
"Just like gold we will emerge glowing from this fire. The main reason behind this confidence is our people," said the Prime Minister, defending the demonetisation move in his monthly radio broadcast "Mann ki Baat".
Modi said he had cautioned that there would be inconveniences caused by the move and that "we would face new problems".
"I had said it will take about 50 days for the situation to normalise. It is not easy to get rid of the 70-year-old problem" of corruption and black money, he emphasised.
"Your support despite severe problems touched me. You have not wavered despite efforts to misguide you," he said in his address to the nation, weeks after the surprise move that has caused unprecedented crash crunch in the country.
Giving a push for the country to go digital, Modi appealed the people, particularly the youths, to embrace e-banking and mobile banking for cashless transactions.
"Time has come for everyone, particularly my young friends, to embrace e-banking, mobile banking and more such technology," Modi said in a tweet before his 'Mann Ki Baat' radio address to the nation.
The Prime Minister suggested that mobile should be used for the banking purposes.
"My mobile... My bank... My wallet," Modi said.
The central government on November 8 demonetised old Rs 500 and 1,000 notes to crack down on black money holders. The move led to a cash chaos in the country.
The Prime Minister also said the people of the country must stand with the soldiers to boost their moral and strength.
"We must stand with our forces. When the entire nation stands with our 'jawans' (soldiers), their strength increases 125 crore times," Modi said in his 26th 'Mann Ki Baat' radio address to the nation.
The Prime Minister said that like always this year too he celebrated Diwali with the soldiers.
"This year Diwali was different, the way people of the country sent their messages to the 'jawans' was amazing."
Modi also announced to publish a coffee table book containing the wishes from the masses for the soldiers on the occasion of Diwali.
"With all your support, the work of publishing a coffee table book containing your messages sent for the soldiers on the occasion of Diwali, is going on," he said.
"One of the slodiers wrote to me that this year they did not feel alone while celebrating Diwali at the borders. He said the soldiers celebrate all their festivals be it Holi or Diwali at the borders as all the time they are immersed in protecting the nation," Modi said.