PM Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech

PM Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech
PM Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech on Thursday was one of the longest from the ramparts of the Red Fort

His sixth consecutive Independence Day speech on Thursday was nearly 95-minute long.

His longest Independence Day speech was the one in 2016, when he spoke for nearly 96 minutes, according to data available in public domain.

Last year he spoke for nearly 80 minutes.

In 2017, the duration of the speech was of 56 minutes and in 2015, it was 86 minutes.

In his first Independence Day speech as a prime minister in 2014, Modi had spoken for nearly 65 minutes.

Highlights of the speech:

On Farmers:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that it is high time when the country needs to apply scientific research and suggestions to the agriculture sector to provide food security to the nation and to increase food production.

The Prime Minister also said that the country must increase the collective power of small farmers and make them the nation’s pride.

The Prime Minister said: “It is time we apply scientific research and suggestions in our agriculture sector. We need to reap all its benefits. It will not just provide food security to the nation, but will also increase food produce.”

New e-commerce platform:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the government will develop an e-commerce platform for the products made by women self-help groups (SHGs) in villages.

Praising women self-help groups, Modi said there are more than eight crore women in the villages who are associated with them.

These women make various products and now the government will prepare an e-commerce platform for their products to get a big market in the country and abroad, he said.

Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayaas

Prime Minister said “‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayaas’ is very important for the achievement of all our goals.”

“There comes a time in the development journey of every country, when that country redefines itself, moves forward with new resolutions. Today that time has come in India’s development journey…Starting from here, the journey of the next 25 years is the ‘Amrit’ of the creation of a new India. The fulfillment of our resolves in this ‘Amrit Kaal’ will take us till 100 years of independence,” said the Prime Minister.

Govt to supply fortified rice to poor by 2024

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced that the government will fortify the rice distributed to the poor via different schemes such as Midday Meal in a bid to address the problem of malnutrition.

“Malnutrition and lack of micro-nutrients are affecting the growth of poor children. Looking at this, it has been decided to fortify the rice given to the poor via different government schemes,” Modi said in his Independence Day speech.

Infrastructure plan ‘Gati Shakti’

India will launch a 100 trillion rupee ($1.35 trillion) national infrastructure plan that will help generate jobs and boost the economy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.

The programme will be called “Gati Shakti” and will help boost productivity of industries, Modi said during his speech at the Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi.

Hand-holding of deprived communities necessary, reservation being ensured

Reservation is being ensured for Dalits, STs, backwards and general category poor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday in his Independence Day address and stressed that the hand-holding of deprived communities is necessary.

“We have to bridge the gap between lives in villages and cities,” the prime minister said.

New history of connectivity being written in northeast

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said a new history of connectivity is being written in the northeast, and announced that the work to connect the state capitals in the region with rail services will be completed soon.

During his Independence Day speech, Modi said multiple parts of the country — whether its east, northeast, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh including the entire Himalayan region, the coastal belt or the tribal region — will become a big base for India’s development in the future.

PM Modi lauds scientists

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded scientists and said that it is the result of the strength of our industrialists and scientists, that today India does not need to depend on any other nation for COVID-19 vaccines.

PM Modi sets 2047 target for becoming ‘energy independent’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi set a target of becoming ‘energy independent’ by 2047 through a mix of electric mobility, gas-based economy, doping ethanol in petrol and making the country a hub for hydrogen production.

Delivering his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, he said India spends over ₹12 lakh crore on energy imports every year.

“For India to progress, for Atmanirbhar Bharat, energy independence is the call of the hour,” he said. “India has to take a pledge that it will be energy independent by the year we celebrate 100th year of Independence.

Sainik schools now open for girls also

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced that all Sainik Schools in the country will now be open for girls also.

At present, 33 Sainik schools are operating in the country.

During his Independence Day speech Sunday, the prime minister said that two-and-a-half years ago, the maiden experiment of admitting girls in Sainik schools was carried out in Mizoram.

“Now, the government has decided that all the Sainik schools in the country will also be open for the daughters of the country,” he said.

PTI, August 15, 2021