Today on 15th August, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi addressed from the ramparts of the Red Fort by conveying Independence Day greetings. PM conveyed wishes on Raksha Bandhan.
Excerpts of PM speech are as follows:
PM said when we are marking Independence Day, many of our citizens are suffering due to floods in various parts of the nation. We stand in complete solidarity with those affected by the floods and I assure that all possible support that is needed will be provided to them.
PM added I bow to all those great women and men who devoted their lives so that India becomes free.
It has been under ten weeks since the new Government was formed but several pathbreaking decisions have been taken. This includes decisions for Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, the end of Triple Talaq, steps for the welfare of farmers and traders.
India understands the important of water conservation and thus, a new ministry for Jal Shakti has been created. Steps have been taken to make the medical sector even more people friendly.
This is the time to think about the India of the 21st century and how the dreams of the people will be fulfilled.
We have to think about solutions to the problems people face. Yes, there will be obstacles on the way but we have to work to overcome them. Remember how scared the Muslim women were, who suffered due to Triple Talaq but we ended the practice.
We do not believe in creating problems or prolonging them. In less than 70 days of the new Government, Article 370 has become history, and in both Houses of Parliament, 2/3rd of the members supported this step. We want to serve Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh.
The old arrangement in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh encouraged corruption, nepotism but there was injustice when it came to rights of women, children, Dalits, tribal communities. The dreams of sanitation workers were incomplete. How can we accept such a situation.
Those who supported Article 370, India is asking them: If this was so important and life changing, why was this Article not made permanent. After all, those people had large mandates and could have removed the temporary status of Article 370.
We think differently and it is India First for us. Politics comes and goes but steps in the interest of the nation are paramount.
One Nation, One Constitution- this spirit has become a reality and India is proud of that.
GST brought to life the dream of One Nation, One Tax. India has also achieved One Nation, One Grid in the energy sector. Arrangements have been made for One Nation, One Mobility Card. Today, India is talking about One Nation, One Election.
In the last 70 years, every Government at the Centre and the various States, irrespective of which party they belonged to, have worked for the welfare of the people.
It is unfortunate, however, that so many people lack access to water even 70 years after Independence. Work on the Jal Jeevan Mission will progress with great vigour in the years to come.
The movement towards water conservation has to take place at the grassroots level. It cannot become a mere Government programme. People from all walks of life have to be integrated in this movement.
There is one issue I want to highlight today- population explosion. We have to think- can we do justice to the aspirations of our children. There is a need to have greater discussion and awareness on population explosion.
Every effort made to remove corruption and black money is welcome. These are menaces that have ruined India for 70 long years. Let us always reward honesty.
I always ask- can we not remove the excess influence of Governments on people’s lives. Let our people have the freedom of pursuing their own aspirations, let the right eco-system be made in this regard.
India does not want incremental progress. A high jump is needed, our thought process has to be expanded. We have to keep in mind global best practices and build good systems.
People’s thinking has changed. Earlier, people were happy with merely a plan to make a railway station. Now people ask- when will Vande Bharat Express come to my area. People do not want only good railway stations or bus stations, they ask- when is a good airport coming.
Earlier the aspiration was to have a good mobile phone but now, people aspire better data speed. Times are changing and we have to accept that.
Time has come to think about how we can boost exports. Each district of India has so much to offer. Let us make local products attractive. May more export hubs emerge. Our guiding principle is Zero Defect, Zero Effect.
Today, the Government in India is stable, policy regime is predictable…the world is eager to explore trade with India. We are working to keep prices under check and increase development. The fundamentals of our economy are strong.
Wealth creation is a great national service. Let us never see wealth creators with suspicion. Only when wealth is created, wealth will be distributed. Wealth creation is absolutely essential. Those who create wealth are India’s wealth and we respect them.
From the ramparts of the Red Fort, I give my greetings to the people of Afghanistan who are marking 100 years of freedom.
Our forces are India’s pride. To further sharpen coordination between the forces, I want to announce a major decision from the Red Fort: India will have a Chief of Defence Staff- CDS. This is going to make the forces even more effective.
Can we free India from single use plastic? The time for implementing such an idea has come. May teams be mobilised to work in this direction. Let a significant step be made on 2nd October.
Our priority should be a ‘Made in India’ product. Can we think of consuming local products, improving rural economy and the MSME sector.
“डिजिटल पेमेंट को हां, नकद को ना”… Can we make this our motto. Let us further the use of digital payments all over the nation.
India has much to offer. I know people travel abroad for holidays but can we think of visiting at least 15 tourist destinations across India before 2022, when we mark 75 years of freedom.
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