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The
text of PM's I-Day address
New Delhi: The following is the free rendering of the
Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh's address to the Nation
from the ramparts of the Red Fort in Hindi on the occasion
of the 60th Independence Day here today:- "My dear countrymen,
brothers, sisters, and dear children My greetings to all of
you on this day, the anniversary of our Independence.
Today is a very auspicious day for our country.
Today we enter the 60th year of our Independence. Today we
re-dedicate ourselves to the progress and prosperity of our
nation. To the welfare of all our people. To the unity and
integrity of our country. Today we salute our beloved tricolor.
We pay tribute to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi
and all those freedom fighters because of whose efforts and
sacrifices we secured our Independence. We remember all those
whose hard work and efforts keep our flag flying high and
keep our country on the road to progress. We pay tribute to
the brave members of our armed forces, farmers, teachers,
scientists, workers and the millions of our countrymen who
are toiling tirelessly for the progress and prosperity of
our nation.
In the early hours of the 15th of August, 1947, when our nation
had just become Independent, our first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal
Nehru spoke to the nation and asked us all one important question
on the very first day we became a free country: "Are we brave
enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept
the challenge of the future?" Today, my fellow citizens, I
stand here once again and ask you that same question. Are
we ready to face the challenge of the future? Are we brave
enough, to do so, and wise enough, in doing so? Can we rediscover
the ideas and ideals that shaped our freedom struggle, and
use them to take our country forward into the future? Are
we willing to show the courage and the wisdom that Panditji
wanted us to show in building a new India in a new world?
The
going has never been as good for India in the past as it is
now. Our economy has been growing at an impressive pace of
over 8%. Such rapid growth over three successive years is
unprecedented in Indian history. Wherever I go, I see our
nation on the move. Our industry and services sectors are
showing impressive growth. I see a reassuring confidence in
our industry in being able to take on the challenge of the
rest of the world. The growth of the manufacturing industry
has touched 11% in the last quarter, generating many jobs
for our youth and workers. I see our service sector competing
with the best and earning valuable foreign exchange. All around
us, we see new roads being built. The railways are expanding
their reach. New power plants are being built. New airports
are being planned. Vast industrial estates and Special Economic
Zones are coming up. This dynamism is the result of the enterprise,
creativity and hard work of millions of Indians. They are
boldly taking our country into the future, treading on untrodden
paths. I am sure this will result in far greater prosperity
for our people. I sincerely believe that the most effective
way to banish poverty is to generate growth which in turn
will create new opportunities for gainful employment. Hence,
economic growth is of primary importance for us. It is almost
sixty years since Independence. It is but a brief period in
the history of an ancient civilization. But, it is a long
time in the life of a young nation. In these sixty years,
the world has been transformed beyond recognition. The empires
of Europe have faded away. New powers have emerged in Asia.
Look at where Japan was and where it is today. Look at where
China was and where it is today. Look at where the countries
of South-east Asia were and where are they today? When I see
them, I wonder whether we are living up to our full potential
or not.
India
is certainly on the march. Yet, we have miles to go before
we can truly say that we have made our tryst with destiny.
Sixty years ago, Panditji told us that the two challenges
before a free India was to end the ancient scourge of poverty,
ignorance and disease and end the inequality of opportunity.
India has marched a great distance forward in these sixty
years, but the challenge of banishing poverty remains with
us. We have yet to banish hunger from our land. We have yet
to eradicate illiteracy. We have yet to ensure that every
Indian enjoys good health. There is visible progress all around.
However, when I see this, I have some worries. And I am aware,
that every Indian has similar worries. Even as we move forward
rapidly, to claim our rightful place in the comity of nations,
I see that there are vast segments of our people who are untouched
by modernization; who continue to do backbreaking labour;
who continue to suffer from iniquitous social orders. I see
that our farmers in many parts are in a crisis, not managing
to eke out a decent living from their land. When I visited
Vidarbha, the plight of the farmers there made a deep impact
on me. The agricultural crisis that is forcing them to take
the desperate step of committing suicide needs to be resolved.
We need to think about how we can provide a decent livelihood
to our farmers?
When
I see large development projects coming up, while one rejoices
at the progress that is being made, one worries for those
who are displaced, for those who have lost their land and
livelihood. When one sees our cities growing rapidly, one
sees visible progress but at the same time, one worries for
the large number of people who live in their slums. When our
industry and services compete successfully across the globe,
we celebrate our success in global markets; but at the same
time, we are buffeted by the same global forces when oil prices
go up because of factors beyond our control. Globalisation
certainly has its benefits; but it can also hurt the common
man.
The big challenge for us as a nation is to address this duality
- to ensure that while we keep the wheels of progress moving
rapidly forward, no section of society and no part of the
country is left behind; to ensure that growth generates the
necessary wealth which can then finance the welfare of marginalized
groups; to ensure that growth generates employment and a bright
future for our youth. In the past two years, it has been our
endeavour to address these concerns. We have taken many steps
to expand employment opportunities and improve the quality
of life in rural and urban areas. The National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act has been enacted to provide income security
for those suffering from extreme poverty. The programmes under
this Act, for which more than 2 crore families have already
registered, currently cover 200 districts and will be expanded
gradually to cover the entire country. This pathbreaking Act
is the most important social safety net for our poor. I am
confident that this Act will help us in eradicating poverty.
Bharat Nirman is another programme which will modernize our
villages. As our villages get fully electrified and get connected
by roads and telephones, their economies will prosper. As
they get better irrigation facilities, their agriculture will
grow. As drinking water and housing facilities improve, their
living conditions will improve. They will participate in the
growth which is already visible in urban India. I am happy
that progress in the first year of Bharat Nirman has been
good and by 2009, I expect to see visible results across the
country. These programmes are our weapons in the "War on Poverty".
The most effective weapon against poverty is employment. And,
higher economic growth is the best way to generate employment.
We must create an environment that encourages business to
grow and create more employment, especially in the manufacturing
sector. We have created a conducive environment for our industrial
enterprises to flourish and the results of this are visible.
We are supporting not just large industries, but also the
labour intensive small scale and handloom sectors through
special programmes. Handlooms and textile industries employ
over 3.5 crore people. We are giving cheaper loans to this
sector and handloom cooperatives are being revitalised. I
am hopeful that in the coming years, lakhs of jobs will be
generated in these sectors.
Two
years ago, speaking from the Red Fort, I talked of "New Deal
for Rural India". There is much we have done, but I know much
more needs to be done. We have kept our word and almost doubled
agricultural credit in less than three years as promised.
We are providing short term loans to farmers at 7%. We have
waived interest on over-due loans for debt-stressed farmers
in Vidarbha and will do the same in other suicide affected
districts. We are trying to reach institutional credit to
each and every farmer so that they are out of the clutches
of moneylenders. For this, we are reviving the cooperative
banking system for which a Rs 13,000 crore package is being
implemented. We have been paying special attention to horticulture,
animal husbandry, cotton, sugarcane and other crops. A National
Fisheries Development Board has been set up for increasing
the livelihood of fishermen. Agricultural research is being
improved and Krishi Vigyan Kendras will soon be functioning
in every district of the country by the year end.
However,
I admit that much still needs to be done to improve the prospects
for farmers. Especially in rain-fed areas and for dry- land
agriculture. We will need to work towards ensuring more remunerative
prices for our farmers. I am aware of the acute distress of
our farmers who bear the burden of heavy debt. We have recently
constituted an expert group to look into the problem of agricultural
indebtedness. I am confident that in a few months, we will
take concrete measures to help our farmers overcome the burden
of crushing debt. Most importantly, we must ensure that more
people get employment in manufacturing and services so that
the disproportionate burden on agriculture in providing a
livelihood to two-thirds of our population gets reduced. The
results of our efforts to improve agriculture are clearly
visible in some places. Farmers are getting better prices
for many crops. This helps them earn a better livelihood.
This, on the other hand hurts the common man when the prices
of essential food commodities go up. We need to understand
that if we want better prices for farmers so that they earn
a better livelihood, the prices of what they produce and sell
will have to go up! We certainly cannot grudge our farmers
better incomes when incomes of other sections of society are
rising! In order to ensure that the needy and the poor do
not get adversely affected, our government is committed to
ensuring adequate availability of essential commodities at
affordable prices to them. I know that each of our families
is concerned about the prices of essential commodities. Let
me assure you that we will do whatever is required to keep
prices under check. But I must remind you that two years ago
the international price of oil was just over $30 per barrel.
Today it is close to $75. Even though world oil prices have
more than doubled, we have succeeded in insulating our consumers
to a great extent. Prices of kerosene and LPG have not been
raised. But there is a limit to which we can go on subsidizing
the consumption of petroleum products in the face of rising
import costs. How much more can the government treasury bear
this burden? At some point, this will affect our ability to
spend on other important development programmes. In order
to keep food prices within the reach of the common man, we
have even allowed the import of some products to meet the
shortage in our markets.
While
employment and agriculture are of immediate concern to all,
our long term concern is for the future of our children. They
need to be healthy, well educated, with hope for the future.
We launched the National Rural Health Mission to provide better
health care in rural areas. Under this programme, almost 2
lakh women have been kept as health assistants (ASHAs) at
the village level; 4 lakh more women will be in place soon.
Through them, we will wage a war against malnutrition of children,
against malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and other diseases.
These diseases put a heavy financial burden on our people.
In Vidarbha, I was pained to meet families of farmers who
had committed suicide because they could not repay the loans
they had taken to meet the cost of health care of their loved
ones. We will take every possible step to help people overcome
the burden of poverty and disease.
The
expanded Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan will ensure that all our children
go to school. Under the universal Mid-day Meal Programme,
almost 12 crore children are getting a nutritious meal at
school. Through these two programmes, we will ensure that
all our children complete basic schooling. I request every
citizen to ensure that every child of school-going age is
enrolled in a school. We will pay particular attention to
the empowerment through education of children belonging to
Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Minorities. We will
provide all possible assistance for the all round growth of
children suffering from disabilities or with special needs.
We also will care for those who suffer from disabilities so
that they can lead a dignified life in society. All the initiatives
that we have taken to push forward rural development and ensure
farmers' welfare can be implemented only with the active participation
of our panchayats. For this to happen, our State Governments
have to empower our panchayats. We have to pay more attention
to the quality of local administration - in our villages and
districts, in our towns and cities. We need to rid our municipalities
of the cancer of corruption. State governments have a major
role to play in this. Cities and towns are centers of growth
and generators of employment opportunities. Our cities need
to have a new look for which they need massive investment
and renewal. They need basic amenities like sanitation, drinking
water and proper housing for the poor. They need public transport,
parks and playgrounds. We need cities in which the working
poor can live with self-respect and dignity; cities in which
children and women feel safe and secure. In order to ensure
that our cities have better infrastructure and that they have
better living conditions, we launched the Jawaharlal Nehru
National Urban Renewal Mission. This programme and other similar
ones have started showing results. Work has begun on Metro
systems in Bangalore and Mumbai. I see a glorious decade of
city development ahead of us. The massive challenge before
Government is to implement these programmes. We have to improve
the way governments function and deliver public services.
How do we do this? How do we ensure that higher financial
outlays translate into better outcomes? I sincerely hope that
the Right to Information Act enacted by our Government will
empower our people who will be able to use their rights to
make government more accountable. We have to work hard to
eliminate corruption in the delivery of public services, in
fact eliminate it from all walks of life. We will work to
put in place a system that rewards honesty, probity and efficiency.
India
has contributed extensively to human knowledge. Today, we
are at the dawn of a new millennium which many call the knowledge
economy. In this world, knowledge will determine our progress
and the place we occupy in the world. We must continue to
be at the forefront of new research and new thinking, especially
in science and technology. We must build top-class institutions.
We have begun work on three new Indian Institutes of Science,
Education and Research in Kolkata, Pune and Punjab. We have
also begun work on 19 medical institutions of the same standard
as AIIMS. We will need to ensure far greater availability
of educational opportunities at the higher education level
so that we have not just a literate youth but a skilled youth,
with skills which can fetch them gainful employment. As our
economy booms and as our industry grows, I hear a pressing
complaint about an imminent shortage of skilled employees.
As a country endowed with huge human resources, we cannot
let this be a constraint. We are planning to launch a Mission
on Vocational Education so that the skill deficit in our economy
is addressed. As we expand educational opportunities, we must
ensure that these opportunities are accessible to all marginalized
and weaker sections of our society. Our government is committed
to providing reservation in educational institutions for students
from socially backward sections of society. We will do so,
while at the same time expanding educational opportunities
for all youth. This is our solemn commitment. In this manner,
we will recognize and reward individual merit and hard work
while working for an inclusive society. While we are moving
fast to develop every region of our country, we have to take
pains to see that this does not adversely affect those who
are displaced. Nor should it affect our environment. Nor should
any region of the country get left behind. Our government
will soon put in place a comprehensive Rehabilitation Policy
so that displacement does not lead to impoverishment and those
who lose their land benefit from subsequent economic development.
We have also taken special measures to save our wildlife,
including the tiger. We are taking concrete steps to develop
backward regions through the Backward Regions Grant Fund and
will be spending Rs 5000 crores annually in 250 districts.
Our other concern is national security. India is facing two
major threats to its internal security. Terrorism and Naxalism.
Just over a month ago, Mumbai witnessed the most inhuman terrorist
attack in the recent past, killing and injuring hundreds of
innocent citizens. The entire nation was pained by this suffering.
Mumbai demonstrated its courage and patience and showed its
resolve not to be cowed down by these incidents. I had said
in Mumbai then that it cannot be business as usual for any
of us. Terrorists want to undermine our growing economic strength;
destroy our unity; and provoke communal incidents. We cannot
allow this to happen. Our strength lies in our unity. We will
not allow the secular fabric of our country to be broken.
I give my assurance to every citizen that we will do our utmost
to preserve our unity and integrity, to make our country safe
and secure for every citizen. We will modernize, strengthen
and properly equip our security forces and our intelligence
agencies. We will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that
terrorist elements in India are neutralized and smashed. Let
those who want to hurt us by inflicting a thousand cuts remember
- no one can break our will, or unity. No one can make India
kneel.
While
terrorism has been raising its ugly head time and again, we
have also seen peace having its victories. The people of Jammu
and Kashmir continue to face the wrath of terrorism. But they
have also seen new rays of hope for peace and progress. New
links of connectivity have brought people on both sides of
the Line of Control closer - Srinagar to Muzaffarabad, Poonch
to Rawalkot. Through the Round Table Conferences, we have
started a dialogue with all political groups and parties of
Jammu and Kashmir. We are jointly exploring new pathways to
build a better tomorrow for its people - a tomorrow where
they can live in peace and dignity, free from fear, want and
exploitation. Today the people of the North-Eastern region
look to the future with hope. The last two years have seen
immense progress in the North East in all spheres of development
- better roads, better rail connectivity, the first ever thermal
power projects in the region and better universities. I am
hopeful that in the coming few years, the North-eastern region
will gradually catch up with the rest of the country. However,
many states here are still afflicted by insurgency. There
is a great desire among the people of the region for peace
and tranquility. While we are determined to tackle insurgency,
we are hopeful that the dialogue that we have initiated with
many disaffected groups will produce a peace dividend. A life
of progress and prosperity with self-respect and dignity is
the right of the people there and we are confident of providing
it. I want those who have mistakenly taken to Naxalism to
understand that in democratic lndia, power will never flow
from the barrel of a gun. Real power flows from the ballot
box. At the same time, our State Governments must pay special
attention to the welfare of our tribals and small and marginal
farmers. It is their distress that Naxalites exploit. The
path of violence can never solve the problems of the poor.
Our security forces will respond appropriately to the violence
unleashed by Naxalites.
In
the past one month, many parts of the country, particularly
Andhra Pradesh, Surat and Maharashtra, have been badly affected
by floods and there has been extensive loss of life and property.
We will provide all possible assistance for the relief of
these regions. Every Indian wants to live in a neighbourhood
of peace, stability and prosperity. People in our neighbouring
countries share the same aspirations. South Asia is a common
cultural and economic unit. Our past and destinies are inter-linked.
India, as the largest country in the region, is ready to give
our neighbours a stake in our own prosperity and share the
fruits of our growth with them. However, the dream of a South
Asian community, where borders have ceased to matter and there
is an unhindered flow of goods and peoples, culture and ideas,
can hardly be realized if terrorist violence and the politics
of hate and confrontation continue to cast a dark shadow.
We are prepared to work together with all our neighbours to
usher in an era of peace and prosperity for our peoples. We
have taken several initiatives in this regard, in particular
with Pakistan. To be successful, these initiatives need an
atmosphere of peace. It is obvious that unless Pakistan takes
concrete steps to implement the solemn assurances it has given
to prevent cross- border terrorism against India from any
territory within its control, public opinion in India, which
has supported the peace process, will be undermined. All countries
in our region must recognize that terrorism anywhere is a
threat to peace and prosperity everywhere. It must be confronted
with our united efforts. There is a large constituency for
peace and shared prosperity among our people and we must work
together to build on that. In the past two years, we have
succeeded in creating an international environment which supports
our development aspirations. Our relations with the United
States of America, Russia, China, Japan, and the European
Union, have never been better and with Russia, we have further
strengthened our time- tested partnership. In South-East Asia,
India has been welcomed into the East Asian Summit. There
has been a significant expansion of both our political and
economic links with countries of the Gulf and the Arab world.
The continents of Africa and Latin America are now the new
areas of focus for our diplomacy and India's engagement has
become truly global. We are recognized for the scale of our
achievements since Independence and the world wants India
to progress.
India is a young nation. India is a nation of young people.
Our youth are ready to work hard for a bright future. Our
former Prime Minister, Shri Rajiv Gandhi, was greatly concerned
about the prospects for our youth and took many steps for
ensuring a bright future for them. Even today, the youth of
our country are in search of a bright future. They seek new
opportunities and are in search of new possibilities. They
are willing to think in new ways. They have no time for old
ideas and ideologies. They want to build a new India. We must
build a new India of their dreams. I want every one of our
youth to walk shoulder to shoulder, and walk forward with
us in building a new India. Every young person must have faith
in our future. To know that this country will create opportunities
for all for the full _expression of their talent and skill.
We have a dream of an India in which every woman can feel
safe, secure and empowered. Where our mothers, sisters and
daughters are assured a life of dignity and personal security.
We must end the crime of female foeticide. We must eliminate
gender disparities. We must see that every young woman is
educated and skilled and capable of guiding a new generation.
The laws of our land are meant to protect every law abiding
citizen. The rule of law can become a reality only if justice
is seen to be delivered. Only if the rights of law-abiding
citizens are protected. We need a more efficient, humane and
responsive police force. We also need a more efficient and
effective judiciary. Our government will work to make this
possible. Today, from this historic Red Fort, I appeal to
every one of you to re-dedicate yourself to build a new India.
- An India that is united in thought, not divided by religion
and language. - An India that is united in our Indianness,
not divided by caste and region. - An India that is united
in seeking new opportunities for growth, not divided by disparities.
- An India that is caring and inclusive. Our religions may
be different. Our castes may be different. Our languages may
be different. But we are all Indians. In our progress lies
the progress of the nation. Our fortunes and our nation's
fortunes are intertwined. And working together, we can make
this fortune a glorious one. If we have to fulfil our potential,
we need a politics that will help us realize it. We need a
politics that will propel us forward. We need a politics that
will guide us to new frontiers, take us to new horizons. I
urge all our political leaders to think deeply about the future
of our country. We must shun the politics of divisiveness
and adopt the politics of change and progress. Our political
parties and leaders must learn to work together. To build
a consensus around national issues. If we are able to do so,
then I am confident that then we will soon be able to realize
the golden future which millions of our countrymen are eagerly
waiting for.
Let
us all join together, hand in hand, to build a new India.
Jai Hind!"
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