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PM I-Day speech focus on agrarian crisis

     New Delhi: The call to fight the blight of terrorism may have been upper most in Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's mind, but on Tuesday the country's first path-breaking Finance Minister also dwelt on the agrarian crisis confronting India, especially focusing on the plight of farmers and the alarming rate at which they were committing suicide due to their inability to pay off their debts. In a heart-felt plea, Dr. Singh said that the 60th Independence Day of India should be used as a time to recall the words of the country's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru during the first Independence Day speech, when he "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?" "I (Dr. Singh) 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 (Jawaharlal Nehru) wanted us to show in building a new India in a new world?

     India, he said, was going through a phase in its history, where the going was good in many socio-economic areas, but at the same time, the nation still faced huge economic and social upliftment challenges. He said that the country still faced the ancient scourges of poverty, ignorance and disease and end the inequality of opportunity. The country may have marched forward in the last 60 years, but banishing poverty, hunger, ill-health and illiteracy still remained awesome challenges that needed to be surmounted. There is visible progress all around. "However, when I see this, I have some worries. 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," Dr. Singh said. "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," Dr. Singh said. "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."

      Detailing the efforts of his government , he mentioned the The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), which provided income security for the the poorest of the poor. He said that under this scheme, 20 million families and 200 districts were benefitting presently. The Bharat Nirman programme, he said was aimed at modernising India's villages. Recalling his "New Deal for Rural India", he said that his Government had succeeded in almost doubling agricultural credit in less than three years, was providing short term loans to farmers at seven percent, had waived off interest on over-due loans for debt-stressed farmers in Vidarbha and will do the same in other suicide affected districts. He also confirmed the revival of the cooperative banking system for which a Rs 13,000 crore package is being implemented, giving special attention to horticulture, animal husbandry, cotton, sugarcane and other crops, besides the setting up a National Fisheries Development Board to increase the livelihood of fishermen. Attempts were also being made to improve research in the agricultural sector, he added.

Two lifts for PM to reach Red Fort (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: The main venue of Independence Day celebrations here - the Red Fort has two lifts to help the Prime Minister of India to reach the ramparts of the huge 17th century edifice to deliver his annual address to the nation. If the lifts were not there, any dignitary or person would have to climb 52 steps to reach the ramparts of the Red Fort. This became a matter of concern for the civic authorities during the Prime Ministership of Atal Behari Vajpayee (1996 and 1998 to 2004). Soon after Vajpayee finished his I-Day speech in 2000, security- men had to bodily lift him and carry him to the lift at the Red Fort ramparts. Having stood for over half-an-hour after unfurling the tricolour, Vajpayee suffered a "locked knee" problem. That hampered his descent down the steep stairs. When in June 2002, a high powered committee of secretaries met at the Red Fort on matters of security, the issue of providing a lift was taken up. Among the several options before the committee, one was to modernise the existing old-fashioned lift installed in 1964 for former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. However, this one was located at a considerable distance from the point where the Prime Minister normally stands. Thus it was decided to install a second lift.

Evolution of the Indian Tricolour (Go To Top)

      New Delhi: With bands of saffron, white, and dark green, India's national flag has a long history and vast philosophy associated with it. The saffron represents courage, sacrifice, patriotism, and renunciation, while green stands for faith, fertility and the land. The white is in the center, symoblizing the hope for unity and peace, and in the centre of the white band is a blue wheel with 24 spokes. This is the Ashoka Chakra or "Wheel of Law". The Chakra represents the continuing progress of the nation and the importance of justice in life. It also appears on the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Before being adopted in its present form, the Tricolour passed several phases. According to historians, Pingali Venkayya, the designer of the national flag, had after researching into 30 kinds of flags from all over the world, conceived the design of a flag which became the forbearer of the Indian national flag. However Pingali is given all the credit for having conceived the national flag in its present form, its antecedents can be traced back to the Vande Mataram movement. On August 1, 1906 to the Parsee Bagan Square (Green Park) KolKata, the first national flag of India was hoisted. This flag was composed of horizontal stripes of red, yellow and green. The strip on the top had eight white lotuses embossed in a row. On the yellow strip were the words Bande Mataram in deep blue Devanagari script. Madame Cama and her group of exiled revolutionaries hoisted the second flag in Paris around 1907. This was similar to the first flag except that the top strip had only one-lotus and seven stars denoting the saptarishis. This was exhibited at a socialist conference in Berlin. By the time the third flag went up in 1917, the political struggle had taken a definite turn. Annie Besant and Tilak hoisted the flag during the Home Rule Movement with an addition in the left hand corner (the pole end), the stamp of the Union Jack. There was also a white crescent and star in one corner indicating the aspirations of people of those years. The inclusion of the Union Jack symbolised the goal for dominion status. However, the presence of the Union Jack indicating a political compromise, made the flag unacceptable to many. The call for new leadership brought the Father of Nation, Mahatma Gandhi to the fore in 1921 and through him the first tricolour flag. The All India Congress Committee met at a two-day session at Bezwada on March 31 and April 1, 1921. It was at this session that Pingali approached Gandhi with the flag he designed for India. It was made of two colours, red and green representing the two major communities of the country. Thus the Indian flag was born, but it was not officially accepted by any resolution of the All India Congress Committee. Gandhi's approval made it popular and it was hoisted at all Congress sessions. Hansraj of Jallandar suggested the representation of the charkha, symbolising progress and the common man. Gandhi amended, insisting on the addition of a white strip to represent the remaining minority communities of India. A consensus could not be reached until 1931. The designing of the colours in the flag ran into rough weather even as communal tension broke out on the issue of its interpretation. The final resolution was passed when the AICC met at Karachi in 1931. The flag was interpreted as saffron for courage, white for truth and peace, and green for faith and prosperity. The dharma chakhra which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath at the capital of Emperor Ashoka was adopted in the place of spindle and string as the emblem on the national flag. Interpreting the colours chosen for the national flag, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan explained the saffron colour denoted renunciation or disinterestedness of political leaders towards material gains in life. The white depicted enlightenment, lighting the path of truth to guide our conduct. The green symbolised our relation to the soil, to the plant life here on which all other life depends. The Ashoka wheel in the centre of the white strip represented the law of dharma. Speaking philosophically, he remarked that the national flag ought to control the principles of all those who worked under it. The wheel denoted motion, and India should no more resist change as there was death in stagnation. The flag in its present form was officially adopted as the national flag on July 22, 1947 by the Constituent Assembly. Its code states that the flag should have a width to length ratio of 2 to 3. The saffron band must be on the top. In addition, the code requires that official Indian flags be made of handspun cloth.

Independence Day address - Highlights (Go To Top)

      New Delhi: Following are the highlights of Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh's third Independence Day address to the nation:

      National Unity and political consensus needed to "Build a New India" - To build a consensus around national issues, to re- dedicate to build a new India. Urged political leaders to think deeply about the future of our country. - Economy on the move. Growth is robust. - National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) enacted - to provide income security for those suffering from extreme poverty. - Inflation control a priority. But farmers cannot be grudged better incomes - Cannot be business as usual in fight against terrorism. India is facing two major threats to its internal security. Terrorism and Naxalism. - No one can weaken our unity. Mumbai example of courage and communal amity - There exists a constituency for peace and shared prosperity in South Asia. To be successful need an atmosphere of peace. Terrorism must be confronted with our united efforts. - Global environment for India has improved. Recognized for the scale of our achievements since Independence. World wants India to progress.

    Economy - Eight per cent growth for three years in a row is unprecedented in Indian history - Higher growth is important in "war against poverty" - Reassuring confidence in our industry - Manufacturing sector growth up at 11 per cent in the last quarter - Service sector competing with the best and earning valuable foreign exchange - Inflation control a priority, but farmers cannot be grudged better incomes. Work out ways to provide a decent livelihood to our farmers. - Better prices for crops help farmers earn a better livelihood. On the other hand this hurts the common man. Need to understand, so that farmers earn a better livelihood the prices of what they produce and sell will have to go up! - To ensure that the poor do not get adversely affected Government committed to ensuring adequate availability of essential commodities at affordable prices to them. - World oil prices 30 Dollars a barrel in 2004, now 75 Dollars a barrel. Despite this no increase in kerosene or LPG prices in recent months. But there is a limit and can not go on subsidizing Farm Sector - Credit for farmers doubled in two years, short-term loans at reduced rate of 7 per cent. - Waived interest on over-due loans for debt-stressed farmers in Vidarbha and to do the same in other suicide affected districts. - Expert group to study problem of agricultural indebtedness. - Reaching institutional credit to each and every farmer. Reviving cooperative banking system for which Rs 13,000 crore package is being implemented. - National Fisheries Development Board set up for increasing livelihood of fishermen. - Krishi Vigyan Kendras to be functioning in every district of the country by the year end. - 2 crore families provided employment under NREGA in 200 districts. To be expanded gradually to cover the entire country. - Special programmes launched for handloom and textile industries

      Education and Youth - India is a nation of youth. Youth want to build a "New India" - Mission on Vocational Education to be launched to address skill deficit in economy - Begun work on three new Indian Institutes of Science, Education and Research in Kolkata, Pune and Punjab. - Begun work on 19 medical institutions of the same standard as AIIMS. - 12 crore children covered under nutritious mid-day meal programme - Under National Rural Health Mission 2 lakh women kept as health assistants (ASHAs) at the village level; 4 lakh more to be in place soon. - Reservations for socially backward sections of society, with wider educational opportunities for all students. - Recognition and reward for individual merit and hard work - Have faith in our future. Country will create opportunities for all

    Infrastructure - Progress of Bharat Nirman to modernise villages good and by 2009 expect to see visible results across country - Decade of City Development - better infrastructure, better governance - New special economic zones to boost industrial production and employment - Progress on railways and urban metros, new airports and power plants

     Development and Welfare - Comprehensive Rehabilitation Policy for displaced persons in project areas - Special measures to save wildlife - Concrete steps to develop backward regions through the Backward Regions Grant Fund. Expenditure of Rs 5000 crores annually in 250 districts. - 4 lakh women to be accredited social health activists (ASHA). - Vigorous campaign against HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria - New initiatives to empower SCs, STs and Minorities - Safety, security, empowerment of women a priority. End female foeticide

    Governance - Improve delivery of public services, eliminate corruption - Rid municipalities of the cancer of corruption. - State Governments need to empower panchayats. - Improve quality of local administration - in our villages and districts, in our towns and cities.

    Jammu and Kashmir and North-East - New Links of Connectivity on both sides of the Line of Control closer - Srinagar to Muzaffarabad, Poonch to Rawalkot. - Renewal of dialogue through Round Table Conferences with all political groups and parties of Jammu and Kashmir. - Improved connectivity in North-east - better roads, rail and airports. - First ever thermal power projects in the North-East region and better universities. - Massive investment in power and education in the N-E region

     National Security - Cannot be business as usual in fight against terrorism. India is facing two major threats to its internal security. Terrorism and Naxalism - Terrorism anywhere is a threat to peace and prosperity everywhere. - Need for modernization of security and intelligence machinery - Ensure that terrorist elements in India are neutralized and smashed - Mumbai showed courage, patience and communal amity. - Pakistan must take concrete steps against cross-border terrorism, for peace process to move forward - On Naxalism: "power does not flow from barrel of gun, but from ballot box" - State Governments must pay special attention to the welfare of tribals and small and marginal farmers.

     Foreign Policy - Shared destiny of South Asia and growing constituency for peace. - Improved relations with all major powers - New focus on Africa and Latin America. - Deeper economic and political relations with wider Asian neighbourhood.

     India invited to East Asian Summit - Asia on the Move. New Powers rising. India must catch up.

ND Tiwari collapses at I-Day function (Go To Top)

      Dehradun: The Chief Minister of Uttaranchal, Narayan Dutt Tiwari, collapsed while addressing a public gathering on the occasion of the country's 60th Independence Day here on Tuesday. The 82-year-old Gandhian has not been keeping well for quite some time. On reaching the venue, Tiwari greeted the gathering and hoisted the tricolour. The minister in his speech had pledged to serve the country till the end just prior to collapsing. "I have tried to give my best. And, let me tell you, I will continue to serve the country till my end," said Tiwari before collapsing. It may be mentioned that Tiwari had sought retirement a fortnight ago from the Congress High Command on grounds of ill-health, but he was asked to continue till a substitute was chosen. Tiwari had also just returned from a foreign tour recently.

SC celebrates I-Day for first time

     New Delhi: Fifty-six years after its establishment, the Supreme Court on Tuesday celebrated Independence Day for the first time in its history with Chief Justice YK Sabharwal hoisting the Tricolour. The apex court had never celebrated Independence Day in its hitherto history, but this year the Supreme Court Bar Association decided to depart from its usual practice and organised the maiden Independence Day celebration. Among those present on the occasion besides the Chief Justice were the judges of the Supreme Court and High Court, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, and law officers and senior advocates.

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