Independence Day 2023: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressed the nation on the 77th Independence Day from the ramparts of the Red Fort. In his 10th Independece Day address, PM Modi touched upon a range of issues, including corruption, women’s safety, inflation, G20 summit, dynastic politics, Manipur issue and economy.
PM Modi exuded confidence that he will address the nation from the Red Fort next year to list out the progress on the promises he had made to the people.
“The promise for change brought me here, my performance brought me here once again. The coming five years are of unprecedented development and a golden moment to realise the dream of India as a developed nation by 2047,” the Prime Minister said in his speech from the ramparts of Red Fort. “Next year, on August 15 from this same Red Fort I will list out the progress achieved by the nation and sing paeans to your strength, your resolve and your success with greater confidence,” Modi said in his last Independence Day address before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
PM Modi targeted dynastic politics saying the political parties which believe in dynastic politics have one mantra – “party of the family, by the family and for the family”. PM Modi said that the country has to fight the three evils of “corruption, nepotism and appeasement.” He said that it is a collective responsibility to promote “suchita (probity), pardarshita (transparency), nishpakshta (objectivity)” to make India developed.
PM Modi said India stands with the people of Manipur and expressed confidence that there will be a peaceful resolution of the problems there.
He said that there has been a period of unrest and violence in Manipur and news of attacks on the dignity of women, he noted that people of Manipur are maintaining peace for sometime and asked that the process of peace be carried forward.
“The state and the central government are working together to solve those problems and will continue to do so”, he said.
The PM said 13.5 crore poor people have broken free from the chains of poverty and entered the new middle class, during the one tenure of five years of the government. The PM asserted there can be no greater satisfaction in life than this. The PM added that the various schemes ranging from housing schemes, provision of 50,000 crore rupees to street vendors through the PM SVANidhi scheme, and many more such schemes have aided these 13.5 crore people to rise above the hardships of poverty.
Giving an account of the progress in the last 10 years, the PM said that the figures tell a compelling story of change. Asserting that the transformation is huge and a testament to the immense capability of the nation, the PM said that 10 years ago, 30 lakh crore rupees used to go to the states from the Government of India. In the last 9 years, this figure has reached 100 lakh crore, PM Modi pointed out. “Earlier, 70 thousand crore rupees were spent from the treasury of the Government of India for the development of local bodies, today it is more than 3 lakh crore rupees.”
The PM said the nation that earlier, 90 thousand crore rupees were spent to build the houses of the poor; today it has increased 4 times and more than 4 lakh crore rupees are being spent to build the houses of the poor.
He said bags of urea which are sold at Rs. 3,000 in some global markets are being given to farmers at not more than 300 rupees. “The bags of urea that are sold for 3,000 rupees in some global markets, we provide to our farmers for 300 rupees, and hence the government is providing a subsidy of 10 lakh crore rupees on urea for our farmers.”
The PM explained that the MUDRA Yojana has enabled crore of citizens to become entrepreneurs and thus also be job creators for others. “The Mudra Yojana, with a budget of over 20 lakh crore rupees, has provided opportunities for self-employment, businesses, and ventures for the youth of our country. About eight crore people have started new businesses, and it’s not just eight crore people who started their businesses; each entrepreneur has provided employment to one or two individuals.
The government is working to increase the number of ‘Jan Aushadhi Kendras’ from 10,000 to 25,000, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. He said Jan Aushadhi Kendras have given new power to the people, especially the middle class.
“If someone is diagnosed with diabetes, then a monthly bill of Rs 3,000 gets accrued. Through Jan Aushadhi Kendras, the medicines that cost Rs 100, we are giving it at Rs 10 to Rs 15,” the PM added.
Now, the government has plans to increase the number of ‘Jan Aushadhi Kendras’ from 10,000 to 25,000, he said. ‘Jan Aushadhi Kendras’ have been set up for making affordable generic medicines available for all.
PM Modi said the government will launch ‘Vishwakarma Yojana’ next month with an allocation of Rs 13,000 crore to Rs 15,000 crore for those with traditional skills. He said the scheme is especially for skilled workers like barbers, goldsmiths, washermen etc. The scheme will be launched next month, on Vishwakarma Jayanti. Vishwakarma Jayanti falls on September 17, 2023.
“The government will launch the Vishwakarma Scheme with an allocation of Rs 13,000 to 15,000 crore in the next month for those with traditional skills,” PM Modi said during his Independence Day speech.
