New Delhi:
Here are the highlights of what Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort:
- In 1947, we achieved our independence under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. After that we have had major changes in our country in each decade
- I believe that the last decade has been very good for India.
- Democratic forces have been strengthened and the common man has been empowered.
- The UPA has worked towards building a progressive and modern India.
- We want an India where there is social equality and people from no section of society face discrimination.
- We have dreamt of an India which provides employment to all its youth.
- We have taken steps towards these goals but the journey is a long one.
- We have introduced the Food Security Ordinance and we hope it will soon be passed into law.
- Without agricultural growth our villages can't prosper.
- To increase produce and give farmers their due, we have taken many steps.
- In the 11th plan period, agricultural growth was 3.6%
- It is difficult to measure poverty but no matter what definition we adopt, we can't negate the fact that after 2004, poverty has declined.
- More than 2 crore children are being provided scholarships by the Central government
- We have opened many institutes of higher education including 8 new IITs, 7 New IIMs, 16 new Central universities and 10 new NITs
- Percentage of school going children has doubled in the last 9 years. But we still have a long way to go
- We have a fair distance to go before the education system is improved.
- We need to improve the quality of education and for this teachers need to be better trained
- 11 crore children are being fed under the mid-day meal scheme but better implementation is need
- What happened in Bihar recently should not recur anywhere in the country
- We have strengthened the laws that deal with crime against women to ensure their safety and security
- Under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, 2 lakh km of roads have been made
- Maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate have both fallen
- No polio case in the past two years
- There has been a lot of talk of economic decline. While that is true, it not just our country that's facing difficulty. All nations of the world are facing a recession
- I believe this slow growth wouldn't last for long
- Today as never before the countries of the world are connected to one another
- We have through our foreign policy ensured that our engagements with the major powers of the world increase
- We have tried to improve relations with our neighbours but relations with Pakistan can improve only when they don't allow their territory to be used for activities against India
- Our internal security situation has improved but we have not been able to prevent Naxal attacks fully. The attack on May 25 was an attack on India's democracy.
- We have empowered the common man through RTI. This law is being used widely and it often highlights corruption.
- I believe that this will help improve government's functioning