PM Modi addresses nation on Independence Day, expresses gratitude towards frontline workers

PM Modi on Saturday addressed the nation from the rampart of Red Fort on the occasion of 74th Independence Day. The Prime Minister began his speech by extending greetings to everyone. He then said, on this day, it is necessary to be grateful towards our security forces protecting the nation.

Here are the key highlights from PM Modi’s Independence Day speech:

• PM Modi, in his speech, recalled the sacrifices of our freedom fighters. He said many tried to tarnish the soul of India for hundred of years, but India’s commitment to freedom defeated all these designs and added India’s freedom struggle inspired the world. He said even in the midst of fierce wars, India did not let its freedom movement diminish.

• The Prime Minister then paid tribute to all the frontline workers who have worked tirelessly to serve the nation amid the pandemic. He also added 130 crore Indians will fight to curb the virus.

• After that, PM Modi paid condolences to the parts of country suffering terribly due to natural calamities and disasters while reassuring full support to citizens in the hour of need.

• “Next year we will enter the 75th year of our independece. A big festival is in front of us,” he said.

• The Prime Minister then said it’s time for India to focus on new heights,to build a new India – an atma-nirbhar (self-reliant) India. He said India will most certainly achieve this. History is evidence to the fact that when India is determined to achieve something, it has always done so. A self-reliant India has now become the mantra for 130 crore Indians, he added.

• India has always believed that the entire world is one family. While we focus on economic growth and development, humanity must retain a central role in this process and our journey, the Prime Minister said.

• Talking about the need of supporting Make in India, the Prime Minister asked that how long will we see raw material getting exported and being imported as finished product coming back to our country? The mindset of free India should be ‘vocal for local’. We should appreciate our local products, if we don’t do this then our products will not get the opportunity to do better and will not be encouraged, he said.

• I am confident that measures like opening up of the SPACE sector, will generate many new employment opportunities for our youth and provide further platforms to nurture their skills and potential, PM Modi said.

• PM Modi said that Self-reliant India means not only reducing imports, but also increasing our skills, our creativity. Today, many big companies of the world are turning to India. We have to move forward with the mantra of ‘Make in India’ as well as ‘Make for World’, he mentioned.

• PM Modi also talked about the recently introduced New Education Policy and said that this will shape the India of 21st century. He said we will soon have citizens who shape a new India – ones who are global citizens but are also connected to their roots

• The Prime Minister said there is significant growth in digitalisation as we are adapting technology at a faster pace than ever before. The nation have adapted new method of transactions and digital transactions have already crossed Rs 3 lakh crore.

• Today, be it men or women, all Indians walk shoulder-to-shoulder. Today we have women officers and soldiers in the armed forces. Be it doctors, engineers, bankers, IT professionals, there isn’t a sector where more and more women are contributing to India’s growth in a big way, he said.

• PM Modi said it is necessary to give a new direction in order for India to move towards modernity at a faster pace. The need will be fulfilled by National Infrastructure Pipeline Project. He also mentioned that about 7 thousands projects of different sectors have also been recognised.

• PM Modi launched a National Digital Health Mission which will bring revolutionary changes in the health sector. The new mission will be completely technology-based. Under the mission, every Indian will get a Health ID card. Every time you visit a doctor or a pharmacy, everything will be recorded in this health card in your profile on a nationwide scale, he added.

• India is one of the leading candidates of producing the covid vaccine which are at different stages of trials. The Prime Minister said once the clinical trials are clear, the government has it all figured out how the vaccine will be distributed to every part of the country.

• PM Modi also mentioned that a special campaign is also underway with a belief to reduce pollution in the 100 major cities of the country.

• The Prime Minister then said that National Cadet Crop will be selecting 1 lakh cadets from coastal and border areas while ensuring that female cadets will acquire one-third of the space.

• Talking about the Ram Mandir dispute, the Prime Minister acknowledged citizen’s role in the development. He said everyone’s commitment to resolve the issue peacefully was remarkable.

• While culminating his speech, PM Modi thanked all the panches and sarpanched across the Union territories Jammu and Kashmir. He said their efforts to ensure the development are commendable.