Today, on the occasion of 78th Independence Day, PM Modi, unfurled the national flag for the 11th time in a row at the red fort. In an electrifying speech, PM Modi, drawing inspiration from freedom fighters, shared his vision for ‘Viksit Bharat.’
While reiterating the fact as to how his government has worked towards bring in reforms and breaking the colonial mindset of the living. He urged all to unite and work towards the fulfillment of the vision ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. He said, “If 40 crore could get Independence,..140 crore can achieve Viksit Bharat.”
Here are some Key highlights From PM Modi’s Address today-
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ON ATROCITIES AGAINST WOMEN – In the light of recent outrage w.r.t crimes against women. PM Modi, called for prompt actions and stringent punishments to build trust in society. He said, “There is a need to widely publicise punishments given for atrocities against women so that there is a fear of consequence.”
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ON NATURAL DISASTERS – PM Modi expressed his condolences to all the victims of the recent calamities. He said, “Many have lost their families and loved ones in these calamities. Today, I extend my heartfelt sympathies to all those affected and assure them that we stand with them in this difficult hour.”
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UCC– PM Modi said, “I believe we should discuss the civil code in the country. Discriminatory laws need to be abolished, and we should implement a secular civil code. We need to transition from a communal civil code to a secular one.”
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ONE NATION ONE ELECTION – “From the Red Fort, I urge the political community to support the idea of “One Nation, One Election.” It is crucial for the nation to unite behind this initiative. Frequent elections create stagnation in the nation. He further highlighted how schemes are getting influencing by election cycles.
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ON BANGLADESH ISSUE – “As a neighbouring country, I can understand the concern regarding whatever has happened in Bangladesh. I hope that the situation there gets normal at the earliest.”
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ON GOVERNANCE- PM Modi said, “Unfortunately, after independence, people in our country had to go through a kind of Mai-Baap culture – keep asking from the government, keep extending hands before the government. We have changed this model of governance. Today the government itself goes to the beneficiaries.” He emphasized that the government has abolished over 1,500 laws to prevent citizens from becoming entangled in a complex web of regulations.
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EASE OF LIVING – PM Modi reiterated his government’s commitment towards enhancing quality of life. He said, “The middle class’s expectations of quality of life and freedom from red tape are being fulfilled.” He further asserted, prioritising “Ease of Living” for all citizens by reducing bureaucratic obstacles.
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FARM REFORMS – “We need to reform the farm sector. Today, when everyone is concerned about the earth, we are grateful to farmers for choosing organic farming for which we have made provisions for in the budget,”
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SPACE AND STARTUP – PM Modi highlighted the achievements being made in this sector. He remarked, “Today, many startups are entering this sector. The space sector which is becoming vibrant is an essential element towards making India a powerful nation. We are focusing and giving strength to this sector with a long-term idea.”
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EDUCATION SECTOR – PM Modi called for the establishment of world-class institutions in India to attract foreign students, invoking the historic “Nalanda spirit.” He urged for the development of education sector is such a manner that Indian youth won’t have to go abroad.
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“We want to build such an education system in India that youngsters do not need to go abroad to study. In fact we would want foreign students to come here and study,” he said. He also announced plans to add 75,000 new medical seats in the next 5 years, aiming to enhance the country’s medical education capacity and address the growing demand for healthcare professionals,” he said.
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BOOSTING INDIGENOUS PRODUCTION – “Design in India, Design for the World” for both domestic and international market. PM Modi outlined India’s commitment to becoming a global leader in semiconductor production, aiming to reduce dependency on imports and enhance technological self-sufficiency.
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HUB OF INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING– PM Modi envisioned transforming India into a global manufacturing hub, leveraging its vast resources and skilled workforce.
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GLOBAL GAMING MARKET– India must leverage its rich ancient legacy and literature to come up with Made in India gaming products.
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GREEN JOBS AND GREEN HYDROGEN MISSION– He emphasised the importance of green jobs in India’s efforts to combat climate change. He stated that the focus of the country is now on green growth and green jobs, which will generate employment opportunities while contributing to environmental protection.
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SWACH BHARAT – PM Modi believes that to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047, India must tread the path ‘Swasth Bharat.’ This has begun with the launch of Rashtriya Poshan Abhiyan.
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Indian standards should aspire to become international benchmarks.
Some Bold Statements…
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FRESH BLOOD IN POLITICS– PM Modi gave a call to bring 1 lakh youth into the political system, especially those with no history of politics. He emphasized the significance by stating how the ills of ‘Parivarvad’ and ‘Jaativad’ are undermining India’s democracy.
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ON OPPOSITION- PM Modi remarked, “People need to understand that a few people with a negative mindset (are) conspiring to create imbalance in country…Some cannot tolerate India’s progress unless it benefits them”. Continuing further he said, “Their self-serving interests make them unable to see beyond their own welfare. It is essential that we shield our nation from such individuals, whose toxic influence can lead to chaos and destruction. We must safeguard Bharat’s future from such regressive mindsets!”
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ON SELF RELIANCE – “We had become accustomed to the fact that no matter how much the defence budget was, no one ever thought about where it went. The defence budget was spent on purchases from foreign countries. Now we want to become self-reliant.”
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ON RENEWABLE ENERGY– “While the other G20 nations fell short, our citizens have risen to the challenge. Notably, India is the sole G20 country to have achieved the Paris Agreement targets ahead of schedule. We are committed to scaling up renewable energy to 500 GW by 2030!”
Towards Viksit Bharat –
In his 98 minute speech at the Red Fort, PM Modi stated that the “commitment to reforms is the blueprint for growth.” He remarked, “This is India’s golden era. 2047 is awaiting our Viksit Bharat. Defeating the obstacles and challenges, this committee to go ahead with a new resolution…I had said earlier too that in my third term, the country would become the third-largest economy and I would work at three times the speed. So that the dreams of the country are realised at the earliest…24/7 for 2047…” He believes that by combining sound policies, noble intentions, and unwavering dedication to national progress, one can achieve this vision.