In his third Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented a report card of his government’s performance over the past two years while announcing two new initiatives — a hike in the monthly pension for freedom fighters and healthcare support for poor families.
In a 94-minute speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Modi announced an increase in pension for freedom fighters from ₹25,000 to ₹30,000 per month. He also announced that the government will pay up to ₹1 lakh per annum to meet the hospitalisation expenses of Below-Poverty-Line (BPL) families.
“Our farmers had sown 1.5 times the pulses that were sown earlier, despite the discouragement of successive droughts. Despite production of pulses becoming a concern, the government had not allowed inflation to go beyond 6 per cent,” said Modi.
Modi highlighted the government’s integrated approach on agriculture, which includes focus on soil health cards, irrigation, solar pumps, seeds, fertilisers, and crop insurance.
He also congratulated Indian scientists for creating 131 types of high-yielding variety seeds. Fertiliser shortage is now history, he noted.
“We have tried our best to control the situation (inflation). Compared to previous governments, I and my government did not allow the cost of a poor man’s thaali (plate) to be unaffordable,” he said. Modi said that 125 crore Indians had now resolved to complete the journey from ‘ Swarajya’ (self-governance) to ‘Surajya’ (good governance).
Surajya means the progress of the common man, a government that is sensitive to the requirements and aspirations of the common man. “Responsibility and accountability are to be the roots of such a Surajya ,” Modi noted.
Global standards Modi said India will remain relevant and be able to lead the global economy only “if we come up to global standards”.
“In the last few days you must have seen how rating agencies have appreciated our moves on ease-of-doing business,” he said. Modi mentioned how the speed of delivery in vital areas of governance had increased, citing examples of rural road construction, renewable energy generation capacity, laying of transmission lines and cooking gas connections.
He also spoke of the scale on which work had been accomplished in certain areas, such as opening of 21 crore bank accounts under the Jan Dhan Yojana, construction of two crore toilets in rural areas and electrification of 10,000 villages.
“There are a lot of problems which our country faces but we also have 1.25 billion people to solve these problems. Whether it is Panchayat or Parliament, whether it if Gram Pradhan or Prime Minister, everyone will have to fulfil their responsibilities to achieve the goal of ‘ Surajya ’.”
Modi said his government aims to ‘Reform, Perform and Transform’ and that it was more attentive to substance, rather than symbolism, integrated development rather than isolated development; and empowerment rather than entitlement.
Emphasising the progress made on transparency, Modi said subsidies are now being targeted to those that need them most.
On goods and services tax (GST), Modi said this tax reform would strengthen the economy and thanked all parties for approving the Constitution Amendment Bill in both Houses of Parliament.
Modi also promised to remove the fear of income tax authorities, particularly among middle-class families.