In what was a much-awaited Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sporting a bright orange saafa, focused on the theme of taking the nation forward in a spirit of togetherness. Calling himself the Pradhan Sevak of the country, he launched a scheme for MPs to develop one village in each of their constituencies as model villages.
On the development front, he launched the Jan Dhan Scheme to reach banking services to the poor and urged global companies to set up manufacturing bases in the country. He detailed plans for the replacement of the Planning Commission with an institution that would address the emerging economic needs of the country and strengthen its federal structure.
He underlined the need to build separate toilets for girls in all schools so that they do not drop out for the lack of such a basic facility, and on the issue of rape, called on all parents to bring up their sons appropriately.