PM'S INDEPENDENCE DAY ADDRESS 2003 - SUMMARY

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PM’s INDEPENDENCE DAY ADDRESS TO THE NATION

INDIA INVITES PAKISTAN TO WALK TOGETHER ON THE ROAD TO PEACE

INDIA & PAKISTAN SHOULD INCREASE BILATERAL TRADE AND ECONOMIC LINKS

THE TEST OF OUR NEIGHBOUR’s SINCERITY LIES IN WHETHER IT IS PREPARED TO STOP CROSS-BORDER TERRORISM TOTALLY

THOSE WHO ADVOCATE RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION WHILE TALKING ABOUT KASHMIR WISH TO DIVIIDE INDIA ON COMMUNAL LINES FOR THE SECOND TIME

THE KNOTTY ISSUES IN JAMMU & KASHMIR CAN BE UNRAVELED ONLY THROUGH DIALOGUE

THREE LAKH PEOPLE EMPLOYED IN THE Rs. 54,000 CRORE NATIONAL HIGHWAYS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, TO GO UP TO SIX LAKH NEXT YEAR

SOFTWARE EXPORTS ZOOM FROM Rs. 8,000 CRORE TO NEARLY Rs. 50,000 CRORE

FOOD CHAIN REVOLUTION AIMS AT DOUBLING THE AVERAGE INCOME OF THE INDIAN FARMER BY 2010

A NATIONAL KISAN COMMISSION TO BE CONSTITUTED

KISAN CREDIT CARDS FACILITY TO ARTISANS, WEAVERS AND FISHMERMEN; INTEREST RATES ON LOANS TO BE REDUCED TO 9%

MID-DAY MEAL SCHEME FOR CHILDREN TO BE EXTENDED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, TO BE EXTENDED UP TO CLASS 10

SIX NEW HOSPITALS WITH MODERN FACILITIES TO BE ESTABLISHED UNDER PRADHAN MANTRI SWASTHYA SURAKSHA YOJANA

INDIA NO LONGER A BORROWER, FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES NEARLY US$ 100 BILLION

LOK PAL BILL TO BE ENACTED

A NEW PROPOSAL TO CREATE 33 PER CENT DOUBLE MEMBER SEATS

WITH ONE RESERVED FOR WOMEN A PRACTICAL SUGGESTION

INDIAN SPACECRAFT "CHANDRAYAAN-I" TO BE LAUNCHED BY 2008

A LOFTY VISION OF MAKING INDIA A DEVELOPED NATION BY 2020

The Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has invited Pakistan to walk together with India on the road to peace. Addressing the nation today from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort, after hoisting the National Flag on the occasion of the 57^th Independence Day, the Prime Minister said, "The road is decidedly bumpy. There are even mines strewn along this path. Yet, once we start walking, we will find the hurdles getting out of our way". He further said that we should increase trade and economic links between the two countries but cautioned that the test of our neighbour’s sincerity lies in whether it is prepared to stop cross-border terrorism totally. The Prime Minister said that those talking about Kashmir, while advocating the right to self-determination, wish to divide India on communal lines for the second time. He asserted that they will not be allowed to succeed in this. Reiterating India’s desire to resolve the knotty issues in Jammu & Kashmir to be unraveled only through dialogue, he said that we should take forward the efforts that have been initiated in this direction. "People who have been up- rooted have to be resettled in their homes", Shri Vajpayee added.

The Prime Minister said, "The Nation is at such a turning point from where it can take a big leap forward. The yearning to achieve the lofty vision of making India a Developed Nation by 2020 is gathering strength all over the country".

Narrating the progress that India has made in the recent years, the Prime Minister said that poverty is declining. It is our resolve to eradicate it faster. He said the Rs. 54,000 crore National Highways Development Project is progressing rapidly. There are three lakh people working on it every day which will go up to six lakhs per day next year. In the first five decades of Independence, only 550 kilometres of four-lane highways were built which come only 11 kilometres a year. Now, we would build 24,000 kilometres of highways at the rate of 11 kilometres a day. He further said that lakhs of young Indians have got attractive employment in the field of computers. Sitting in our cities, they are providing services to hospitals, factories and offices in various countries. Software exports have increased manifold from Rs. 8,000 crore to nearly Rs. 50,000 crore.

The Prime Minister underlined that India, a nation of more than 60 crore people under thirty years of age, is all set to create a new history. "This generation is better educated than any generation in the past and more ambitious than any generation in the past. It is a generation that has made up its mind not to fall behind anyone in the world in this age of competition", he said. They need encouragement and proper guidance with education in science, technology and other new disciplines, the Prime Minister added.

Declaring that Green Revolution and White Revolution have imparted considerable strength to Indian agriculture, the Prime Minister said that now India needs a new revolution – the Food Chain Revolution. Its aim is to achieve a doubling of the average income of the Indian farmer by 2010. An important part of this revolution is to reduce wastage of foodgrains, fruits and vegetables worth thousands of crore each year. "Based on the success of Kisan Cards, we have decided to provide credit card facility to all eligible artisans, weavers and fishermen. The rate of interest on loans given to them will be reduced to 9 per cent a year. A contributory insurance scheme will also be started for their benefit", he said. He also declared that a National Kisan Commission will soon be constituted to study the various problems faced by the kisans.

Regarding ongoing programme of Mid-Day Meal Scheme in some States he said, "Now, we have decided to run it throughout the country. Later, this will be extended to students upto Class Ten. This National Programme will be known as Akshaypatra". Presently the Scheme is available for students upto Class Five. He appealed to voluntary organisations, religious establishments and women’s self-help groups to come forward to implement this programme in an effective way.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana he said, "Six new hospitals with modern facilities like those available at AIIMS in Delhi, will be established in backward States in the next three years".

Expressing new hope and confidence on the economic front he said, "An India, which was used to borrowing from abroad has started lending to others. An India that was perennially troubled by the paucity of foreign exchange, has today accumulated nearly US$ 100 billion of foreign exchange reserves". There is no waiting list now for telephone or gas connection. The number of mobile phone users has gone up from 8 lakh to 1.5 crores. In the coming year, 1.5 crore mobile phone customers will be added. The Prime Minister reiterated his deep commitment to economic reforms. Shri Vajpayee said that the over-riding objective of the policy of economic reforms is to create a dynamic economy that not only succeeds against global competition, but is also caring and compassionate towards the poor and the neglected.

Reiterating the Government’s determination to fight corruption at all levels, the Prime Minister said the Government has decided to enact the Lok Pal Bill which had been pending for several decades. He said, "In spite of opposition from some people, I have personally brought the Prime Minister within the ambit of its investigation, so that you can even book your Prime Minister if he commits any wrong."

Elaborating the proposals to reserve 33% seats for women in Parliament and State Legislatures, as a means of women’s empowerment, he said that this has now become a national resolve. He further said a new proposal has been brought forward which seeks to create 33% double-member seats, in which one of them is reserved for women. This is a practical suggestion, he said.

Commending the achievements in the field of Science, Shri Vajpayee announced that India will send its own spacecraft to the moon by 2008. It is being named Chandrayaan-I.

The Prime Minister also separately announced several new initiatives in the fields of Rural Development, Agriculture Development, Infrastructure Development, Social Justice and Social Security, Small Scale Industries, Slum Rehabilitation and Urban Renewal, Tourism & Culture and Education, Science & Technology.