New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, gave a new motto of 'Sabka Prayaas' besides 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’ to achieve a 100% India goal. This Independence Day, marks the 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' - 75 years since India became independent - with two-year-long celebrations. The prime minister also paid rich tributes to all the past leaders who fought the long and hard battle for Independence.
"During COVID, our doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, sanitation workers, scientists who were developing vaccines and crores of citizens who were working with a sense of service, all those who devoted every moment to serve others in this period, deserve our appreciation," Modi said, adding that Indians have fought this battle (COVID-19) with a lot of patience.
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"We had many challenges but we worked with extraordinary pace in every area. It's a result of strength of our industrialists and scientists that today, India doesn't need to depend on any other nation for vaccines. 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayaas' are very important to achieve all our goals. A time comes in the development journey of every country when that nation defines itself from a new end, when it takes itself forward with new resolutions. Today, we mark such a time in India's development journey. We can proudly say that the largest COVID-19 vaccination program is being run in India today. More than 54 crore people have received vaccine doses so far." Modi said.
The prime minister also heaped praises on the athletes who were special invitees for today's event. "Those who have made us proud at Tokyo Olympics are here amongst us today. I urge the nation to applaud their achievement. They have not only won our hearts but also inspired future generations," Modi said.
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Speaking about his vision for the country, the prime minister said, "In the coming years, we will have to increase the collective power of the small farmers of the country. We have to give them new facilities. They must become the country's pride. Today, we see our villages changing rapidly. In the past few years, facilities such as road and electricity have reached villages. Today, optical fiber network is providing the power of data to villages. Digital entrepreneurs are being born in villages too. It is essential to fully harness the country's capabilities to take it to newer heights.
Modi also stressed on the need to ensure the goal of building an 'Aatma Nirbhar Bharat' by the time India marked its 100 years of Independence. "To achieve this, we will have to empower the sections that are lagging behind, the areas that are lagging behind. Benefits of many schemes that started in the last seven years have reached the doorsteps of crores of poor people. From Ujjwala to Ayushman Bharat, the country's poor know their (schemes') strength. Today, government schemes have picked up pace and are serving their purpose. Besides emphasizing on basic facilities, the government has also been working towards the upliftment of the Dalits, backward classes, tribals and the economically weaker sections. Recently, reservation was granted to OBCs under all-India quota in medical education. States have been granted the right to make their own OBC lists. Delimitation Commission has been constituted in Jammu and Kashmir and preparations are on for Assembly elections in the future," he said.
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Stressing on the fact that development should be inclusive, Modi said the Northeast region, the Himalayan region including Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, the coastal belt and the tribal regions will lay a solid foundation for India's development in the future.
