75th I-Day: PM announces Rs 100 lakh-crore Gatishakti scheme for holistic infra growth

New Delhi, August 15

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced a Rs 100 lakh-crore ‘Gatishakti’ initiative to bring employment opportunities for the youth and to help in holistic infrastructure growth.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on India’s 75th Independence Day, he said India will launch the ‘Pradhan Mantri Gatishakti National Master Plan’. Gatishakti, he said, will help local manufacturers turn globally competitive and also develop possibilities of new future economic zones.

India imported mobile phones worth USD 8 billion seven years ago and is now exporting USD 3 billion worth of mobile phones, the Prime Minister said.

Along with modern infrastructure, India needs to adopt a holistic approach in infrastructure construction, the Prime Minister stressed in his Independence Day address after hoisting the Tricolour.

“We will have to work together for manufacturing world-class products, using cutting-edge innovation and new age technology,” he told the nation.

‘Govt’s focus on small farmers’

The government’s focus is to make small farmers, who own less than two hectares of land and comprise over 80 pe rcent of all farmers, the country’s pride, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday in his Independence Day address.

’75 ‘Vande Bharat’ trains to connect different parts of country’

In 75 weeks of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, 75 ‘Vande Bharat’ trains will connect different parts of country, the prime minister announced.

Modi said the Capitals of northeast states will soon be connected with the railways.

The region, he said, is also getting connected with Bangladesh, Myanmar and southeast Asia.

The development of Jammu and Kashmir is visible on the ground, Modi said, adding that the delimitation exercise is on and preparations are underway for Assembly polls there.

Reservation is being ensured for Dalits, STs, backwards and general category poor, he added in his speech on the occasion of India’s 75th Independence Day and stressed that the hand-holding of deprived communities is necessary.

PM calls for ‘sabka prayas’ for building a self-reliant India

The Prime Minister gave a call for ‘Sabka Prayas’ (everyone’s efforts) along with ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas’ for building a self-reliant India.

Modi said, “We have to ensure we meet our goal of building Aatmanirbhar Bharat when we celebrate 100 years of India’s Independence.”

He said that ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas’ and everyone’s efforts are very important in achieving “all our goals”.

‘India has to march ahead with new pledges for next 25 years’

The Prime Minister said India has to march ahead with new pledges for the next 25 years.

“We have to ensure we meet our goal of building Aatmanirbhar Bharat when we celebrate 100 years of India’s Independence,” the Prime Minister said.

Modi, who hoisted the Tricolour at the historic Red Fort before his speech, stressed that the day should not be merely a ceremony.

‘India takes pride in largest vaccination programme in the world’

People can take pride that the world’s largest Covid vaccination programme in going on in the country, he said.

The Prime Minister lauded scientists, doctors and paramedical staff for their role in combating the Covid-19 pandemic.

“During the coronavirus global pandemic, our doctors, our nurses, our paramedical staff, scientists engaged in making vaccines, citizens engaged in the fight, they all deserve to be worshipped,” he said during his Independence Day speech.

He paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, Rani Lakshmibai, Subhas Chandra Bose and other freedom fighters for their roles in the freedom struggle.

PM lauds India’s Olympic contingent

He also lauded India’s Olympic contingent, which was present at the Red Fort, and said their performance encouraged the youth of the country.

‘Hand-holding of deprived communities necessary’

Reservation is being ensured for Dalits, STs, backwards and general category poor, the Prime Minister said and stressed that the hand-holding of deprived communities is necessary.

“We have to bridge the gap between lives in villages and cities,” the Prime Minister said.

Over 4.5 crore new households have received piped water supply within two years of ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’, he said.

The prime minister, who hoisted the tricolour at the Red Fort before his speech, gave a call for ‘Sabka Prayas’ along with ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’ for building a new India.

‘Sainik schools now open for girls also’

The Prime Minister announced that all Sainik Schools in the country will now be open for girls also.

At present, 33 Sainik schools are operating in the country.

Modi said that two-and-a-half years ago, the maiden experiment of admitting girls in Sainik schools was carried out in Mizoram.

“Now, the government has decided that all the Sainik schools in the country will also be open for the daughters of the country,” he said.

Sainik schools are run by the Sainik Schools Society which is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence.

The aim of establishing Sainik schools was to prepare the students from an early age for their entry into the Indian armed forces.

‘Over 4.5 cr new households got piped water connection in last 2 years’

The Prime Minister said over 4.5 crore new households received piped water connection under the Jal Jeevan Mission in the last two years.

The scheme aims to provide tap water connections to all rural households by 2024.

“Over 4.5 cr new households have received piped water supply within two years of Jal Jeevan Mission,” Modi said in his Independence Day speech from the historic Red Fort.

The ambitious scheme was announced by Modi during his Independence Day speech in 2019.

‘Govt to fortify rice given to poor’

The Prime Minister announced that the government would fortify the rice distributed to the poor via different schemes such as Midday Meal in a bid to address the problem of malnutrition.

“Malnutrition and lack of micro-nutrients are affecting the growth of poor children. Looking at this, it has been decided to fortify the rice given to the poor via different government schemes,” Modi said.

Modi said whether through ration shops or the Midday Meal scheme, the rice made available under every government programme will be fortified by the year 2024.

Currently, out of the 15 states identified for the ‘Central scheme on fortified rice and its distribution via public distribution system (PDS)’, five are implementing it in one district each on a pilot basis.

Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh have started distributing fortified rice—mixed with nutrients—in their respective identified district. PTI