Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed the nation for the fifth and the last time before 2019 Lok Sabha elections on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day from Red Fort in New Delhi. As this was his last speech before the 2019 general elections, Narendra Modi tried to recount all his schemes and boast about it to the nation. It can be stated that more than the Prime Minister, it looked like a politician seeking a second term for the office.
This was Modi’s one of the longest speeches in his tenure- one hour twenty minutes. With this speech, he made few announcements like Ayushman Bharat Scheme and Permanent Commission for women cadres in the armed forces.
Let’s take a look at the major takeaways, on which he spoke.
1. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyan: In this category, PM Modi spoke on health insurance which would benefit 10 crore families of poor people with Rs five lakh health coverage. Naming it as Ayushman Bharat Scheme, PM stated that the scheme will officially launch on September 25 this year. He said:
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan will be launched on 25th September this year. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality and affordable healthcare.
The healthcare initiatives of the Government of India will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians. It is essential to ensure that we free the poor of India from the clutches of poverty due to which they cannot afford healthcare.
2. Permanent Commission for women in armed forces: In his speech, the Premier made an important announcement of inducting women cadres in the Permanent Commission of the armed forces. He also promised that these women cadres will be inducted in the combat forces along with men. He said:
Women officers commissioned in short service (SSC) will get opportunity for permanent commission like men.
3. India’s mission to space: The Prime Minister made another major announcement that by 2022, when the nation will complete 75 years of independence, India will send its men and women to space where they will host the national flag. He said that with this India will become the fourth nation to do so. PM said:
आज मेरा सौभाग्य है कि इस पावन अवसर पर मुझे देश को एक और खुशखबरी देने का अवसर मिला है। साल 2022, यानि आजादी के 75वें वर्ष में और संभव हुआ तो उससे पहले ही, भारत अंतरिक्ष में तिरंगा लेकर जा रहा है
4. Ease of doing business: Boasting the Union government’s schemes like GST, Digital India and Demonetisation, the PM stated that compared to 2013 there is a confidence among the business people to invest in India. He said that the Indian economy is rising at a faster rate and have given tough competition to the developed nations. He said:
2014 से पहले दुनिया की गणमान्य संस्थाएं और अर्थशास्त्री कभी हमारे देश के लिए क्या कहा करते थे, वो भी एक जमाना था कि हिंदुस्तानी की इकॉनोमी बड़ी रिस्क से भरी है वही लोग आज हमारे रिफॉर्म की तारीफ कर रहे हैं
India’s voice is being heard effectively at the world stage. We are integral parts of forums whose doors were earlier closed for us.
From being seen as among the fragile five, India is now the land of reform, perform and transform. We are poised for record economic growth
5. Swachh Bharat Mission: Prime Minister Narendra Modi boasted his first pet scheme which, according to him, changed the perspective of people of the country towards sanitation. He cited the report of WHO which had said that three lakh children’s lives were saved in one year due to the construction of toilets and implementation of proper sanitation practices. He said:
Due to Swachh Bharat mission, lakhs of children can lead healthier lives. Even the @WHO has lauded the movement.
Mahatma Gandhi led the Satyagrahis to freedom.
Today, the Swachhagrahis have to ensure a Swachh Bharat.
6. Employment opportunities: The premier said that the Union government had provided MUDRA loans to 13 crore people for self-employment. He reiterated that among the 13 crore beneficiaries, four crore people were granted the loan for the first time. He said:
13 करोड़ मुद्रा लोन, उसमें भी 4 करोड़ लोगों ने पहली बार लोन लिया है, ये अपने आप में बदले हुए हिन्दुस्तान की गवाही देता है
7. Farmers’ issues and MSP: Speaking on the farmers’ plight, PM Modi stated that his government took the bold step of increasing the MSP of crops by 1.5 times of actual prices. He said that this was long due and the previous government did not have the courage or intention to implement the scheme. He said:
The demand for higher MSP was pending for years. From farmers to political parties to agriculture experts, everybody was asking about it but nothing happened. With the blessings of the farmers, the decision on MSP was taken by our Government.
With a ‘Beej Se Bazar Tak’ approach, we are bringing remarkable changes in the agriculture sector. The aim is to double farmer incomes by 2022.
8. One Rank One Pension (OROP): Addressing the plight of retired personnel from the armed forces, who hesitated for the demand of the OROP related issues, Modi stated that his government was the first to implement the One Rank One Pension scheme. He said:
The OROP demand was pending for decades. The people of India, our brave army personnel had faith in us and we were able to take a decision on OROP.
We will always take decisions in the interests of our nation.
9. Women safety, triple talaq and gang rape: Concerned over the rising cases of rape case in the nation, Modi stated that no one is above law in the country. He said that tradition of respecting women should start from home, which is the first school. Modi also said that his government passed the Triple Talaq bill in Lok Sabha, but Opposition did not help in making it as law. He said:
The practice of Triple Talaq has caused great injustice among Muslim women. We are trying to end this practice but there are some people who are not wanting it to end.
I ensure the Muslim women that I will work to ensure justice is done to them.
10. On Kashmir: PM Modi once again reiterated the former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s statement on Kashmir. He spoke on the ‘Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat, Kashmiriyat’ tradition of Jammu and Kashmir. He said that the country will not proceed with bullets or abuses, but with patriots of the nation. He said:
जम्मू-कश्मीर के लिए अटल जी का आह्वान था- इंसानियत, कश्मीरियत, जम्हूरियत। मैंने भी कहा है, जम्मू- कश्मीर की हर समस्या का समाधान गले लगाकर ही किया जा सकता है। हमारी सरकार जम्मू-कश्मीर के सभी क्षेत्रों और सभी वर्गों के विकास के लिए प्रतिबद्ध है.
Ending the long speech, he reiterated his party’s (BJP) election manifesto again, which states:
हर भारतीय के घर में शौचालय हो- Sanitation for All
हर भारतीय अपने मनचाहे क्षेत्र में कुशलता हासिल कर सके- Skill for All
हर भारतीय को अच्छी औऱ सस्ती स्वास्थ्य सेवा सुलभ हो- Health for All
हर भारतीय को बीमा का सुरक्षा कवच मिले- Insurance for All
हर भारतीय इंटरनेट की दुनिया से जुड़ सके- Connectivity for All
हर भारतीय के पास अपना घर हो- Housing for All
हर भारतीय के घर में बिजली कनेक्शन हो- Power for All
हर भारतीय की रसोई धुआं मुक्त हो- Clean Cooking for All
हर भारतीय के घर में जरूरत के मुताबिक जल पहुंचे- Water for All