Every village to be connected with Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) in upcoming 1,000 days. National Digital Health Mission announced by PM as he unfurls the Tri-colour from the ramparts of the Red Fort in New Delhi.
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New Delhi: Unfurling the national Tri-colour from the ramparts of the Red Fort in New Delhi on the occasion of the 74th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that every village in the country will be connected with Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) within the next 1,000 days (2.7 years) the country to bring internet connectivity to every village. Besides this the Prime Minister announced the launch of the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM). Under the NDHM, each citizen will be given a health card wherein every disease, medicines prescribed by doctors, reports and related information will be contained in this one health Identity Card (ID).
The Nation is celebrating 74th Independence Day today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag at the ramparts of the historic Red Fort in Delhi and addressed the nation this morning.
In his seventh straight Independence Day speech from the historic ramparts of Red Fort, the Prime Minister said the country is fighting terrorism as well as expansionism with determination.
Before coming to Red Fort, the Prime Minister paid homage to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.
Every village to be connected with Optical Fibre
Prime Minister said education has a great importance in building a self-reliant India. Keeping this in mind, PM Modi said, a new National Education Policy (NEP) was brought. He said Digital India too has a great role to play in making the nation self-reliant. PM Modi said before 2014, only 5 dozen Panchayats in the country were connected with optical fiber.
He highlighted that technology will play a big role in developing the country and digitally connecting every citizen. Modi said in the upcoming 1000 days nearly 6 lakh Indian villages will be connected with optical fibre. “This goal will be met in the coming thousand days. In the coming 1000 days, every village in the country will be connected with optical fibre,” PM Modi said in his speech.
PM announces National Digital Health Mission
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of National Digital Health Mission from today. He said the National Digital Health Mission will bring a new revolution in India’s health sector and all Indians will get health IDs. He said every test, every disease, medicines prescribed by doctors, reports and related information will be contained in this one health ID.
Asserting that the respect for India’s sovereignty is supreme and that the world has seen in Ladakh what India’s brave jawans can do to maintain this resolve, Modi said, “I salute all those brave soldiers from the Red Fort.”
“From LoC to LAC, anyone who casts an eye on the sovereignty of the country, the armed forces of the country have responded in the language they understand,” Modi said, adding the whole country is united in protecting the sovereignty of the country.
The Prime Minister’s comments came in the midst of a tense relationship with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and rising incidents of ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) with.
He expressed confidence that the country will together fight all the challenges that it is facing including floods, landslides. Indian soldiers have given befitting reply to those who challenged the country’s sovereignty
Also Read: PM Narendra Modi reiterates country’s resolve for Atma Nirbhar Bharat
He saluted the Corona warriors who have helped the nation fight against the pandemic. He greeted the nation on the occasion of Independence Day and said people breathe in Independent India today because of the sacrifice of thousands of heroes.
The Prime Minister said in the midst of the Corona pandemic, 130 crore Indians have pledged to build an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. He expressed confidence that India will realize this dream. He said he has firm belief on the abilities, confidence and potential of Indians. He said India must become self-reliant and use its vast natural resources to produce for the domestic as well as the global market.
“I am confident that India will realise this dream. I am confident of the abilities, confidence and potential of my fellow Indians. Once we decide to do something, we do not rest till we achieve that goal,” he said.
The prime minister said the country received record foreign direct investments during the last fiscal and even during the coronavirus pandemic, big global companies are looking towards India.
He said the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) growth was recorded at 18 per cent last fiscal. Modi reiterated in his address ‘Vocal for Local’ call and said that India should strive for meeting the needs of the world as well and wondered how long the country would continue to export raw materials and import finished products.
“Now we have to move ahead with the mantra of make for the world along with Make-in-India,” he said.
“India has always believed that the entire world is one family. While we focus on economic growth and development, humanity must retain a central role in this process and our journey,” Modi said.
He further said ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ does not mean only reducing dependence on imports, but strengthening India’s capacity, creativity and skills.
Modi said there was a time when India’s agricultural system was very backward and the biggest concern was how to feed the countrymen. The Prime Minister said that today, India can not only feed its people but many countries of the world. Mr Modi said India’s share in the world economy should increase for which India has to be self-reliant.
He said he is confident that measures like opening up the Space sector will generate many new employment opportunities for the youth and provide further avenues to hone their skills and potential. He said only a few months ago, India used to import N-95 masks, PPE kits, and ventilators. The Prime Minister stated that today, India is not only fulfilling its own needs, but has also come forward to help other countries.
The Prime Minister said it was unthinkable earlier that crores of rupees would be directly transferred in the Jan Dhan accounts of the poor in the country. He said no one could imagine earlier that big changes would be brought in the Agricultural Produce Market Committee Act (APMC) for the benefit of farmers.
He said the National Infrastructure Pipeline Project (NIPP) will enable this and the country is moving towards spending more than 100 lakh crore rupees on this. He said about 7,000 projects of different sectors have been identified to bring a new revolution in infrastructure. He emphasised on the need to remove silos saying that the entire country has to move towards multi-modal connectivity infrastructure. He said the Vocal for Local, Re-Skill and Up-Skill campaigns will raise the standard of living of people below the poverty line.
He said 7 crore poor families were given free gas cylinders, more than 80 crore people were provided free food grains, and about 90 thousand crores were directly transferred to bank accounts.
The Prime Minister said self AatmaNirbhar Krishi and AatmaNirbhar Kisan are priorities of an AatmaNirbhar India. He said Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) of Rs. One lakh crore has been created recently to give modern infrastructure to the farmers of the country. PM Modi said the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was announced from the Red Fort last year and now, more than one lakh houses are getting water connection every day.
Modi stressed that women empowerment has a huge role to play in AatmaNirbhar Bharat. He informed that of the 40 crore Jan Dhan accounts opened in the country, about 22 crore accounts belong to women. He said that in April, May and June this year, about 30 thousand crore rupees have been directly transferred to the accounts of women.
Modi informed that three Corona vaccines are in various stages of trial in India and large-scale production will begin once scientists give their nod. He said the government’s roadmap to bring a corona vaccine to all Indians in the shortest possible time is ready.
The Prime Minister said different regions of the country have developed at different pace and this unbalanced development is a big challenge for self-reliant India. He said this year is the year of a new development journey of Jammu and Kashmir. He added that this is also the year of rights for women and Dalits in Jammu and Kashmir!
Modi said the government fulfilled the long standing demand of people by making Ladakh a Union Territory last year. He said Ladakh is moving forward today to touch new heights of development. He said just as Sikkim has made its mark as an organic state, efforts are being made to make Ladakh a carbon neutral region.
Modi was received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Red Fort. The Prime Minister then inspected the Guard of Honour.
The Guard of Honour contingent for the Prime Minister consisted of one officer and 24 men each from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police. This year, the Guard of Honour was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Gaurav S Yewalkar.
