Delivering his fifth — and the last before the next Lok Sabha (LS) polls — Independence Day speech from Red Fort here, Dr Singh said the nuclear cooperation between India and the developed countries would help the Union government to provide electricity to meet the needs of farmers, artisans, traders and the industry.
He said the deal would not only end nuclear isolation of India, but also open up new opportunities for trade in dual-use high technologies and nuclear material and equipment.
The prime minister stressed the need of applying modern science and technology to find long term solutions to energy scarcity.
He lauded the country’s atomic scientists and technologists for developing nuclear energy capabilities despite heavy odds.
“But there are handicaps which have adversely affected our atomic energy programme. We have inadequate production of uranium. The quality of our uranium resources is not comparable to those of other producers,” he said.
He added that India’s nuclear energy programme had suffered due to the sanctions imposed by many countries on trade in nuclear materials, equipment and technology. Pointing out that crude oil and gas reserves of India are limited, Dr Singh stressed the need to find alternative energy sources. “I would like our scientists and engineers to find ways in which we can make better use of solar energy, wind energy, bio-gas and other sources of energy,” he said. The prime minister said the economy must grow at the rate of at least 10 per cent every year to get rid of poverty and generate employment for all.
A basic requirement for sustained growth and for the development of agriculture and industry is availability of energy, particularly electricity.
“All over the world, there is a growing realization of the importance of atomic energy to meet the challenge of energy security and climate change. It is a clean, environment friendly and renewable source of energy,” he said.
PM recalls reading by lamp
New Delhi, PTI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday turned nostalgic while delivering his Independence Day speech when he recalled some of the “hardship” days during his childhood.
Recalling his days as a child in a nondescript village in Punjab province in undivided India, Singh said during the first 10 years of his life, there was no electricity, no drinking water supply, no doctor, no roads and no phones.
“I had to study at night in the dim light of a kerosene lamp,” he said.
Singh said though there has been considerable development in rural areas after Independence, yet many people still live a life that he had lived in his childhood.
“That is why when our government took over, we launched Bharat Nirman, to build rural infrastructure. Our government is committed to transforming rural India. In these four years, we have taken important initiatives. I am confident that a new and prosperous India will be built due to our efforts,” he said.
