Highlights from PM Modi's Independence Day address

PM Modi unfurled the national flag at the Red Fort on the 75th Independence Day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded healthcare workers in his address to the nation on Independence Day, saying that they deserve the nation's gratitude for fighting Covid-19 dilgently.

In his eighth Independence Day address from the Red Fort, PM Modi also congratulated and appreciated the Indian Olympic contingent for their performance at the Tokyo Games. India gave its best-ever performance in Tokyo with a haul of seven medals including one gold.

Read more: India has to march ahead with new pledges for the next 25 years: PM Modi

Here are some key quotes from his Independence Day speech:

• "Indians have fought this battle (Covid-19) with a lot of patience. We had many challenges but we worked with extraordinary pace in every area. It's a result of the strength of our industrialists and scientists that today India doesn't need to depend on any other nation for vaccines."

• "Benefits of many schemes that started in the last 7 years have reached the doorsteps of crores of poor. From Ujjwala to Ayushman Bharat, the poor of the nation knows their (schemes') strength. Today, government schemes have picked up pace and are reaching their goals."

• "India needs to ensure that the Dalits, the backward classes and the EWS walk ahead. Recently, OBC reservation has been ensured in medical education. OBC lists can now be made by states hereon. We need to make sure that development happens to everyone."

• "Under the Jan Ausadhi Yojana, the poor and needy are getting affordable medicines. Till now, over 75,000 Health & Wellness Centres have been built. Now, we are working on a network of modern labs and good hospitals at the block level."

• "Malnutrition has been a barrier in development of poor women and poor children. We have, thus, decided to give the poor nutrient-added rice to the poor. By 2024, from ration shops to mid-day meals, all rice being provided to the poor will be fortified."

• "The government is set to develop an e-commerce platform for the products being developed by Self-Help groups. Today, when India is walking with the mantra of 'Vocal for Local', this platform will take these products to both domestic and global markets."

• "In this decade, we will have to work dedicatedly to provide a new economy in rural India. Today, we are witnessing our villages getting transformed."

• "We're promoting roads, healthcare, education, employment and nutrition in over 110 Aspirational Districts - that had remained lacking on the development matrix. We're working hard to ensure these districts reach the levels of all other districts in India."

• "We must make full use of the potential of aqua culture to sea-weed farming to further propel our Blue Economy. Deep Ocean Mission is proof of our aspirations to find new opportunities under the seas."

• "Delimitation Commission has been formed in J&K and we're making preparations for Vidhan Sabha elections. Ladakh, too, is walking its road towards development."

• "A new chapter is being written in the history of Northeast connectivity. Rail services will be connecting every capital of the Northeast very soon. Under the Act East Policy, NE is being connected to Bangladesh, Myanmar and South East Asia."

• "The country is working on the 'Har Ghar Jal' Mission. Over 4.5 crore families have started to receive piped water in just 2 years."

• "Now, the government has decided that all the Sainik schools in the country will also be open for the daughters of the country."

• "The country has resolved that 75 Vande Bharat trains will be connecting every corner of the country in 75 weeks of Amrit Mahotsav of Independence."