PM Modi focuses on healthcare, self-reliance in Independence Day speech

As India battles the Covid-19 crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to send out a message of hope by unveiling plans to provide healthcare, link all villages by optical fibre, assuring that the country was prepared to roll out a vaccine for coronavirus after a nod from scientists and sending out a warning of a befitting reply to hostile neighbours.

The thrust of Modi’s 96-minute address on 74th Independence Day was on achieving self-reliance with a message also to ‘Make for the World’ along with ‘Make in India’ and announced a Rs 100 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline Project to move India towards modernity at a fast pace.

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“I am confident that India will realise this dream. I am confident of the abilities and potential of my fellow Indians. Once we decide to do something, we do not rest till we achieve that goal,” he said, in his seventh consecutive address from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

The biggest announcement of the day was the announcement of the National Digital Health Mission that will allot to each citizen a unique health identification number.

“Every Indian will be given a health ID which will contain all your information. What disease you suffer from, which doctor has been consulted, what medicines you are on,” Modi said announcing the move which he said would revolutionise the healthcare system.

Also read — National Digital Health Mission: All you need to know

The prime minister said Indian scientists were working on three vaccine candidates for Covid-19 and the government had prepared a roadmap to make it available to every Indian as soon as possible.

“As soon as our scientists give a green signal, a Made in India Covid-19 vaccine will be made available,” the prime minister said.

On Jammu and Kashmir, Modi said the newly-created union territory was on the path of development and hoped the union territory would soon have its own chief minister and council of ministers.

“Delimitation process is underway in Jammu & Kashmir. Once that is done, we expect elections to be held in the future and MLAs, ministers and the chief minister to join the developmental journey,” the prime minister said.

Attendance at the Red Fort for the Independence Day celebrations was curtailed and ministers, diplomats and other guests were seated six feet apart, most of them covering their faces with masks because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Also read — Mass production of Covid-19 vaccine to begin once scientists give nod: PM Narendra Modi

The Prime Minister made no direct reference to Pakistan or China, but asserted that India’s sovereignty was “supreme” and those casting an eye on it have been given a befitting response.

“From LoC to LAC, whoever has tried to challenge the sovereignty of our country got a befitting response from our soldiers in their own language,” Modi said.

“The world has seen in Ladakh what our jawans can do and what the country can do,” the prime minister said in an apparent reference to the Galwan Valley clashes.

Modi also announced connecting each of the six lakh villages across the country through optic fibre within the next 1,000 days, a special campaign to reduce pollution in 100 cities and Project Lion and Project Dolphin for protecting Asiatic Lions and riverine and oceanic dolphins, respectively.