From realising the vision of India’s founding fathers by 2047 to economic reforms powering the country’s growth, and the focus on the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat to the robust response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the biggest vaccination drive in human history, President Droupadi Murmu said on the eve of India’s 76th Independence Day that the country was on course to achieving its full potential.
India has helped the world discover the true potential of democracy and the keyword for the country today was compassion for the downtrodden, needy and those on the margins, the President, who was elected in July, said.
In a televised address, Murmu said: “By 2047, we will have fully realised the dreams of our freedom fighters. We will have given a concrete shape to the vision of those who, led by Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, drafted the Constitution.” She said good governance was at the core of transformation in key sectors such as economy, health care and education.
Economic success had led to ease of living, and reforms were accompanied by innovative welfare initiatives, she said.
“A home of one’s own is no longer a dream for the poor, but a reality for more and more people, thanks to the ‘Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana’. Similarly, under the ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’, tap water connection is being provided to every household since the launch of the ‘Har Ghar Jal’ scheme.”
The President said that when India won Independence, there were many international leaders and experts who were sceptical about the success of the democratic form of government in India due to poverty and illiteracy at that time. “But we Indians proved the sceptics wrong. Democracy not only grew roots in this soil, it was enriched too,” she said as she asked citizens to pledge to give everything for the sake of the safety, security, progress and prosperity of the country.
{{/usCountry}}The President said that when India won Independence, there were many international leaders and experts who were sceptical about the success of the democratic form of government in India due to poverty and illiteracy at that time. “But we Indians proved the sceptics wrong. Democracy not only grew roots in this soil, it was enriched too,” she said as she asked citizens to pledge to give everything for the sake of the safety, security, progress and prosperity of the country.
{{/usCountry}}In her 17-minute address, Murmu said the makers of modern India enabled each and every adult citizen to participate in the collective process of nation-building, and added that India could be credited for helping the world discover the true potential of democracy.
Economic progress was the underlying theme of the President’s address. India is among the fastest growing major economies in the world, and its start-up ecosystem ranked high globally, she said.
“The success of start-ups in our country, especially the growing number of unicorns is a shining example of our industrial progress. The government and policy-makers deserve credit for beating the global trend and helping the economy flourish.”
Unprecedented progress had been made in creating robust physical and digital infrastructure over the last few years, she said. “For the vibrancy of growth visible in our country, credit must also be given to workers and farmers whose hard work has made it possible, and entrepreneurs whose business acumen has created wealth. What is all the more heartening is that the growth is becoming more inclusive and regional disparities too are reducing.”
She said that for an ancient nation such as India, the passage of 75 years was only a blink of an eye but for individuals, it was a lifetime.
“Senior citizens among us have witnessed a dramatic change in their lifetime. They have seen how, after Independence, all the generations have toiled hard, how we met great challenges and how we have taken charge of our destiny. The lessons learnt in the process will prove useful as we move towards the next milestone in the journey of the nation — the Amrit Kaal, the 25 years to the celebration of the centenary of our Independence.”
She said the world had witnessed the rise of a new India in recent years.
“Our response to the pandemic has been appreciated everywhere. We launched the biggest vaccination drive in human history with vaccines manufactured in the country itself. Last month we crossed the 200-crore mark in cumulative vaccine coverage. In combating the pandemic, our achievements have been better than those of many developed countries,” she said, giving credit to scientists, doctors, nurses and paramedics.
The Covid-19 pandemic uprooted lives and economies in the entire world, she said. “When the world has been battling the economic consequences of the great crisis, India got its act together and is now moving forward.”
She touched upon economic reforms and policy initiatives for making India future-ready. “Digital India, for example, is creating the bedrock of a knowledge economy. The National Education Policy is aimed at preparing the future generation for the next stage of industrial revolution while also reconnecting it with our heritage.”
She also said gender inequalities were reducing and women were moving ahead.
“At the grassroots level, we have more than 14 lakh elected women representatives in Panchayati Raj institutions. Our daughters are the biggest hope for the nation. Some of them brought laurels for the country at the recently held Commonwealth Games. From becoming fighter pilots to space scientists, our daughters are scaling great heights.”
A key message in her address was to conserve nature. “Conserving water, soil and bio-diversity is our duty towards our children. Caring for Mother Nature has been part and parcel of Indian culture.”