Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag at the Red Fort on Sunday on the occasion of India’s 75th Independence Day.
Addressing the country, Modi said that our frontline workers, scientists who were developing vaccines and India’s citizens who were working with a sense of service deserve our appreciation. He said the government is focused on the welfare of small farmers. The prime minister also announced that sainik schools will be opened for girls. This is Modi’s eighth consecutive Independence Day address.
On Saturday, President Ram Nath Kovind had said that Parliament was “the temple of our democracy”, which provides us the highest forum where we “discuss, debate and decide issues for the well-being of our people”. These were his first remarks since the end of the Monsoon Session of Parliament ahead of schedule.
As many as 32 athletes, who have won medals at the Olympics, have been invited to participate in the celebrations at the Red Fort.
Here are the top updates of the day:
1.16 pm: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal unfurls the national flag.
1.04 pm: Here are some visuals of the Independence Day celebrations.
12.59 pm: President Ram Nath Kovind visits the National War Memorial to pay homage to the martyrs.
10.52 am: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hoists the national flag at Gandhi Maidan in Patna.
9.14 am: Modi greets the Indian contingent that participated in Olympics.
9.01 am: Modi again congratulates the citizens on the occasion of Independence Day as he concludes his speech.
9 am: Modi says that India is fighting against terrorism. “Surgical strikes showed our resolve and sent a message to our enemies,” he adds.
8.50 am: Modi announces National Hydrogen Mission in view of climate change.
8.44 am: Modi says India is the only country among the G20 countries that is ahead in achieving its goals on climate change.
8.40 am: Modi says all sainik schools across the country will now be open for girls.
8.40 am: Modi says we need to ensure that women feel safe everywhere. For this, police, law enforcement agencies and citizens need to work towards ensuring this.
8.39 am: Modi says we have to pledge to make India energy independent before completing 100 years of independence.
8.38 am: Modi says that in the new education policy, sports has been made part of the main curriculum. “There is awareness among citizens on fitness and sports.”
8.26 am: Modi says that there is a need to target the global market. He says his government is standing with all the manufacturers.
8.20 am: Modi says his government will bring is bringing Rs 100 lakh crore Gati Shakti Project plan to develop a holistic infrastructure. This will create jobs and new opportunities.
8.18 am: Modi says in this modern world, advanced infrastructure is important. Understanding this, the government is developing infrastructure rapidly across the country, he adds.
8.15 am: Today, farmers’ land is being surveyed and land purchase deals uploaded on digital archives, Modi says, adding that this has helped cultivators in getting loans and reduced land disputes.
8.12 am: Modi says in the coming years, we have to increase the collective strength of small farmers.
8.10 am: Farmers’ land are getting small, Modi says. He says there are 80% of farmers who have land less than 2 hectares. “Earlier laws overlooked these farmers,” he adds. “Keeping these small farmers i mind, decisions are being taken now.”
8.09 am: The government will develop an e-commerce platform for products from Women Self help groups, Modi says.
8.08 am: Villages are now getting Internet and digital entrepreneurs are coming from there, Modi says.
8.04 am: The prime minister says his government has created a new ministry to strengthen cooperatives.
8.02 am: Modi says that a delimitation commission has been formed for Jammu and Kashmir. Advanced infrastructure is being developed in Ladakh, he adds.
8.01 am: Under the Act East policy, Northeast is being connected with Bangladesh and South East Asia, says Modi.
7.59 am: Modi says that the Other Backward Classes have been given reservation for medical education.
7.44 am: Modi says our frontline workers, scientists who were developing vaccines and India’s citizens who were working with a sense of service deserve our appreciation.
7.43 am: Modi says India did not need to rely on any other country for vaccine shots against the coronavirus. “I can proudly say the biggest coronavirus vaccination programme is in the country,” he says. “More than 54 crore people have been vaccinated.”
7.43 am: Addressing the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says this is a day to remember our great freedom fighters.
7.33 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoists the national flag at Red Fort.
7.22 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, reports ANI.
7.21 am: Security has been tightened across the national Capital.
7.20 am: Watch Independence Day celebrations here
7:18 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi wishes citizens on the occasion of Independence Day.
7:07 am: On Saturday, President Ram Nath Kovind had said that Parliament was “the temple of our democracy”, which provides us the highest forum where we “discuss, debate and decide issues for the well-being of our people”. These were his first remarks since the end of the Monsoon Session of Parliament ahead of schedule.
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‘Parliament is temple of our democracy,’ says President Kovind on Independence Day eve speech