Highlights of PM Manmohan Singh`s Independence Day speech

New Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) Following are the highlights of
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Independence Day speech:

--PM warns hoarders and black-marketers
--No need to panic in the face of swine flu. No disruption
of daily lives.

--Restoring our growth rate to 9 per cent is the greatest
challenge we face.

--Appeal to businessmen and industrialists to join in
effort to tackle difficult situation and fulfill their social
obligation.

--This year there has been deficiency in the monsoons. We
will provide all possible assistance to our farmers to deal
with the drought.

--Date for repayment of farmers bank loans postponed.
Additional support given to farmers for payment of interest
in short term crop loans.

--All efforts will be made to control rising prices of
food grains, pulses and other goods of daily use.

--Country needs another Green revolution, the goal is 4
per cent annual growth in agriculture, achievable in the next
5 years.
--Food security law under which every below poverty line
family will get a fixed amount of food grains every month at
concessional rates.
--To extend the benefit of ICDS to every child below the
age of six years by March 2012.


--NREGA programme to be improved to bring more
transparency and accountability into it.
--Right to Education Act enacted, funds will not be a
constraint.

--We will give special attention to the needs of
disabled children.

--Secondary education will be expanded through a
programme that will ensure that every child in the country
gets its benefit.

--Will provide bank loans and scholarships to the maximum
possible number of students to support their education.

--New scheme to help students from economically weaker
sections get education loans at reduced interest rates. Will
benefit about 5 lakh students in technical and professional
courses.

--The Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana to be expanded to
cover every family below the poverty line.

--Additional funds allocated for Bharat Nirman - the
programmes for development of rural and urban areas to be
speeded up.

--Accelerated efforts to improve physical infrastructure
in the country. Construction of 20 Km of National Highways
every day.

--Road, rail and civil aviation projects being
implemented in J & K and the North Eastern States will be
specially monitored.

--India will meet the challenge of climate change through
8 National Missions.

--The Jawaharal Nehru National Solar Mission, aimed at
increasing the use of solar energy and making it affordable,
will be launched on 14th Nov this year.

--More attention to programmes for water collection and
storage. "Save Water" should be one of our national slogans.

--Every government should be sensitive to people's
complaints and dissatisfaction. But nothing is achieved by
destroying public property and indulging in violence and the
government will deal firmly with such people.
--To root out terrorist activities, our security forces
and intelligence agencies are being constantly upgraded. With
cooperation from all sections of society we will succeed.
--Redoubled efforts to deal with militant activities.
Will extend all help to the State Governments to make their
police forces more effective.

--Those who think that they can seize power by recourse
to the gun do not understand the power of our democracy.

--Will endeavour to remove those causes of social and
economic dissatisfaction which give rise to problems like
naxalism.

--Seek active partnership of the our Scheduled Caste and
Scheduled Tribe brothers and sisters in our development
process.

--The schemes for the welfare of the minorities to be
taken forward.

--Funds enhanced substantially for the special schemes
for development of minority concentration districts.

--A Bill to prevent communal violence has been
introduced in Parliament and efforts will be made to convert
it into a law as soon as possible.

--Female foeticide is a shame on all of us. We must
eliminate it as early as possible.

--Our government is committed to the early passage of
the Women's Reservation Bill.
--Working on a legislation to provide 50 per cent
reservation for women in rural and urban local bodies.

--National Female Literacy Mission to be launched, aims
to reduce female illiteracy by half in three years.

--Have accepted the recommendations of the committee on
the issue of pension of ex-servicemen. This will benefit 12
lakh retired jawans and JCO's.

--Will take care of the special needs of the backward
region with redoubled efforts to remove regional imbalances.

--Government constantly endeavours to make the North
Eastern States equal partners in the country's progress.

--There have been two elections in J&K in past year with
people participating vigorously. Proof that there is no place
for separatist thought in the state.

--Endeavour to ensure that human rights are respected in
J&K and all its citizens are able to live in peace and dignity
in an environment of safety and security.

--As far our neighbours are concerned, we want to live
with them in peace and harmony. Will make every possible
effort to create and environment conducive to the social and
economic development of the whole of South Asia.

--Benefit of good programmes will not reach the people
till the government machinery is not corruption free. Public
administration to be more efficient.

--Need to improve delivery systems to provide basic
services to our citizens.

--Renewed efforts to decentralise public administration
through the Panchayati Raj Institutions and to ensure greater
involvement of people.

--Initiative will be taken for a new partnership between
the civil society and the government so that tax payers's
money is better spent.

--Right to Information Act to be improved to make it more
effective and enhance accountability and transparency.

--Special efforts to strengthen administrative machinery
for rural programmes.

--Unique Identification Authority of India set up. First
set of identity numbers expected to be available in the next
one to one and a half years. PTI