"Centuries For Development In 2013 Pace": PM Modi On Independence Day

On India's 72nd Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the long awaited manned space mission by India. By 2022, "a son or daughter of India will go to space with a tricolor in their hand," the Prime Minister said from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Focussing on the achievements of his government in his fifth and final Independence Day speech before next year's general elections, PM Modi said, "We can take tough decisions because nation's interest is first for us, not party's".

"Today, from the ramparts of the Red Fort, I want to give the country a good news," he said. "India has always advanced in space science but we have decided that by 2022 when India completes 75 years of Independence, or before that, a son or daughter of India will go to space with a tricolor in their hands," he added.

In the inspirational speech on India's 72nd Independence Day, the Prime Minister invoked the nation's achievements -- from the scaling of Mount Everest by tribal children to the expedition to South Pole expedition by Indian women.

"If we don't look at where we started, we will not be able to how far we have comes If we take 2013 as the base year, then you'll be surprised to learn the pace of progress," he said.

Today, compared to 2013, "twice as much roads being built, four times as many houses are being built, record-breaking mobiles are being manufactured, tractors are being sold, planes are being bought, new IIT, new AIIMS are being set up, Skill India centres are being set up, there is a deluge of startups in tier 2 and 3 cities," he said.

India, he said, has improved its standing in the world. "Today when any Indian goes anywhere, all countries of the world welcome them... The power of the Indian passport has increased," he said.

The other big announcement of the day is expected to be the rollout of the world's largest government-funded healthcare programme -- the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme. Ayushman Bharat, popularly referred to as "Modicare", aims to provide coverage of Rs. 5 lakh per family annually, benefiting more than 10 crore poor families.