Independence Day: PM offers hope

In a broad-based address to the nation on Independence Day, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stuck to his core agenda- the revival of the economy.

Addressing concerns about the drought and the outbreak of swine flu, Dr Manmohan Singh's message was clear: don't panic.

In many ways this is an Independence Day riddled with contradictions. The clouds were ominous, the rain intermittent and India turned 63.

India's shining economic future is slowing this year - hit by a bad monsoon and a swine flu pandemic.

Despite the world seeing a strong India, today the mood at Red Fort was sombre.

Manmohan Singh arrived for his 6th Independece-Day speech and his security was heavy like the short-term task ahead for him.

The farm sector is in distress, economic revival sluggish but India withstood global meltdown and can grow at 6 per cent.

With his government's majority in no doubt, India's forex reserve at over $270 billion, food stocks comfortable at over 20 million tones and stock market maintaining vigour - Manmohan promised long term hope and return to 9 per cent growth path and a war against short-term worries.

What Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said:

• We will help our farmers in every way to help fight drought.
• No citizen of our country should sleep hungry.
• Recession world over has reduced our growth rate to 6.7%. Our biggest challenge is to restore economic growth to 9%

In the end it was an attempt to offer hope in the future but it was impossible to hide the bad news of today.