PM Narendra Modi's Address To The Nation On Independence Day: Highlights

President lays wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti on Independence Day

BSF exchanges sweets on Bangladesh border in Phulbari

Assam Chief Mnister, Sarbananda Sonowal Salutes The Tricolour

Minister of State, Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju Celebrates Independence Day in Leh

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal hoists The tricolour

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa salutes the National Flag

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis unfurls National Flag in Mumbai
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Today from the ramparts of the Red Fort, I want to express my special gratitude to some people. The way people of Balochistan, Gilgit, Baltistan, and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have expressed their love and well-wishes for me - people in far flung places where I have not been to, nor had the opportunity to meet - this shows their love and respect for all the 125 crore Indians. That is why I want to thank all people in Balochistan, Gilgit, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

I speak to the people who believe in humanity. When terrorists killed innocent children in Peshawar, a temple of education was bloodied, there were tears in the eyes of everyone in India's Parliament, India's schools. Children in schools across India felt the sorrow. This is our humanity. This is our nature. But look at the other side. They glorify terrorists. They celebrate when innocent lives are lost. What kind of terror-inspired people and governments are these? What kind of people glorify terrorists? What kind of people celebrate when people are killed? The world is watching, and will understand the difference.

SAARC countries have a common problem - poverty. I call upon all to come together and fight poverty, not each other. There cannot be a bigger independence than freedom from poverty.

Unity in diversity, this is our strength. Violence has no place in our society. India will never tolerate terrorism, We will never bow in front of it. To the youths who have picked up the gun, I urge them to return to their parents, shun violence.

We do not believe in procrastination, we believe in solving problems. The OROP (One Rank, One Pension) was hanging for a long time. We took it head on.

My sisters and brothers, we have to fight against social evils. We have to rise above social evils. All citizens have to do this, else India can't progress. A strong society can only be built on social justice.

Today the farmer can sell his produce in online mandis anywhere. GST will unify our taxes, make them uniform. The electricity that used to be Rs 10 per unit has come down to little over Rs 1 in many places like Telangana.

We have taken many steps for the welfare of women and girls. More than 3.5 crore families have taken benefit of the MUDRA scheme. We have instated a 26-week maternity leave for all pregnant women.

All global agencies have recognised India's progress, its reforms. We have improved our rankings in ease of doing business rapidly. We have left many countries behind in GDP growth. The GST bill that was just passed will go a long way in India's reform. All parties deserve credit for it.

There used to be allegations on coal block auctions. Today it is completely transparent. The nation has benefited immensely.

Air India, that used to be much maligned, has an operating profit today. While every telecom company in the world flourished, BSNL used to run in losses. Today, BSNL too has turned an operating profit. Earlier there used to be so much corruption, people who did not exist used to benefit from social schemes. I am glad to let you know that we have eliminated that.

90 shut irrigation schemes will be revived; 77,000 solar pumps distributed to bring down input cost of farmers. Food godowns with 15 lakh ton capacity have been built; The emphasis is on food processing, and the aim is to help double farmers' income by 2022.

Today, as we talk of soil health cards, we also work on satellites. Reform, perform, transform is the mantra of the government. There were thousands of plans which had fallen cold, we have revived them. We value substance over symbolism, integrated development over isolated development, and empowerment over entitlement.