Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced the long awaited manned space mission by India. Speaking on the 72nd Independence Day celebrations, PM Modi said: "By 2022, a son or daughter of India will go to space with a tricolor in hand". The other big announcement of the day was the rollout of the world's largest government-funded healthcare programme -- the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme. 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".
India is celebrating its 72nd Independence Day today. Like every year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort, his fifth speech after the BJP-led NDA came to power in 2014.
For the past three years, PM Modi has invited ideas and suggestions directly from people. According to MyGov.in, PM Modi will pick up some of the ideas in his speech. For the 72nd Independence Day celebrations, the Navy is the coordinating service. The Guard of Honour will be commanded by Commander PR Jagan Mohan of the Indian Navy.
Here are the highlights on Independence Day 2018 :
Independence Day: All-Women SWAT Team Guarded Red Fort During PM Narendra Modi's SpeechIndia's first all-women SWAT team from the north east beamed with pride as it provided security cover to the historic Red Fort today on the Independence Day."
15 August 1965. #IndianArmy always have best military commanders. Lieutenant Colonel Gurbans Singh Sangha, led his Battalion with exemplary courage, recaptured three forward posts in the face of heavy enemy resistance. Awarded #MahaVirChakra @PIB_India @SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/Kh6VGIANq9
- ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) August 15, 2018
PM Modi Says Corrupt, Black Money Hoarders Will Not Be SparedPrime Minister Narendra Modi today vowed not to spare corrupt and black money holders, saying efforts of his government have freed corridors of power from brokers, enhanced the number of taxpayers and saved Rs 90,000 crore by eliminating bogus beneficiaries."
#WATCH: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal sings 'Hum honge kamyab' at the Independence function at Delhi's Chhatrasal Stadium. #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/rzPRFeitos
- ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018
हम पत्थर पर लकीर खींचने में मानते हैं। बीज से लेकर बाज़ार तक हर level पर value-addition करके हम किसानों की आय 2022 तक दुगनी करेंगे। : PM @narendramodi ji pic.twitter.com/J8SyPLY5iW
- Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) August 15, 2018
We are working to ensure peace across the nation. 44 districts have been excluded from the list of "Maoist affected districts" and the number of affected districts has reduced to 90 from 126: PM @narendramodi #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/hCYwIbm3DW
- BJP (@BJP4India) August 15, 2018
Independence Day 2018: See Sudarsan Pattnaik's Sand Tribute For India's 72nd Independence DayPadma Shri award-winning sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has created a beautiful sand sculpture to mark India's 72nd Independence Day."
From being seen as among the fragile five, India is now the land of reform, perform and transform: PM Shri @narendramodi #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/ILNmYU5Fkl
- BJP (@BJP4India) August 15, 2018
Independence Day 2018: Nation Celebrates The Spirit Of Freedom. See Pictures, Photo GalleryIndia celebrates its 72nd Independence Day today. The day will be marked by celebrations all over the country and PM Modi's address at the Red Fort. Here is the Independence Day celebration in pictures."
Solve Kashmir Problem By Embracing Its People, Not With Bullets: PM ModiRepeating the words used last year on Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said Kashmirs problems can be resolved only by embracing its people, not with bullets or abuses."
CM Pinarayi Vijayan extended his greetings to all on the occasion of Independence day. It is a celebration of the memory of a great struggle, CM hoped that #IndependenceDayIndia will be a source of hope for the people of Kerala who are battling an unprecedented floods.
- CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) August 15, 2018
#IndependenceDayIndia : Chief of the Air Staff & all personnel of Indian Air Force wish all Indians a very Happy Independence Day.#HappyIndependenceDay@DefenceMinIndia@SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/qRckfHdkad
- Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) August 15, 2018
LIVE : Shri @AmitShah unfurls the National Flag at BJP Head Office, New Delhi. #IndependenceDayIndia https://t.co/1PVqboiEOA
- BJP (@BJP4India) August 15, 2018
- Maharashtra is developing and participating in national programmes like Swatch Bharat Abhiyaan
- Farmers should get maximum MSP, we have purchased produce on record level. In 2016 state govt spent Rs 450 crore for purchasing farmer produce
- 16,000 villages have water now because of JalYukt Shivir Yojna
- Maharashtra has generated maximum jobs. In last one year 8 lakh jobs in organised sector
- New policies have been made for SC/ST people
- Maharashtra has made progress in house for everyone project of centre government
- We are celebrating this Independence Day when every Indian anywhere in the world is proud that India is the sixth biggest economy in the world today.
- The recently concluded Parliament session was one devoted to social justice. The Parliament session witnessed the passage of the Bill to create an Other Backward Class (OBC) Commission.
- When 1.25 billion dreams go towards a goal, there's nothing that cannot happen. In 2014, the people of the country did not just stop at forming a government. They got together for nation-building and they will keep at it.
- India used to be counted in the 'Fragile Five' in the world. But today, India is a multi-trillion dollar investment. Everything has changed.
- Businesses used to talk about red tape, now they talk about red carpet. They used to talk about policy paralysis, today they talk about reform, perform, transform.
- By 2022, when India completes 75 years of independence, India will send a son or daughter to the space with the national flag in hand. With this, India will become the fourth nation to send a human to the space.
- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyan will be launched on September 25 this year, on Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay's birth anniversary. It is high time we ensure that the poor of the country get access to good quality and affordable healthcare.
- Women officers commissioned in short service (SSC) will get opportunity for permanent commission like men.
- The honest taxpayer of India has a major role in the progress of the nation. It is due to them that so many people are fed, the lives of the poor are transformed.
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee showed us the way for Jammu and Kashmir: Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat, Kashmiriyat. We want to go ahead on that road. Not by bullets and abuse, we want to embrace the patriotic people of Kashmir.
We celebrate bravery of our #ancestors and their gift of #freedom. Long may our #flag wave! Celebrating 72nd #IndependenceDay2018 with #police staff of #SouthDistrict @DelhiPolice. #HappyIndependenceDay to all citizens of #India #JaiHind pic.twitter.com/EjhEeoUu7E
- DCP South Delhi (@DCPSouthDelhi) August 15, 2018
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis unfurls the tricolour in Mumbai. #IndependenceDayIndia pic.twitter.com/h8z40Ki9im
- ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018
Independence Day 2018: Massive Security Deployment In Delhi, Red FortThe historic Red Fort, from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on the 72nd Independence Day today, has been put under a heavy security cover, along with other critical areas in the national capital."
LIVE : 72nd Independence Day Celebrations - PM Narendra Modi's address to the Nation from Red Fort - 15 August 2018. #IndependenceDayIndia https://t.co/O7GmBonE86
- BJP (@BJP4India) August 15, 2018
Greetings and good wishes to all citizens of India on the occasion of our nation's 72nd Independence Day. The nation pays respect to all freedom fighters and tributes to those martyrs who laid down their lives for India's freedom.
- Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) August 15, 2018
#IndianArmy honours its heroes by awarding Kirti Chakra #BraveSonsOfIndia #IndependenceDay @PIB_India @SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/o7Vob7z40b
- ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) August 15, 2018
Independence Day: We Will Send An Indian To Space By 2022 With Tricolor In Hand, Says PM Narendra ModiThe 370-year-old Red Fort today played venue for a colossal announcement, the ramifications of which perhaps for the first time extend beyond earth itself."
We want to progress more. There is no question of stopping or getting tired on the way: PM @narendramodi
- PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2018
- Tripura, Meghalaya and many parts of Arunachal Pradesh are seeing historic peace.
- From 126, Left Wing Extremism is restricted to 90 districts.
- We are working to ensure peace across the nation
- Today we are proud that there are three women justices in the Supreme Court
- The current cabinet has most number of women since independence
- Some forces which challenge this - Rape of women is painful. But the pain a woman who is raped undergoes, we should feel much more pained
- These demonic mentalities are being tackled sternly
- It should be widely reported how rapists are hanging from the gallows for their crimes
Addressing the people of India from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Watch. https://t.co/thwrgd8nb5
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 15, 2018
The honest taxpayer of India has a major role in the progress of the nation. It is due to them that so many people are fed, the lives of the poor are transformed: PM @narendramodi
- PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2018
- We have cracked down on black money, corruption
- We have saved Rs 90,000 crore from falling into wrong hands, and is helping ordinary Indians
- I assure all honest taxpayers today that these schemes run on their money and if anyone gets credit for them, it is not the government but the taxpayers
- 5 crore people have been brought out of poverty
- The number of beneficiaries in Ayushman Bharat will be the size of the population of America, Canada, Mexico or the entire population of Europe
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan will be launched on 25th September this year. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality and affordable healthcare: PM @narendramodi
- PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2018
As important as economic growth is dignity of the individual. Initiatives such as Ujjwala and Saubhagya Yojana are enhancing the dignity of fellow Indians: PM @narendramodi
- PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2018
With a 'Beej Se Bazar Tak' approach, we are bringing remarkable changes in the agriculture sector. The aim is to double farmer incomes by 2022: PM @narendramodi
- PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2018
India is proud of our scientists, who are excelling in their research and are at the forefront of innovation: PM @narendramodi
- PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2018
- In 2014, esteemed economists and agencies said Indian economy was risky.
- Today, the same people say reform momentum is strengthening the fundamentals
- Businesses used to talk about red tape, now they talk about red carpet
- They used to talk about policy paralysis, today they talk about reform, perform, transform
- India used to be counted in the 'Fragile Five' in the world, but today, India is a multi-trillion dollar investment. Everything has changed
When aims are not clear, it takes ages for things to happen. Revision of MSP was a long-held demand but kept getting delayed. We decided to increase MSP to 1.5 times of production cost. Everyone wanted GST but a consensus couldn't be reached. But the country moved ahead once it was adopted despite initial hiccups.
- Take toilets for example, if we were at 2013 pace, it would have taken centuries to build as many toilets as we have
- It would have taken a couple of more decades to bring electricity to villages we have
- It would have taken maybe more than 100 years to get gas connections to all poor mothers
- It would have taken generations to lay optical fibre in the scale we have done
The Constitution given to us by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar has spoken about justice for all. We have to ensure social justice for all and create an India that is developing rapidly: PM Modi #IndiaIndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/3Ti2a9f4DK
- ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018
- I salute the soldiers, policemen, paramilitary personnel for their service today from this stage
- I share the grief of those who have lost their loved ones
- My best wishes to you on the 72nd Independence Day
- The country is today filled with confidence, it is scaling new heights
- The dawn has brought with it new energy and expectations
- This year, in the Nilgiris, the flower is blooming like the Ashoka Chakra in the flag
- We celebrating the 72nd Independence Day today at a time when our daughters have crossed seven seas and coloured the seas in the colours of our flag
WATCH NOW -#IndependenceDayIndia : Aerial shots of #RedFort on @DDNational & LIVE-STREAM on https://t.co/CLW2A2jd9N#IndependenceDayWithDD #Doordarshan pic.twitter.com/eHT1bVucKF
- Doordarshan National (@DDNational) August 15, 2018
14 Aug 1947. Lieutenant Colonel Sher Jang Thapa was ordered to move to Skardu as it was sorrounded by enemies. Displayed indomitable determination to thwart enemy attempts to capture the fort at Skardu. Awarded #MahaVirChakra @PIB_India @SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/AUdewAyldA
- ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) August 14, 2018
India Independence Day 2018 In Independence Day Speech, PM May Launch Healthcare Scheme: 10 PointsWhen Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the Red Fort on the 72nd Independence Day today, his fifth and final speech before the general elections next year, he is likely to announce the launch of the world's largest government-funded healthcare programme, called the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme. It will be launched on a pilot basis in some states, with the full-scale roll-out of PM Modi's pet project expected in September end, sources said. 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."
