PM Modi meets children who came to the Red Fort for the Prime Minister's address on India's 69th Independence Day. (AFP Photo)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated "Gareebon ki Ameeri," or the wealthiness of the poor in his address to the nation from the Red Fort on India's 69th Independence Day, announcing that 17 crore people had opened accounts under the government's flagship Jan Dhan Yojna, since it was launched.
It was in his first Independence Day address after he took office in May last year that PM Modi has announced the Jan Dhan Yojna or bank accounts for all.
"I bow to the wealthiness of the poor. These poor people opened 17 crore accounts and deposited 20,000 crore in them," the PM said. He said the scheme was aimed at strengthening "financial inclusion".
"The doors of the banks were not open for the poor. We decided this must end. We wanted to strengthen financial inclusion," PM Modi said, adding "Bank accounts are essential for integrating the poor into the financial system."
The poor, PM Modi said, are powering Team India, a collective force of 1.25 billion people taking the nation to new heights.