President Pranab Mukherjee Addresses Nation on Independence Day Eve: Highlights

New Delhi: On Thursday, President Pranab Mukherjee, in a speech, addressed the nation on the eve of India's Independence Day.

Here are the highlights from his speech:

• • I convey greetings to Indians in the country and across theworld.
  • India demands creative thinking that enables fast track development and social harmony.
  • The nation has to be placed before parties and differences.
  • Real solution lies in reinventing and restoring existing institutions for good governance.
  • Fellow citizens, the economy is the material part of development. Education is the essential part of it.
  • The poor cannot and will not wait for another generation.
    
  • Benefits of economic development must percolate down to the poorest of poor.
  • The focus of policies has to shift from alleviation of poverty to elimination of poverty.
  • The stage is now set for our economy to move to a high growth trajectory.
    
  • The prime minister's call to honor the memory of Mahatma Gandhi to make India a clean country by 2019 is commendable.
  • By the end of the 12th Five Year Plan, we would have achieved 80 percent literacy.
    
  • Why can't we keep our environment free of filth?
    
  • The recent voter turnout shows vitality of democracy.
  • We have to reject extremism in all its manifestation.
  • We must defend our secular fabric with vigour.
  • Good governance is critically dependent on rule of law, transparency & inclusiveness.
  • Intolerance and violence is a betrayal of democracy.
  • Stagnant minds create immobile systems which become roadblocks to growth.