My dear citizens of India, on the eve of the 60th Independence day, I extend to you all at home and abroad my greetings and best wishes for your happiness and prosperity.
Our nation will always cherish and be inspired by the contributions of our freedom fighters towards making India independent.
On 9th August, I met many freedom fighters from all parts of the country and in their eyes I could still see the spirit of selfless sacrifice.
There cannot be any other better living example for our youth to follow. On this occasion, we remember with gratitude the devoted and gallant services of our armed forces who are guarding our frontiers on the land, over the sea and in the air, and our paramilitary and police forces who are preserving our internal security and maintaining law and order.
I am very happy that my previous Independence day addresses had stimulated substantial debate and discussions.
I have addressed both Houses of Parliament on the missions for an economically developed India. I feel that the time is ripe now for both our Houses of Parliament to debate and adopt a resolution that India will get transformed into a safe and economically developed nation before the year 2020.
This unique action of giving the nation a precise and focused vision will inspire everyone and in particular the youth.
Therefore, the topic that I have selected for this address on the 60th Independence Day is 'National Awakening'.
Recently, the country had torrential rains in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra. The flood conditions have caused loss of life and property and immobilised economic activities. My heart goes out for the families who lost their near and dear ones and those in distress. My government is doing, in partnership with the state gvernments, everything possible to alleviate the pain of the people.
Some parts of the country are experiencing drought conditions, when some other regions are flooded. This has become a periodic phenomenon, lacking any predictability. Once again, this clearly brings out, the need for the interlinking of our rivers for effective utilisation of surplus water in a balanced manner among all geographic regions with enlightened cooperation between the states and the Centre.
Let me now relate my suggestions for such cooperative national missions required in many areas leading to a developed India 2020. During my visits to all states and Union Territories, I have witnessed the actual development process and there are several islands of success, a few of which I would like to share with you.
These examples of our accelerating progress have direct impact on the day-to-day life of our farming communities, children and our youth, teachers, doctors and nurses, scientists, engineers and technicians, state institutions, business and industry.
These examples also demonstrate the existence of an indomitable spirit to succeed with the confidence that "we can do it" across the length and breadth of India.
Economic Development towards Vision 2020
Role Models for Agriculturists and Farming Communities
In the agriculture and farming sector, more than doubling the productivity of rice and wheat in areas near RP Channel-5 in Bihar has been achieved through the TIFAC mission using innovative integrated farming and marketing methods.
These results have spread to many areas through people's efforts and are applicable to the whole of Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh and other areas, which have similar agro-climatic conditions. These regions could be transformed into the granaries of India. I have come across similar success stories in respect of doubling seed cotton productivity in Punjab, when I visited Gheri Buttar village, where I met farmers.
Also in the field of sugarcane cultivation, in Maharashtra, the intervention of the Vasantdada Sugar Intitute, Pune, has enabled farmers to increase the yeild of sugarcane by 36 per cent. This experience can definitely be emulated by other sugarcane growing states.
Our private sector has also made significant progress in food processing industries, whereas there is a need for Rural Farmers' Cooperatives in partnership with banking institutions, on the pattern of the Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative limited.
While the essential necessity of networking of rivers has been brought out as part of drought and flood management, water harvesting is a very important need for every state while planning house construction.
I have seen during my visit to Mizoram in the north-east that almost every house is being equipped with self-contained water harvesting systems, which provides adequate water supply throughout the year.
These success stories clearly indicate that it is feasible to enhance foodgrain output from the existing 200 million tonnes per annum to nearly 360 million tonnes per annum before 2020.
This will also help in drastically reducing the number of people below the poverty line -- a true indicator for an economically developed nation.
Role Models for Educationists, Teachers, Doctors and Nurses Education:
Among many models of pre-primary school education with creative learning methodologies that emphasise learning by doing, including cultivation of hygiene, nutritional and sanitary practices, I have come across the work of Dr M R Raju and his team in Pedamiram, Andhra Pradesh.
This has inspired students to love their learning experience and has enriched their lives in school. At the primary and secondary school level, government municipal schools in Karnataka have introduced the accelerated learning model using computer-based animated courses.
This was pioneered by the Azim Premji Foundation which has brought down dropouts from schools substantially.
NCERT has prepared the national curriculum framework under Prof Yashpal's leadership and modified the CBSE syllabus for promoting creative education at all levels through the application of learning by doing concepts.
Teachers training programmes based on the new syllabus of CBSE, has been organised across 25 cities using EDUSAT through video-conferencing. 12,000 teachers have been trained so far through interaction with experts sitting in the NCERT studio in New Delhi.
Recently, I witnessed the Ladakh model of Sarva Shiksa Abhiyan, increasing the pass percentage at the 10th class level from 5 per cent in 1998 to 50 per cent in 2005 with the aim of promoting creative learning leading to higher percentage of passes in the Phase II programme.
The Akshaya programme of the Kerala state government is imparting computer education to 6 lakh adults and advanced computer training programme for 60,000 youth is leading to high value employment for the youth.
In higher education, a pioneering effort by the Universities of Madras, Mumbai and Kolkata with the help of the Ministry of Human Resource Development has resulted in the creation of a Virtual University system by offering 10 joint degree programmes at under-graduate, post graduate and PhD levels.
Higher education system throughout has to increase from the existing 6 per cent to 30 per cent by 2020. I am very confident that such initiatives, when applied across the country in the total education system will enable us to realise near 100 per cent literacy and employable skills among youth, leading to a Knowledge Society by the year 2020.
The country will then have two national human resource cadres: (1) Skilled youth with specific world class technical skills and (2) Knowledge professionals with higher education to take up leadership roles in research, development and industrial missions.
This global human resource will meet the needs of quality human resource for India and for the whole world.
Healthcare
Let me now narrate some of the innovative initatives in medical care. During the last three years in Karnataka, a unique corporate healthcare medical scheme is in operation, under the leadership of doctors of the Narayana Hridayalaya, in partnership with the Karnataka government.
This is benefiting over two million members, like farmers, craftsmen, artisans and small vendors. Members of this scheme who pay a nominal subscription of Rs 10 per month receive full medical treatment for major ailments, entirely free of cost.
I have also come across a number of humanitarian missions giving free treatment to the poor, among them for example the Little Heart Foundation for children's heart ailments, Care Kidney Foundation for kidney ailments at Hyderabad and the Paterson Cancer Centre at Chennai for cancer treatment.
There are several other initiatives of this nature showing the indomitable spirit of doctors, nurses and para-medical staff. For example, Karunya Nilayam has initiated the process of screening of children in rural areas of Kerala so that they can provide total treatment to over a 100 cancer affected children every year free of cost.
The Arvind Eye Hospital, Madurai, provides free treatment to 70 patients. We need to multiply such ventures to enable every citizen of the country to receive quality healthcare.
As a spin off from India's missile technology, came light weight calipers. These calipers have been field proven through a number of camps. Spearheaded by the Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, this has so far benefited more than 10,000 polio affected children across the country. Mobile clinics are being increasingly deployed in the remote areas of Uttaranchal and other hilly regions for providing quality diagnostic and healthcare services to needy villagers.
Space technology has been extended to the healthcare sector. 34 speciality hospitals have been connected through ISRO's tele-medicine network and are providing tele-medicine services to over 140 remote locations all over the country.
Our government hospital system with its extensive outreach can symbiotically collaborate with the emerging private healthcare initiatives. This indicates that it is definitely feasible to achieve the mission of providing effective, affordable and quality healthcare services to all the people of our country by the year 2020.
Information and Communication Technology
The Indian ICT Industry is growing at about 28 per cent per annum. This is definitely a strong indicator that the ICT industry requires a national mission to realise $200 billion turnover by 2012. Job opportunities are expected to grow from one million to nearly 9 million direct jobs and 6 million indirect jobs in the construction, retail and transportation industries by 2010.
The government of India is creating a Pan-African e-network for connecting 53 African countries. In a similar way, India has proposed to extend the services to Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
Many state governments are in the process of implementing e-governance services and creating a State Wide Area Network across their states.
I am happy to say that the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has decided to invest Rs 24,000 crore for establising an e-governance network and government to citizens services across the country within five years time.
Through capacity building, job opportunities, better consumer protection laws and secure infrastructure, ICT would enable economic growth to higher levels of prosperity in India.
Rural Development
The Bharat Nirman Programme aimed at rural prosperity across the country is in position with an outlay of Rs 174,000 crore for the period of four years. I am happy to find that there is a growing recognition of enhancing rural prosperity through Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas model.
Periyar PURA (Tamil Nadu): I have inaugurated the Periyar PURA Complex pioneered by Periyar Maniammai College of Technology for Women, Vallam, Tanjore, consisting of a cluster of 65 villages having a population of over one lakh.
This model PURA complex has all three connectivities -- physical, electronic and knowledge -- leading to economic connectivity. This has resulted in largescale employment generation and creation of a number of entrepreneurs with the active support of 1,150 self-help groups.
200 acres of wasteland has been developed into cultivable land with innovative water management schemes. Villagers are busy in cultivation, planting jatropha, herbal and medicinal plants, power generation using bio-mass, food processing with dedicated marketing centres.
This model has emanated independent of any government initiative. I have also seen the other PURA models like the Loni PURA in Maharashtra, the Chitrakoot PURA in Madhya Pradesh and the Byraju PURA in Andhra Pradesh.
These experiences can be emulated nationwide. We need 7,000 PURAs all over the country. This movement can be multiplied by thousands of entrepreneurs, educational administrators, smallscale industrialists and bankers with the support of government agencies providing total economic prosperity to rural India by 2020.
Rural Electrification-Solar Village
At village Kaylapara on Sagar Island, Sundarbans, I saw a photovoltaic solar power plant of 120 KW capacity, the largest off-grid plant in our country established by the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency in collaboration with the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources.
It is providing six hours of electrical energy to 33 villages of Sagar Island. This model of standalone solar energy systems should be replicated in many remote, hilly areas and island territories.
Comprehensive National Security
Peaceful and harmonious conditions in all parts of the country are essential for people to cooperate with one another for accelerated national growth.
However, there are challenges to peace from across our geographical borders, from terrorism and violence and from scarcities created by rapidly depleting natural resources.
These dynamic challenges call for special measures to ensure a comprehensive integrated system of security, which has four major components: territorial security, internal security, energy security and economic security.
Challenges to Peace and Economic Progress Territorial Security
Our nation and armed forces are well prepared to protect our territorial security. They are continuously being strengthened to deal with new forms of warfare.
Internal Security
Let me now come to an important aspect of security that is drawing the attention of the entire country and the world. The constant threat of low intensity proxy war and terrorism has become a disturbing feature of national life. This constitutes the new face of war. Dear citizens, this matter is of great concern to all of us. Therefore, I propose to share my thoughts with you on how we can face this challenge and resolve to eradicate this threat.
At the state level, greater and more effective coordinated decision-making ability is the most basic requirement. At the individual level, greater respect for traditional values and sense of social responsibility, like love and respect for one's family and teachers, service to the neighbourhood and community, tolerance of authority are now absolutely essential.
Above all, we as people, individuals and especially institions, require increased ability to cooperate with one another improving thereby our work and personal relationships.
While we have the basic structure in the form of law, police cadres, intelligence agencies and judicial system, we need to reinforce them with required updates with code of conduct. Every citizen, every group, every religion and every political and executive system should allow the law to function without interference.
To combat the challenges, I would like to discuss under three broad areas namely (a) economic security through development with peace (b) citizen's security (c) energy security -- all these leading to comprehensive national security.
Economic security through Development with Peace Mission
Accelerated development has to be integrated with peace missions. Such missions will have four major components namely: economic zone near international borders and Line of Control.
Social development in difficult areas, national level movement to eliminate terrorism and citizen's security.
(a) Economic zone near international borders and Line of Control: Presently, the areas close to the international border and Line of Control are not used for economic activity.
The government may consider using the available land area for promoting economic activity with people's participation.
The economic security of these border regions would on itself become complementary to territorial security required in these zones.
(b) Social development in difficult areas: Social-minded people may be enabled to start educational, sports complexes and healthcare institutions in every difficult area in the country.
I would like to share the salient features of a typical model that has made a significant impact on social development.
Jeevan Vidya experience: Jeevan Vidya is being praticed by Prof Ganesh Bagaria, IIT, Kanpur, Prof Rajeev Sangal, Director IIIT (Hyderabad) and their teams.
This scheme is concerned with addressing the basic causes of major problems of violence, corruption, exploitation, domination, terriorism and war.
It has been found that violent and anti-social behaviour, unless dealt with care and with professionalism, could aggravate the extreme behaviour.
Jeevan Vidya develops tolerance for ambiguity and uncertainty in human conduct by enabling self-knowledge that understands harmony in the self and in the entire existence.
The academicians could bring about marked change even among the inmates of jails through the use of these techniques.
Jeevan Vidya is a 'teachable human value based skill' that can address inherent conflicts within the mind of the individual, within families, in organisations and in public life. Inner conflit is the very essence of violence.
For example, with the skills imparted, it would be possible to reduce the overall period of secondary education from 25,000 hours of teaching to 20,000 hours, since children become more responsible and productivity conscious.
These experiments can be outreached to influence many people by developing networks using ICT through our educational system that needs to pay increasing attention to this aspect of human development.
This process of imparting self-knowledge would promote a learning atmosphere, where this whole movement of inquiry into knowledge, into oneself, into the possibility of something beyond knowledge would bring about naturally a psychological revolution.
From this comes inevitably a totally different order in human relationship and therefore society as a whole.
The intelligent understanding of this process itself can bring about a profound change in the consciousness of mankind.
Safety and security of Citizens
Dear friends, now I would like to discuss a very important aspect of how we can provide a sense of security for our citizens.
At the Governors Conference held in June 2005, four governors echoed the organised group formation of extreme ideologists and its spreading tendency in various parts of the country that had organised from the lack of timely implementation of land reforms and resolving certain ideological differences in time.
Also, during my visit to certain states, I found that there is a need for the district administration to exercise greater influence in certain forest areas and territories. There is also a threat from extremists groups in some parts of north-eastern region.
This points to the immediate need for coordinated counter measures including effective negotiations for restoring normalcy in these areas coupled with economic development within the next 3 to 5 years in mission mode.
On 17th July 2006, at the King Edward Memorial Hospital, I met some of the injured in the Mumbai bomb blasts which was the result of the most lethal element of low intensity war.
I felt the pain of many who have lost their hearing ability, their limbs fractured and amputated and spinal injuries leading to permanent disability.
It was reassuring that when I addressed the Indian Merchants Chamber on the same day, many of the participants volunteered to provide all help needed for rehabilitation.
The state government rose to the occasion to provide financial relief for medical support obtained from private hospitals.
Later, I participated in the memorial service organised for the people who lost their lives. During the two minute silence, the whole city of Mumbai expressed its deep sorrow and determination to combat terrorism with unity of minds.
We must do this with a great sense of urgency for "When evil minds combine, good minds have to work together and combat."
Similar acts of mindless violence have taken place in the country for more than two decades and this phenomenon is continously increasing.
My government, the members of Parliament and state legislatures are quite concerned about this and are considering how to address these issues of citizens' security for formulating a national approach to eradicate terrorism in all its forms.
This is an issue of national concern. We should transcend individual differences of opinion and address it with a sense of unity. This is the need of the hour. Let me give a plan of action.
Citizens' Security National Campaign to Eradicate Terrorism
I believe the time has come to synergise our multiple agencies for forecasting and dealing with terrorist activities. We need to evolve a National Campaign to Eradicate Terrorism in our nation with mission-oriented integrated management structure and people's participation.
It has been recognised that terrorism does not take place without any planning. This may be originating from a master plan with global umbilical connectivity extending to homes or hotels and guesthouses.
NCET will facilitate working together of the intelligence and security machinery both at the state and the central level to achieve the desired objectives.
The NCET will be an alert and dynamic movement which would prevent hotels and homes being used as a shelter by terrorists and extremists.
We have to create a secure atmosphere where citizens who wish to co-operate in the peace mission must themselves feel secure.
Then citizens can participate in the important function of promoting their own safety and the security of their neighbourhood.
This challenge is particularly acute in areas where there is a floating population in transition through residential areas, hotels and other similar places that could unknowingly be used for wrong purposes.
The state may consider introduction of national ID cards and implement the national e-governance GRID for all government to government, government to citizens, business to business and business to citizen transactions within two years time.
It is essential to create special monitoring methodology for unusual and abnormal banking transactions.
Today, with the introduction of computerised banking and computerised communication systems, the world of data mining is very advanced to detect such anomalies in real time.
The judiciary must consider the creation of a fast track judicial process for settling terrorism-related cases.
Energy Security leading to Energy Independence
A very clear relationship exists between energy security and national security, for if there are inadequate energy supplies or if energy supply cannot be afforded, then the economy of the country will be severely affected.
Nuclear Fuel: With cooperation of certain states, the country should aim to mine enough uranium. The vast thorium resources of the nation should be harnessed by our scientists and technologists.
With cooperation from all other sectors of science, technology and industry in India, I am confident that we have the capability to build our own thorium-based reactors.
This will enable us to be self-reliant, secure and independent in nuclear energy.
Fossil Fuel: In a similar manner, we know that we are running out of oil and natural gas based on fossil fuels.
Heavy dependence on imported oil and gas and especially its use in the transportation industry has already impacted the nation's economy. The nation has to gear up for enhanced production of coal and clean coal technologies.
Energy plantation for Oil Security: We depend on oil to the extent of 114 million tonnes every year, 75 per cent of which is imported and used almost entirely in the transportation sector. Hence, we have to concentrate on bio-diesel and renewable energies.
I have advocated a national mission in bio-diesel involving all stakeholders such as farmers, industrialists, researchers, agricultural scientists, oil companies, Central and state government agencies, for realising 60 million tonnes per year bio-diesel by 2030 which would be 20 per cent of the anticipated oil consumption then.
Renewable Energies: In harnessing solar energy we now need to set up infrastructure and capabilities for a nano-technology revolution that has the potential to fund solutions for new forms of solar cells, more efficient, less costly and abundantly available.
Our goal by 2030 is to generate 50,000 MW of power from reneweable energy sources.
The Future of Human Society: At this stage, with so much of natural and manmade disasters facing planet Earth, let me share with you a thought from Stephen Hawking. He is considered as one of the world's leading theoretical physicists who discovered the super string theory.
He asked an open question in June 2006: "How can the human race survive the next hundred years?" When he received well over 20,000 mixed responses on e-mail, he admitted that he does not have an answer.
You have heard me today on the eve of the 60th Independence Day. I am sure that you share my strong belief that with the strength of our youth and our civilisational heritage we can together find an answer. Hence, let me conclude with the mission ahead.
Conclusion Development with Comprehensive Security: The time has come therefore for the political, administrative, scientific and industrial communities to cooperate intensely with each other, take stock of the entire situation in all sectors of security comprehensively and emerge with a vision, integrated missions, policies, plans and programmes for such comprehensive security for the nation to be safe, prosperous and happy.
How shall we realise this vision? What are the immediate steps that we need to take to realise this vision? Let us work together to evolve three initiatives. In continuation with my earlier discussions, I will be suggesting to the government and both Houses of Parliament to: (i) Formulate a Citizens Security Bill (with a National Campaign for Eradication of Terrorism); (ii) Formulate an Energy Indepenence Bill; and (iii) Adopt a resolution that India will be transformed into a safe, prosperous, happy and socio-economically developed nation before the year 2020.
There is, consequently, a need for a sustained period of debate and decision making in Parliament and in government, in these areas leading to comprehensive national security.
Only in an environment of stable peace, can the nation concentrate on social and economic development. Now, I would like to administer a seven-point oath to the youth of the nation.
1. I realise, I have to set a goal in my life. To achieve the goal, I will acquire the knowledge, I will work hard and when the problem occurs, I have to defeat the problem and succeed.
2. As a youth of my nation, I will work hard and work with courage to achieve success in all my tasks and enjoy the success of others.
3. I shall always keep my self, my home, my surroundings, neighbourhood and environment clean and tidy.
4. I realise righteousness in the heart leads to beauty in the character, beauty in character brings harmony in the home, harmony in the home leads to order in the nation and order in the nation leads to peace in the world.
5. I will lead an honest life free from all corruption and will set an example for others to adopt a righteous way of life.
6. I will light the lamp of knowledge in the nation and ensure that it remains lit forever.
7. I realise, whatever work I do, if I do the best, I am contributing towards realising the Mission of Developed India before 2020.
Dear citizens, let me once again greet you all on the eve of the 60th Indepenence Day. I take this opportunity to wish all nations and citizens of the world, peace and prosperity. May God Bless you all. Jai Hind.
