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Indian Express
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
2014's ‘outsider' pitch to 2025's ‘demography mission': Modi's past 11 I-Day speeches as PM
Since he took oath in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speeches on Independence Day have been as much about policy and programmes as ideology. This year, he emphasised on illegal migration, calling it a 'well-thought-out conspiracy', at a time when the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls – driven largely with this agenda – has seen Opposition protests from the streets to courts and Parliament. He went on to announce a 'Mission' to check 'demographic change'. As importantly, Modi's speech included fulsome praise for the RSS – the first time he has arguably done so from the ramparts of the Red Fort, in his 12 Independence Day speeches. With the Sangh set to celebrate its 100 years, the PM lauded its journey. 2014: 'Outsider' Modi praises 'all PMs' Describing himself as an 'outsider for Delhi' who had been 'isolated from the elite class' of the national capital till then, PM Modi described himself the country's 'Pradhan Sewak (Prime Servant)' in his maiden speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort. In the flush of his decimation of the Congress in the 2014 elections, Modi was generous in acknowledging the contribution of his political opponents. 'Today if we have reached here after Independence, it is because of the contribution of all the Prime Ministers, all the governments and even the governments of all the states.' The PM added: 'We are not for moving forward on the basis of majority, we are not interested in moving forward by virtue of majority. We want to move ahead on the basis of strong consensus.' Modi also used his maiden speech to highlight his government's initiatives, as compared to his predecessors'. 'It seemed as if dozens of separate governments were running at the same time in one main government. It appeared that everyone had its own fiefdom,' Modi said, referring to the previous UPA regime. 2015: 'Not a single taint of corruption' In his second speech, he announced schemes such as Start-Up India, Stand-Up India, electrification of 18,000 villages within the next 1,000 days, and abolition of interviews for job-seekers in groups C & D, but measured his government's success in resolving the legacy issues carried over from the UPA government. In particular, he announced the acceptance of One Rank, One Pension for the armed forces and dwelt at length on how he had managed to clear the 'mess' in allocation of natural resources — coal, minerals and spectrum — by instituting an auction mechanism. 'It has been 15 months, there is not a single taint of corruption against your government,' Modi said, as he referred to 'Team India' repeatedly. 'Sometimes people are fond of sinking into despair,' he said. 2016: 'Innumerable initiatives, multiple tasks done' In his third speech, Modi refrained from new announcements and instead projected his government's record in delivery of his promises. 'I can present before you a very detailed account of work done and also multiple issues regarding the performance of the government. During its tenure of two years, the government has taken innumerable initiatives and done multiple tasks. If I start giving details about them, I am afraid I will end up talking for about a week.' 2017: 'Majestic India by 2022' His fourth speech from the Red Fort had only one announcement, the launch of a website to provide an account of the valour of the Gallantry Award winners in 2017. Modi chose to set out goals for a 'Majestic India' by 2022. These included pucca houses for the poor, doubling of farmers' earnings by 2022, enough opportunities for the youth and women, and an India which would be uncompromising with corruption and nepotism and be free from terrorism, communalism and casteism. 2018: 'We are breaking free' In his last Independence Day speech before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Modi dwelt on his 'assured stewardship' of the leap of faith taken by the electorate in 2014 in voting for him. Modi highlighted the 'gains' of the previous four years in areas such as toilet coverage, LPG coverage, electrification, optical fibre networks. He ended the speech with: 'Hum tod rahe hain zanjeerein… Hum badal rahe hain tasveerein (We are breaking the shackles… We are reshaping the picture).' 2019: 'Art 370, triple talaq moves our hallmark' After returning to power with a thumping majority, Modi used his 2019 Independence Day speech to articulate the decisions taken by his government in line with its ideological agenda — the abrogation of Article 370 (August 5, 2019) and a law banning instant triple talaq (August 1, 2019). 'What was the reason behind revocation of Article 370 and 35A? This is the hallmark of this government. We do not avoid problems, nor do we let them fester… The work that was not done in the last 70 years has been accomplished within 70 days of this new government coming to power,' the PM said. 2020: 'In Covid, need to become self-reliant' 'It is necessary for us to make India self-reliant. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Indians must resolve to become 'self-reliant'. This is not just a word, but a mantra for the people,' PM Modi said in his I-Day speech at the height of the first wave of the pandemic. He said self-sufficiency meant not only reducing imports, but also increasing the levels of skills and creativity in the country. He expressed confidence that measures taken by his government, like opening up the space sector, would generate employment opportunities for the youth. He also announced the launch of the National Digital Health Mission under which every Indian would get a unique health ID. 2021: 'Amrit Kaal' The PM declared that the next 26 years, till 2047, the centenary year of Independence, would be India's 'Amrit Kaal', in which it will reach newer heights. '25 years of Amrit Kaal. We should not wait for that long to meet our goals. We must set out for this immediately. Yehi samay hai, sahi samay hai… (This is the time, the right time) We should change ourselves according to the changing world. We will work with the motto of Sabka saath, sabka vikaas, sabka vishwas aur sabka prayaas.' He also said that his government is working to free the people and the system of archaic laws. 'Earlier, the government was sitting in the driver's seat. Maybe it was needed at that time. But the time has changed now. Efforts have increased in the last seven years to free the people from the web of unnecessary laws and procedures.' 2022: 'Paanch pran', 'shed colonialism, nepotism' Modi framed his political argument on two pillars, spelling out a five-point 'pran (commitment/ resolve)' for 'Amrit Kaal', and to fight the twin challenges of 'corruption' and 'dynasty politics and nepotism'. Avoiding announcements on any social sector schemes, Modi focused on the big picture, ideas for the future, and urged people to embrace self-reliance in spirit and action. Elaborating on the 'paanch pran', the PM said the first was reaching the goal of a developed India by 2047, and second was 'removing any trace of a colonial mindset'. 2023: 'I will be back' Declaring that 'this India is unstoppable… tireless' and 'does not give up', Modi turned to the past and present with the promise to 'take decisions one after the other' for 'sarvajan hitay, sarvajan sukhay (welfare of all, happiness of all)', underlining that the 'Triveni' of 'demography, democracy, diversity' had the potential to build the country for 'the next 1,000 years'. In the last Independence Day speech before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Modi went on to call people his 'parivarjan' (family members) and flagged the 'parivarvaad' (dynastic rule) of the Opposition. He also said he would be back at the Red Fort the coming year to list the achievements of the country. He framed the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as a battle against 'evils' plaguing the country, saying 'now is not the time to shut your eyes' towards 'corruption, dynastic rule and appeasement'. 2024: 'Secular civil code, simultaneous polls needed' Last year, in the first Independence Day speech of his third term, PM Modi raised other core ideological issues of the BJP and Sangh, speaking of a 'secular civil code' instead of the existent 'communal civil code'. Despite the BJP being 32 short of a majority in the Lok Sabha and depending on allies to reach the halfway mark, Modi also made a fresh call for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies. While Modi spent most of his speech reeling out statistics about the work done by his government in multiple sectors over the last decade, calling for faster reforms and promising to work harder in his third term, the few ideological and political points he made stood out.
News18
05-07-2025
- Business
- News18
India More Equal Than G7 & G20 Nations, Says World Bank Report As Jan Dhan, Aadhaar Fuel Rise
Last Updated: As per the report, extreme poverty dropped to 2.3 per cent in 2022-23 and 1.71 million Indians have moved out of the extreme bracket between 2011 and 2023 India is growing and also bridging the gap between its people. A latest World Bank report places India among the world's most equal societies. It ranks as the fourth most-equal country globally, ahead of the G20 and G7 nations. As per the report, extreme poverty dropped to 2.3 per cent in 2022-23 and 1.71 million Indians have moved out of the extreme bracket between 2011 and 2023. These figures are important and impressive, considering India is a vast and diverse country and many areas till recently were considered unreachable. In fact, the figures best reflect the economic growth stories and also show how the various policies of the government and announcements by Prime Minister Narendra Modi are designed to ensure poverty is erased from India. One such key scheme is the Prime Minister Jan Dhan Yojana. This has ensured that even the poor now have bank accounts. As of June 25 this year, over 55.69 crore people have a Jan Dhan account, which means more and more people are getting connected to the scheme and can now avail loans on easy interest rates. Aadhaar and digital identity are also feats that have helped bridge the poverty gap. More than 142 crore Aadhaar cards have been issued and numbers are increasing day by day. DBT or direct benefit transfer has also ensured that savings increased to Rs 3.48 lakh crore. Ayushman Bharat, Start-Up India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana have all been important contributors. The methodology for calculating the equality index is called Gini Index. As per this index, India's score—25.5—is much lower than China's—which is at 35.7. The lower the index, the more equal you are. Sources say the finance ministry and other infrastructural sectors are working on new policies to ensure that India's Gini index goes lower, which means the country is becoming more equal. The areas of concern for now are in far-flung areas and states like Bihar, Bengal, Jharkhand, parts of Kashmir, and Tamil Nadu. The government hopes that as these areas become more accessible and the Centre's schemes percolate to the last level, India will become more equal. First Published: July 05, 2025, 14:36 IST
Hindustan Times
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Government to conduct annual inter-state disaster management drills: Amit Shah
Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday announced that the central government will conduct inter-state disaster management mock drills annually. The announcement was made at the relief commissioners and Disaster Response Forces Conference held in the national Capital. Addressing officials and personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in New Delhi, Shah emphasised the government's commitment to integrating the Start-Up India initiative with the advancement of disaster relief technologies. 'The current decade will be considered as the transformative decade for India in disaster response. We made strides in the last decade in terms of capacity, pace, efficiency and accuracy in disaster management,' the Union home minister said, adding that the government has moved away from the previously adopted 'relief-oriented' approach. Also Read: PM Modi has shown India's blood not meant to be shed: Amit Shah in Lucknow Speaking about the importance of coordinated drills, Shah stated, 'There are several disasters that require inter-state mock drills. We cannot succeed in this without the assistance of the state. Therefore, the states should brainstorm on this.' He highlighted the progress made in disaster preparedness, asserting that the government had moved from minimum casualties at the start of the decade to achieving zero-casualty outcomes. Referring to Cyclone Biparjoy in 2023, which struck off the coast of Gujarat, Shah said it recorded no fatalities. 'When I say zero casualties, that means there were no deaths of even an animal in the cyclone,' he added. He urged state and Union Territory relief commissioners to formulate district-level disaster management strategies within 90 days. 'It will be impossible to fight against the disaster until there is a district-level disaster management strategy in place. Commissioners should devise a strategy to protect from lightning and share it with the Centre within 90 days,' Shah said, urging officials to implement the Centre's disaster response guidelines, including the incident response system. Commenting on preparedness for extreme heat events, he stressed the importance of real-time response frameworks. 'Whenever the heat wave begins, we must be prepared before hand,' he added. Shah further stated that disaster response efforts under the current government had become 'more proactive than reactive.' 'We made attempts for financial empowerment and an increase in the government budget for disaster and relief. We also ensured design-oriented institutional empowerment, as well as structural empowerment. Adding all this, we have accepted a multidimensional approach as a policy factor,' he said.
Hans India
08-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Women are now key drivers of progress in India: FM Nirmala Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday highlighted that in the last 11 years, women have emerged as key drivers of progress in the country, with the Narendra Modi government launching various schemes to empower Nari Shakti. Highlighting '11 years of Sashakt Nari', the Finance Minister said that under the PM Jan Dhan Yojna, the world's largest financial inclusion scheme, 55.7 per cent of accounts were held by women, which reflected their empowerment at the grassroots level. She further pointed out that women now account for 68 per cent of the MUDRA loan beneficiaries nationwide. These loans have enabled lakhs of women to become entrepreneurs and pursue their dreams independently. Apart from this, 74 per cent of those getting benefits under the Start-Up India entrepreneurs scheme are also women. Besides, 73 per cent of houses under the PMAY (Gramin) scheme for the poor are owned by women, she said. The Finance Minister also mentioned that 10 crore LPG connections have been given to poor women under the Ujjwala Yojana. These have come as a big boon for them, making their life easier with accompanying health benefits. They have been freed from the harmful smoke of wood and other fuels, such as cow dung, that were used for cooking earlier. The Jan Dhan scheme has been a huge success in financial inclusion, as the average bank balance per account in March 2015 was Rs 1,065, which has now increased to Rs 4,352. Around 80 per cent of the accounts are active, she added. As many as 66.6 per cent of Jan Dhan accounts have been opened in rural and semi-urban areas, and 29.56 crore (55.7 per cent) belong to women account holders. These accounts are used on a large scale. People are also depositing money in them. However, this scheme allows zero balance accounts, and only 8.4 per cent of the accounts have zero balance. When the Modi government first came to power about 10 years ago, it set a target of providing financial and banking services to every citizen. For this, zero balance bank accounts were opened in the banks for the poorest of the poor under 'Pradhanmantri Jan Dhan Yojana' launched on August 28, 2014.
The Hindu
30-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Don't merely enrol students, but equip them with skills
As the admission season for colleges and universities begins, institutions across India are once again promoting their programmes under banners promising knowledge, transformation, and research excellence. This growth in enrolment at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD levels suggests a dynamic academic landscape full of potential. Yet, beneath this expansion lies an important challenge: degrees are proliferating faster than meaningful job opportunities. A gap that needs attention According to data released by the Ministry of Statistics, the unemployment rate in India tends to increase with higher education levels. This paradox reveals a critical gap between academic achievement and employability — a gap that requires urgent attention. This challenge is particularly acute in India's vast network of non-elite institutions in Tier 2 and tier 3 colleges, where most students pursue BA, BCom, or BSc degrees and their corresponding master's programmes. These institutions often face resource constraints and limited industry connections, operating with curricula that have not kept pace with the evolving job market. While elite colleges make headlines for placement challenges, the gradual erosion of employability in everyday colleges often goes unnoticed. In many such institutions, instruction remains largely theoretical, with limited emphasis on real-world skills. For example, an English literature student might study Shakespearean tragedy yet miss out on learning practical skills such as writing professional emails. Similarly, an economics graduate may understand complex theories but struggle with everyday tools such as Excel. This disconnect means millions of educated young people find it difficult to translate their degrees into career opportunities. This situation stems partly from a deeply entrenched academic culture that values scholarship and abstraction over practical application. Within many academic circles — even prestigious ones — higher education is often celebrated as an end in itself, while immediate employment is sometimes subtly undervalued. Postgraduate degrees and PhDs are frequently pursued not just for intellectual fulfilment but as a refuge from the job market, creating a cycle where many graduates end up teaching in the very colleges that perpetuate the same system. It is important to recognise that successive governments have acknowledged this issue. Initiatives such as Skill India, Start-Up India, and the National Education Policy have pushed for skill development, vocational training, and entrepreneurship. However, the transformation remains incomplete. Many undergraduate and postgraduate programmes continue to emphasise rote learning over practical skills. While new courses in AI or entrepreneurship are being introduced, they often lack depth, and integration into the broader curriculum. A broader societal challenge Countries such as China and Japan have successfully aligned education with economic strategies by elevating technical and vocational education to a central role in workforce development. In India, vocational training is still often perceived as a fallback option, both within academia and society. This stigma limits the appeal and effectiveness of skill-based education, despite its vital role in economic empowerment. This contradiction highlights a broader societal challenge: degrees are highly valued as symbols of upward mobility, but they increasingly fail to guarantee it. This is not a call to abandon liberal education or abstract learning — they remain essential for critical thinking and creativity. However, education must also provide tangible economic benefits. Degrees should offer pathways to agency and dignity, especially for students from smaller towns and under-resourced institutions. A way forward lies in integrating practical skill modules — communication, digital literacy, budgeting, data analysis, hospitality, tailoring, and health services — into general degree programmes as core elements, not optional extras. Doctoral education should be diversified to prepare candidates for policy, analytics, consulting, development, and industry roles, not solely academia. Research remains vital, but it must be pursued by those inclined towards it. Finally, the widespread aspiration for government jobs reflects the limited opportunities graduates currently perceive. While these roles remain important, expanding private sector and entrepreneurial pathways through improved employability will offer youth a broader range of options. Enhancing skills and opportunities can reduce the over-dependence on competitive exams. India's growing economy demands an education system that not just enrols students, but equips students with skills. Viewing education as a social contract that guarantees a meaningful connection between learning and livelihood is essential. Gourishankar S. Hiremath teaches Economics at IIT Kharagpur. Views are personal
