Manmohan Singh to address the nation 5th time on 61st I-Day

Following the tradition of Independence Day celebration and remembering the long struggle and sacrifice of the freedom fighters, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on August 15 will address the nation for consecutively fifth time from the Red Fort, Delhi. This would be the last speech of Manmohan Singh in present UPA regime.

Since the freedom of India on August 15, 1947, it is the Prime Minister of the nation who flags the ‘Tiranga’ (tricolour- Indian National Flag) on the Red Fort stand and addresses the nation every year from there.

Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India had flagged ‘Tiranga’ first time on Red Fort and initiated this tradition. Since then the ruling Prime Minister flags the tricolour on the Red Fort Stand.

Manmohan Singh would be one among the six Prime Ministers, who got the opportunity to flag the tricolour on the Red Fort for five years in a row. Last year when he flagged the tricolour and addressed the nation, he had announced several schemes.

As per expectation, this year too, he will address the nation, but this time in a different manner. UPA government had won the vote of confidence in Lok Sabha and this victory along with the fortitude of signing ‘crucial’ nuclear deal would definitely be reflected in the speech of Manmohan Singh, who is also eyeing for another term of UPA rule after the forthcoming general election.

This year he can announce a quantum of ambitious scheme to woo the countrymen. Here, we analyse what he promised last year on the 60th I-Day and what did he keep:

Program 1: For the villagers and poor, PM had assured to implement the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, NREGS, for providing them 100-day of work, which already was in effect and from April 1, 2008, it has covered all rural districts.

Program 2: For unorganised labours in the urban areas, PM had announced to introduce Social Security Bill 2007, which is still awaiting the parliamentary nod and expected to get approval by the end of this year. This scheme will ensure the social security of the unorganised labours.

Program 3: For higher class students, PM on the advice of HRD Ministry had announced to open 370 degree college, 16 Central Universities, to set up 14 world class Universities, eight new IITs, seven IIMs, 20 IIITs and five IISERs.

The IIM Shilong, IIT Patna, IIT Bhubaneshwar and two IISER have already started functioning, though their permanent infrastructures are still under construction. And the proposal 20 IIITs and 16 Central Universities, 14 World class Universities are either waiting for parliament nod or under consultation. HRD ministry has allocated a portion of fund for opening 370 new degree colleges in a phased manner.

Program 4: For the primary and secondary education, PM had announced to open 6,000 model schools one in every block of the country and to universalise secondary education, which is still under process, and HRD Ministry is seeking the cabinet’s response on it. However, Expenditure Finance Committee has already approved the proposal of Model School and Rastriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan.

Program 5: For the displaced people, who have lost their land, residence, farm and native land, PM had announced an ambitious ‘National Policy for Rehabilitation and Resettlement of people’ which has been tabled before the parliament and ‘Land Acquisition (Amendment) bill, 2007, is waiting the standing committee’s recommendation.

Program 6: For the agricultural sector, PM has announced to enhance the target of food production. The farmer’s livelihood was also in the list for this, Finance Minister P Chidambaram in the presented budget had announced to waived off the loan of marginal and small farmers, who has been achieved as per decided time limit as per FM officials claimed.

PM Singh, has allocated Rs.25,000-crore of enhancing food production under Rastriya Krishi Vikash Yojana, which is under processing.

Program 7: For the youths of India, who are roaming in lack of employment opportunities, PM had announced an attractive scheme ‘National Vocational Education Mission’ (NVAM) for targeting 1-crore youths for skill development. For implementing the NVAM scheme, the proposals of opening 50,000 new skill development centres and 1,500 new Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) have been sent to plan panel.

Program 8: PM had also announced several schemes for the Health sector including ‘Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana’, ‘Rastriya Swastha Bima Yojana’, and ‘Indira Gandhi Pension Plan’ for senior citizens of below poverty line (BPL) people.

The first two plans have been implemented in April this year while Pension plan for BPL senior citizens have been launched in November last year.