Independence Day 2020: A Look Back At Modi's Speeches After Becoming Prime Minister

From Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Swachh India, Pradhanmantri Jan Arogya Abhiyan to abolishment of Planning Commission, the PM had announced major initiatives in the Independence Day Speeches in the last few years. Here is a relook at the achievements.

New Delhi: As the nation gears up to celebrate the 74^rd Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take up the centre stage to address the nation for the seventh time from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Saturday. Also Read: Delhi-NCR Turns Into Fortress As Security Beefed Up In National Capital Region Ahead Of 74th Independence Day Celebrations He will be addressing for the second time during the second term in office. The PM had announced notable initiatives in the last few speeches that included including Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Swachh India, Pradhanmantri Jan Arogya Abhiyan, the abolishment of Planning Commission and the announcement of the creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff. Besides these major initiatives the PM also highlighted the government’s performance. However, this year the celebration will remain sombre due to COVID-19 outbreak and people will mostly watch the address on their television sets or through other means. We take a look at PM Modi’s previous speeches. 2014 : It was about connecting to the roots (India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivers a speech from the Red Fort to mark the country's 68th Independence Day in New Delhi on August 15, 2014. Modi condemned a spate of rapes as a source of shame for India and urged an end to communal violence on August 15 as he vowed to improve the lives of the nation's poor in his first Independence Day speech. AFP PHOTO) 1. He gave call "Come, Make in India," noting that India has skills, talent and discipline and will to perform.

2. Announcement of Pradhanmantri Jan-Dhan Yojana to connect the poorest citizens with the facility of bank accounts. 3. Announced launch of `Clean India` campaign from October 2, 2014. 4. He noted that Digital India is a dream for the nation and is meant for the poor. "If we move with the dream of electronic digital India and manufacturing of electronic goods and become self-reliant, it will be a major gain for the country," he said. 5. Announced `Sansad Aadarsh Gram Yojana under which MPs were required to adopt and make a village in their constituencies a model village by 2016. 6. He announced that all schools in the country should have toilets with separate toilets for girls in a year. 7. Announcement that there will be a new institution to replace Planning Commission. 2015: Targeting black money & Pushing Entrepreneurship

(Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he delivers his Independence Day speech from The Red Fort in New Delhi on August 15, 2015. Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned that corruption was eating away at India "like a termite" as he used an independence day speech to pledge his commitment to eradicating graft and poverty. In an address from the ramparts of Delhi's Red Fort, Modi sought to silence growing doubts about his leadership after key reforms stalled in a rancorous parliament session dogged by allegations of corruption involving some of his top lieutenants. AFP PHOTO)

2. Announcement of the Start-Up India initiative to encourage entrepreneurship. He said the government's target was to provide electricity to all 18,500 non-electrified villages within the next 1,000 days. 3. Announcement about doing away with interviews in recruitment for 'C' and 'D' category government jobs. 4. He said financial inclusion had received a big boost with the opening of 17 crore bank accounts through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana. 5. Gave details of steps to curb black money and action against corrupt government officials 6. Ministry of Agriculture to be renamed as Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. 7. Announced in-principle acceptance of the demand for OROP 2016: Making structural reforms and doing away with obsolete laws  
4. (Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with schoolchildren after his Independence Day speech from The Red Fort in New Delhi on August 15, 2016. - Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India was becoming the world's most attractive destination for foreign investors, using his annual Independence Day speech to trumpet sweeping tax reforms designed to spur growth. In an address from Delhi's 17th-century Red Fort, Modi sought to highlight his government's achievements, including the recent passage of a landmark tax reform, that have contributed to India's robust growth during a global slowdown. FILE PIC/AFP) 1. He said more than 2 crore toilets have been built. 2. 21 crore people have been linked under Prime Minister's Jan Dhan Yojana. 3. PM said that the government has identified about 1700 obsolete laws and Parliament has abolished nearly 1,175 of them. 4. He said that in the last few days the way the people of Balochistan, Gilgit, from Pak occupied Kashmir have thanked him, it is the honour of 1.25 billion people of India. "I thank those people from Balochistan, Gilgit and Pak occupied Kashmir". 5. He urged neighbours to fight poverty. "I say to our neighbours, let's fight poverty, by fighting our own people we will destroy ourselves, only by fighting poverty together will we prosper." 6. Announcement to increase the pension of family members of freedom fighters by 20 per cent. 7. PM Modi said that 10,000 villages out of 18,000 non-electrified villages have been provided electricity.

2017: Pushing for digital India (Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi salutes a guard of honour during the country's 71st Independence Day celebrations, which marks the 70th anniversary of the end of British colonial rule, at the historic Red Fort in New Delhi on August 15, 2017. - India can defend itself from anyone who seeks "to act against our country", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an Independence Day speech August 15 amid a tense standoff with Beijing over a Himalayan plateau. AFP) 1. PM Modi said we have to leave this 'chalta hai' (casual) attitude and think of 'badal sakta hai' (it can change). "This attitude will help us as a nation," he said. 2. Announced that more than 14,000 villages, which were without electricity since Independence, have electric power now. 3. He said that more than two crores poor mothers and sisters are no longer using the fuelwood and using LPG gas stove now. 4. Announcement for launch of a website which will give an account of the valour of the Gallantry Award winners. 5. He said the nation's call was 'Bharat Chhoro' (Quit India) in 1942 and today's slogan is 'Bharat Jodo' (Unite India). 6. Appealed to countrymen to make digital transactions and move towards a cashless economy. 7. PM said that the government has confiscated black money worth Rs. 1.25 lakh crores. 8. He said that Kashmir issue will be solved neither by abuse or bullets - it will be solved by embracing all Kashmiris. 9. He said that registration of 1.75 lakh companies out of 3 lakh shell companies dealing in hawala transactions has been cancelled. 2018 : Eyeing for the space 1. An Indian to be sent into space by 2022 as a part of manned space mission. 2. Thirteen crore mudra loans have been provided, including to four crore youth who have taken loan for the first time with the aspiration to become self-reliant. 3. Announcement to launch Pradhanmantri Jan Arogya Abhiyan to free treatment for serious diseases to poor people. 4. Declaration of the grant of Permanent Commission for the appointment of women officers in the Short Service Commission of Indian armed forces. 5. He said minimum support price for many crops has been increased to more than 1.5 times the input costs. 6. He said the country is producing record foodgrains and manufacturing record number of mobile phones. The sale of tractors has reached a new high. The country is buying the largest number of aeroplanes after Independence. 7. He said the country is confident of launching NavIC, the first indigenous Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) which will guide fishermen and other citizens through Satellite signals. 2019: Infrastructure & Environmental Push India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (C) reviews a guard of honour during a ceremony to celebrate country's 73rd Independence Day, which marks the of the end of British colonial rule, at the Red Fort in New Delhi on August 15, 2019. (Photo by Prakash SINGH / AFP) India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (C) greets attendees during a ceremony to celebrate country's 73rd Independence Day, which marks the of the end of British colonial rule, at the Red Fort in New Delhi on August 15, 2019. (Photo by Money SHARMA / AFP) 1. He said that abrogation of Article 370 and 35A is a significant step towards fulfilling the dream of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel and added that the spirit of "One Nation, One Constitution" has become a reality. 2. Declaration to take forward the 'Jal-Jeevan' Mission. He promised to spend more than Rs 3.5 lakh crores on this mission to give access to piped potable water to every rural household by 2024. 3. Highlighted that almost 1,450 obsolete laws have been done away with to reduce the burden from the common man's life. 4. Announcement about plans to invest Rs 100 lakh crore to boost infrastructure in the country. 5. He said it must be a dream of every Indian that the country becomes a USD 5 trillion dollar economy in the next five years. 6. Announcement of creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as a major reform in higher defence management. 7. India to declare itself Open Defecation Free in the next few weeks. 8. In accordance with Mahatma Gandhi's dream of self-reliant India, PM Modi appealed to citizens to buy local products. 9. Call to make India free from single-use plastic. (With inputs from ANI)