Pime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said his government is nurturing youngsters to become job creators and not job-seekers.
Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day, Modi said: "Change in demand and technology is changing the nature of jobs.""We are nurturing our youngsters to be job creators and not job-seekers," he said. He also said under the Mudra Scheme many people across the nation have benefited as the government has provided them loans without asking for any guaranty.
Referring to his government's drive against black money and the demonetisation drive, PM Modi said that Rs 1.25 lakh crore of black money has been detected. He added that Rs 3 lakh crore has come into the banking system after demonetisation; an amount of over Rs 1.75 lakh crore is under scrutiny; Rs 2 lakh crore of black money has reached banks.
Further, PM Modi said that after demonetisation, 300,000 shell companies were detected, of which, 175,000 have been shut.
Highlighting the enormity of the black money menace, Modi said up to 400 bogus firms were found to be operating from a single address.
Defencing the government'spush for a less-cash economy, PM Modi said that India had seen a 34 per cent increase in digital payments in the past one year. Further stressing on his government's drive to hunt down illegitimate wealth, the PM said that as result of the fight against black money, the number of those who filed income tax this year was 5.6 million, more than double the number last year.
Addressing the nation on the occasion of the 71st Independence Day from the Red Fort here, he also said the government was devoting significant attention to the eastern states including Bihar, Assam, West Bengal, Odisha and the Northeast, noting that "these parts have to grow further".
Many countries are actively helping India in the war against terror, he added.
Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on India's Independence Day, Modi thanked these countries but did not name them.
"India's stature in the world is rising. The world is with us in fighting the menace of terrorism. I thank all the countries actively helping us," he said.
Modi also said the government accorded priority to national security and asserted that the country was capable of defending itself in all spheres.
The prime minister's comments in his Independence Day speech came in the backdrop of a standoff between the troops of India and China in Dokalam in Sikkim.
"National security is our priority. We are capable of defending our country in all spheres," he said from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
Modi spoke about a range of issues in his Independence Day speech – from mentioning the loss of innocent children’s lives in Gorakhpur to natural disasters, the Kashmir issue, black money, and India’s growing goodwill across the world.
Referring to the recent Gorakhpur tragedy, Modi said a few days ago, “many of the nation's innocent children had died in a hospital”. He also said this was a special year, being the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement, the 100th anniversary of Champaran Satyagraha, and the 125th anniversary of Ganesh Utsav.
“We have to take the nation forward with the resolve of creating a 'New India',” said PM Modi.
Calling upon the youth of the nation, Modi said January 1, 2018, would not be an ordinary day – those born in this century would start turning 18. “They are the ‘Bhagya Vidhatas’ of our nation”, Modi said.
Referring to his government's demonetisation drive, Modi said that those who had looted the nation and the poor were not able to sleep peacefully. Talking of the new tax regime that came into effect from July 1 this year, he said Goods and Services Tax (GST) had shown the spirit of cooperative federalism. “The nation has come together to support GST and the role of technology has also helped,” added the PM.
About 70,000 Delhi Police personnel are keeping a tight vigil over the national capital, especially the Red Fort. The city has been put under an unprecedented ground-to- air security cover in view of the twin occasions of the Independence Day and Janmashtami festival, a senior police officer said.
Thousands of security personnel, including 9,100 personnel from the Delhi Police, have been deployed in and around the historic Mughal fort which will see the presence of senior ministers, top bureaucrats, foreign dignitaries and common people during the prime minister's address.
Meanwhile, search engine giant Google is displaying an artistic doodle to mark India’s Independence Day. The doodle includes a motif of Indian Parliament, a symbolic wheel for the Ashok Chakra and national bird peacock, all submerged in shades of saffron, green, white and blue. The word “Google” is displayed across the Parliament House, made out of ribbons of the Indian tricolour.
"A unique paper-cut art style has been used to create a Doodle fit for the bold and colorful celebration of today's events. The Parliament House depicted commemorates this day, this movement, and this triumph of independence," Google said in a statement.
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