 "On I-Days, PM made no new promises; only promised to keep old ones")
In many of the nine speeches that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has delivered on Independence Day, he has talked about not making any promise but promising to keep all promises.
But if you go through the highlights of the speeches he has delivered since 2004, you will realise that he made too many promises and he is yet to keep many of these. Inflation appears in his speech for the first time in 2006; he then expected it would be tamed soon. The dreaded ‘I’ word was all too prominent in the 2012 speech as well.
But if you go through the highlights of the speeches he has delivered since 2004, you will realise that he made too many promises and he is yet to keep many of these. Inflation appears in his speech for the first time in 2006; he then expected it would be tamed soon. The dreaded ‘I’ word was all too prominent in the 2012 speech as well.
In 2004 itself, he had devoted three paragraphs on how to fight corruption and bring probity in public life. He made almost identical pronouncements last year, too. As early as 2008, he talked about 10 percent annual growth.
Does the thought even occur to us now? Achieving energy security has been a big theme in his Independence Day speeches. Has the PM walked the talk on this issue? As the PM gets down to deliver his 10th speech from the historic Red Fort, MAYANK MISHRA lists key highlights from his nine previous speeches
Does the thought even occur to us now? Achieving energy security has been a big theme in his Independence Day speeches. Has the PM walked the talk on this issue? As the PM gets down to deliver his 10th speech from the historic Red Fort, MAYANK MISHRA lists key highlights from his nine previous speeches
2004: THE NEW DEAL
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Politics/ Social inclusion
Announced a “New Deal” for rural India that included investment in irrigation, healthcare, roads and primary education. The deal would also give special attention to the task of modernisation of agriculture infrastructure, increase availability of power and enhance credit delivery.
Promised a code of conduct for all political parties, a code of ethics for all individuals in public life, a code of best practices for the government at all levels.
River water disputes drew his attention and he urged the people not to allow “these waters to divide us.” He talked about taking a “holistic view” on managing water resources.
Economy
Seven priority areas (saat sutra) selected for focused attention — agriculture, water, education, healthcare, employment, urban renewal and infrastructure. He called these “pillars of development bridge” to achieve growth and social inclusion.
External affairs
Indicated continuation of composite dialogue process with Pakistan. The process, he added, must stand on the “twin pillars of mutual trust and confidence”. On settling boundary dispute with China, he assured the nation that the process of discussion would continue “with political vision and a practical approach”.
2005: BHARAT NIRMAN
Politics/Social inclusion
Unveiled Bharat Nirman plan for improving rural infrastructure. It was an extension of the “New Deal” talked about in the 2004 Independence Day speech. The plan included irrigating 10 million hectares of land, road connectivity for all villages with population of 1,000 and more, providing electricity connections to 25 million households, building 6 million houses and each village to have at least one telephone connection.
Spoke about revival of the 15-point programme for minorities. Also talked about a committee to look into the socio-economic status of minorities.
Economy
Talked about development of the Delhi-Mumbai Dedicated Freight Corridor with an investmentof~25,000 crore. Spoke of construction of additional 30,000 km of highways and six-laning of the golden quadrilateral.
Promised additional capacity addition of 1,50,000 Mw in the hydro and thermal sectors and 40,000 Mw of nuclear energy in next 10 years.
External affairs
Spoke about reopening the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad highway and indicated that more such links would be opened up.
Spoke about Iran-India gas pipeline through Pakistan which once completed would be able to “address a major constraint affecting our economy”.
2006: GROWTH, EMPLOYMENT, POVERTY
Economy
Lauded growth rate of eight per cent and said the industrial growth of 11 per cent resulted in creation of many jobs. He said “the most effective weapon against poverty is employment. And higher economic growth is the best way to generate employment”.
Talked about signs of improvement in the agriculture sector as farmers were getting better prices for their produce.
Politics/ Social inclusion
Announced setting up of three new Indian Institutes of Science, Education and Research in Kolkata, Pune and Punjab. Referring to shortage of skilled employees, he said the scope of higher education needed to be enhanced.
Justified providing reservation to students from socially backward classes while “expanding expanding educational opportunities for all youth.”
External affairs
Shift in tone towards Pakistan, asking it take concrete steps to “to implement the solemn assurances it has given to prevent cross-border terrorism against India from any territory within its control.”
Spoke at length about better relations with the US, China, Japan, the EU and Russia.
2007: SOCIAL CONTACT
Politics/Social inclusion
It was a speech mostly about social welfare schemes and expanding the education system.
Listed achievements of last three years by saying that public expenditure on education had tripled and on healthcare, agriculture, irrigation and rural development had more than doubled.
Announced setting up of 6,000 new schools, one in each block of the country. 370 districts with low enrollment level to have one college each.
Higher education got a further boost with the announcement of five Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (2006 speech talked about three such institutes), eight new Indian Institutes of Technology, seven new Indian Institutes of Management and 20 new Indian Institutes of Information Technology.
Announced the launch of a mission on vocational education and skill development which would entail opening 1,600 ITIs and polytechnics, 10,000 new vocational schools and 50,000 new skill development centres with a view to impart vocational training to 10 million students every year.
External affairs
Made a passing reference to foreign policy by saying that “India wants to have good relations with all countries of the world, big and small. Countries of the east and the west, the north and the south.
Today, we enjoy good relations with all major powers and all developing countries. We have emerged as a bridge between the many extremes of the world.”
2008: THE PRE-ELECTION SPEECH
Politics/Social inclusion
Announced a series of measures for agriculture, including Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana with an investment of Rs 25,000 crore and farm loan waiver worth Rs 71,000 crore. Also talked about increasing procurement price for what by 50 per cent and that of paddy by 30 per cent.
Promised to implement the recommendations of the Sachar Committee report on social, economic and educational empowerment of minorities.
Lauded nearly 9 per cent annual economic growth in last four years. But expressed concern over high inflation and blamed external factors for price rise.
Talked about strengthening intelligence agencies and security forces to root out terrorism. “Whatever resources are required, will be provided. Whatever manpower is required will be provided,” was the PM’s assurance.
Economy
Talked about achieving 10 per cent yearly growth and underlined the need for augmenting electricity generation.
Made a strong case for nuclear energy.
External affairs
Hardened the stand against Pakistan and said that “if this issue of terrorism is not addressed, all the good intentions that we have for our two peoples to live in peace and harmony will be negated.”
2009: UPA-II COMES TO POWER
Politics/Social inclusion
Promised a food security law to ensure every family living below poverty line will get a fixed amount of foodgrain every month at concessional rates.
Promised to implement recommendations of administrative reforms commission to strengthen governance. Also talked about improving the Right to Information Act to make it more effective.
Economy
Lauding nearly 9 per cent annual growth rate from 2004-05 to 2007-08, he said that the greatest challenge before him was to restore yearly 9 per cent growth. He expected an improvement by the end of the year.
Talked about road transport ministry’s resolve to construct 20 km of roads every day.
External affairs
On foreign front, he spoke about good relations with the US, Russia, China, Japan and Europe. About neighbouring countries, he just said: “we want to live with them in peace and harmony.”
2010: INFRA/FUND GAP
Economy
Expressed concern about high inflation and shortfall in physical infrastructure. He hoped to contain inflation. He also said that “the resources required to create good physical infrastructure are difficult for the government alone to mobilise. Therefore, we have endeavoured to involve the private sector in our efforts.”
External affairs
Sent a strong message to Pakistan by saying dialogue is not possible unless Pakistan does something against the terrorist elements operating from its soil.
Politics
He criticised the use of “harsh and unpleasant words” in political discourse which he said is “against our traditions of generosity, humility and tolerance.”
2011: EFFECTIVE, NOT BIGGER GOVT
Politics
Spoke at length about corruption in high places. “Corruption manifests itself in many forms. In some instances, funds meant for schemes for the welfare of the common man end up in the pocket of government officials. In some other instances government discretion is used to favour a selected few. There are also cases where government contracts are wrongfully awarded to the wrong people,” he said.
While assuring the nation that “strictest possible action” would be taken in cases of corruption, he appealed to the people not to create “an atmosphere in which the country’s progress comes into question”.
Promised a strong Lok pal to check corruption in high places and asked people not toresort to hunger strikes to put their viewpoints across on this issue.
He talked about ending discretionary power of government functionaries and also promised to overhaul the public procurement process.
Spoke about sustained period of high inflation and assured the people of finding a solution to this problem.
Promised a new “forward looking and balanced” Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation Law in place of the 117-year-old land acquisition law.
To tackle Naxalism, he unveiled a Rs 3,300-crore scheme for “the accelerated development of 60 backward and tribal-dominated districts.”
2012: WORRIES & HOPES
Economy
Blamed external factors for slower growth in the country. But still expected to better last year’s (2011-12) growth of 6.5 per cent.
Attributed high inflation to bad monsoon.
Blamed “lack of political consensus” for not being able to achieve higher growth rate. Assured the nation that “we will leave no stone unturned to encourage investment in our country so that our entrepreneurs can make a substantial contribution to our economy”.
Politics/Social inclusion
Having achieved the goal of universal enrollment of students in schools, the PM said his focus henceforth would on improving the quality of education through “a system of continuous assessment of the benefit our children are getting from teaching”.
Announced the scheme of skill development of nearly 80 million people through the National Skill Development Council in the next five years.
Hoped to have all households with bank accounts in next two years.