India needs to build an environment of political stability, social cohesion and security for achieving prosperity and progress, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Thursday.
"If in the future we can achieve the same kind of progress as in the last decade, the day is not far off when India will be rid of poverty, hunger, disease and ignorance," he said in his Independence Day speech.
The prime minister said India will be prosperous and all its citizens will be equal partners in this prosperity irrespective of their religion, caste, region or language.
"We will also need to build an environment of political stability, social cohesion and security for this to happen," he said adding: "Let us all re-dedicate ourselves to building such an India together."
