Highlights
- Despite challenges, we worked with extraordinary pace in every area: PM
- India doesn't need to depend on any other nation for COVID vaccines: PM
- The provision of free ration has surprised the world, says PM Modi
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today (August 15) addressed the nation from the Red Fort in New Delhi on the occasion of India’s 75th Independence Day. India is marking the occasion as “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” under which a series of events have been organised across the country. For the second consecutive year the historic day is being celebrated under the shadow of the Novel coronavirus. SARS-CoV-2 was first reported in China’s Wuhan in December, 2019 and was declared as a pandemic in March, 2020. In his Independence Day 2021 speech, PM Modi talked about India’s fight against COVID-19 and lauded the frontline workers and every Indian for their patience.
Top highlights from PM Modi’s Independence Day 2021 speech:
- Lauding every individual involved in some or the other way in the fight against COVID-19, PM Modi said, “During COVID-19 pandemic, our doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, sanitation workers, scientists engaged in developing vaccines and crores of citizens who were working with a sense of service – all those who devoted every moment to serve others in this period, deserve our appreciation.”
- Calling COVID-19, a challenge for the world, PM Modi made note of the perseverance of every India and said, “Indians have fought this battle (COVID) with a lot of patience.”
- “We had many challenges but we worked with extraordinary pace in every area. It’s a result of strength of our industrialists and scientists, that today India doesn’t need to depend on any other nation for vaccines.”
- PM Modi has always praised Indian scientists for manufacturing indigenous vaccines against COVID-19. Talking about the same, PM asked, “Imagine what would have happened if India did not have its own vaccine. It took us years to get a vaccine against Polio. In such a big crisis, when there is a global pandemic, we don’t know when and how we would have got the vaccines.”
- Hailing India’s vaccination drive, PM said, “Today, we can proudly say that the largest COVID-19 vaccination program is being run in India. More than 54 crore people have received vaccine doses so far.”
- The prime minister highlighted the creation of Co-WIN, a one-stop digital platform for the COVID-19 vaccination delivery management in the country. PM Modi said, Co-WIN and the process of digital vaccine certificate are attracting the attention of the world.
- PM Modi also highlighted that India provided free ration to 80 crore people for months amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The provision of free ration has surprised the world and is being talked about, he said.
- Bringing back the focus on COVID and the fact that the fight is not over yet, PM Modi said, “It’s right that in comparison to other countries, less people were infected in India. This is also true that we saved maximum lives but this is not a topic to pat our backs or be satisfied. To say there were no challenges will be a hurdle in the future.”
- “Despite all the efforts, we have not been able to save many people. Many children lost their parents”, said PM.
Also Read: COVID Challenge Remains As Long As Infection Exists Even At Minor Scale: PM Modi
NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.
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