New Delhi: The subject matter of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s address on India’s 60th Independence day was dominated by his plans for the Indian industry and corporate sector.
Manmohan Singh today announced schemes to offer employment to 10 million students every year, invest Rs 25,000 crore in agriculture and pay pension to senior citizens above 65 and below poverty line.
"Our economy is now growing at historically unprecedented rates. This enables us to generate the resources required for eradication of poverty, for education and health care for all. Poverty eradication is now a feasible goal," he said.
The government was also working on a health insurance model so that ''our poor do not have to bear the high cost of medical care. These programmes will be launched shortly.''
The Vocational Education Mission, announced by him the same day last year, ''is ready'' to be launched to open 1,600 new industrial training institutes (ITIs) and polytechnics, 10,000 new vocational schools and 50,000 new Skill Development Centres, he said in his 40-minute address.
The government would also ensure that annually over 100 lakh students get vocational training which would represent a four-fold increase from today's level.
"As incomes rise, so do government revenues that help finance the large increase in public expenditure that we need for poverty eradication, for universalisation of education and health care, for agriculture and irrigation, and for basic infrastructure. It is such investments that help eradicate poverty," he added.
The active help of the private sector would be sought in this initiative to provide training and employment, he clarified. This is Dr Singh's fourth Independence Day address since becoming Prime Minister in May 2004.
''We will soon launch a special programme to invest Rs 25,000 crore in agriculture, to enhance the livelihood of our farmers and increase food production,'' he said, keeping the main focus of his address on farming, education, employment and economic growth.
The Prime Minister said the industrialisation and the accompanying urbanisation would generate demand for the first rate infrastructure. "The expansion and modernisation of our highways, roads, railways and airports is visible proof of our efforts to meet this demand.
"Much more is needed and will be done," he said, adding that the country needs to put in more efforts for distribution and generation of power.
He asked the state governments to make serious efforts for ensuring that everybody gets good quality power at affordable prices. "A weak power situation can become a handicap in industrialisation and job creation," Singh said.
The Prime Minister also laid emphasis on skill development for which the government will soon launch a Mission on Vocational Education and Skill Development.
Under this programme the Government will open 1,600 new industrial training institutes (ITIs) and polytechnics, 10,000 new vocational schools and 50,000 new Skill Development Centres.
"We will ensure that annually over 100 lakh students get vocational training—which is a four fold increase from today's level," the Prime Minister said.
With inputs from PTI
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