National Awakening

My Dear Citizens of India, On the eve of the 60th IndependenceDay, I extend to you all at home and abroad my greetings and best wishes foryour happiness and prosperity. Our Nation will always cherish and be inspired bythe contributions of our Freedom Fighters towards making India independent. On9th August, I met many Freedom Fighters from all parts of the country and intheir eyes I could still see the spirit of selfless sacrifice. There cannot beany other better living example for our youth to follow. On this occasion, weremember with gratitude the devoted and gallant services of our Armed Forces whoare guarding our frontiers on the land, over the sea, and in the air; and ourParamilitary and Police Forces who are preserving our internal security andmaintaining law and order.

I am very happy that my previous Independence Day Addresses hadstimulated substantial debate and discussions. I have addressed both Houses ofthe Parliament on the missions for an economically developed India. I feel thatthe time is ripe now for both our Houses of Parliament to debate and adopt aResolution that India will get transformed into a safe, and economicallydeveloped nation before the year 2020. This unique action of giving the nation aprecise and focused vision will inspire everyone and in particular the youth.Therefore the topic that I have selected for this address on the 60thIndependence Day is "National Awakening".

Recently, the country had torrential rains in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat andMaharashtra. The flood conditions have caused loss of life and property andimmobilized economic activities. My heart goes out for the families who losttheir near and dear ones and those in distress. My Government is doing, inpartnership with the state governments, everything possible to alleviate thepain of the people.

Some parts of the country are experiencing drought conditions, when some otherregions are flooded. This has become a periodic phenomenon, lacking anypredictability. Once again, this clearly brings out, the need for theinterlinking of our rivers for effective utilization of surplus water in abalanced manner among all geographic regions with enlightened cooperationbetween the States and the Centre.

National Development Scene

Let me now relate my suggestions for such cooperative nationalmissions required in many areas leading to a developed India 2020. During myvisits to all States and Union Territories, I have witnessed the actualdevelopment process and there are several islands of success, a few of which Iwould like to share with you. These examples of our accelerating progress havedirect impact on the day-to-day life of our farming communities, children andour youth, teachers, doctors and nurses, scientists, engineers and technicians,state institutions, business and industry. These examples also demonstrate theexistence of an indomitable spirit to succeed with the confidence that "wecan do it" across the length and breadth of India.

I Economic Development towards Vision 2020

1. Role Models for Agriculturists and Farming Communities

In the agriculture and farming sector, more than doubling the productivity ofRice and Wheat in areas near RP Channel-5 in Bihar has been achieved through theTIFAC mission using innovative integrated farming and marketing methods. Theseresults have spread to many areas through people’s efforts and are applicableto the whole of Bihar, Eastern Uttar Pradesh and other areas which have similaragro-climatic conditions. These regions could be transformed into the granariesof India. I have come across similar success stories in respect of doubling seedcotton productivity in Punjab, when I visited Gheri Buttar village, where I metfarmers. Also in the field of sugarcane cultivation, in Maharashtra, theintervention of the Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Pune has enabled farmers toincrease the yield of sugarcane by 36 percent. This experience can definitely beemulated by other sugarcane growing States. Our private sector has also madesignificant progress in food processing industries, whereas there is a need forRural Farmers’ Cooperatives in partnership with banking institutions, on thepattern of the Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited. While theessential necessity of networking of rivers has been brought out as a part ofdrought and flood management, water harvesting is a very important need forevery state while planning house construction. I have seen during my visit toMizoram in the North Eastern States, almost every house is being equipped withself-contained water harvesting systems, which provides adequate water supplythrough out the year. These success stories clearly indicate that it is feasibleto enhance food-grain output from the existing 200 million tonnes per annum tonearly 360 million tonnes per annum before 2020. This will also help indrastically reducing the number of people below the poverty line - a trueindicator for an economically developed nation.

2. Role Models for Educationists, Teachers, Doctors andNurses

Education: Among many models of pre-primary schooleducation with creative learning methodologies, that emphasize learning by doingincluding cultivation of hygiene, nutritional and sanitary practices, I havecome across the work of Dr. M.R. Raju and his team in Pedamiram, Andhra Pradesh.This has inspired students to love their learning experience and has enrichedtheir lives in school.

At the primary and secondary school level, Government Municipal Schools inKarnataka have introduced the accelerated learning model using computer basedanimated courses. This was pioneered by the Azim Premji Foundation which hasbrought down dropouts from schools substantially. NCERT has prepared theNational Curriculum framework under Prof. Yashpal’s leadership and modifiedthe CBSE syllabus for promoting creative education at all levels through theapplication of learning by doing concept. Teachers training programmes based onthe new syllabus of CBSE, has been organized across 25 cities using EDUSATthrough video-conferencing. 12,000 teachers have been trained so far throughinteraction with experts sitting in the NCERT Studio in New Delhi.

Recently, I witnessed the Ladakh Model of Sarva Shiksa Abhiyan, increasing thepass percentage at the 10th class level from 5 percent in 1998 to 50 percent in2005 with the aim of promoting creative learning leading to higher percentage ofpasses in the Phase II programme. The Akshaya Programme of the Kerala StateGovernment is imparting computer education to 6 lakh adults and advancedcomputer training programme for 60,000 youth within a two year period leading tohigh value employment for the youth. In higher education, a pioneering effort bythe Universities of Madras, Mumbai and Kolkata with the help of the Ministry ofHuman Resource Development has resulted in the creation of a Virtual Universitysystem by offering ten joint degree programmes at under-graduate, post graduateand Ph.D. levels. In the higher education system throughput has to increase fromthe existing 6 percent to 30 percent by 2020. I am very confident that suchinitiatives, when applied across the country in the total education system willenable us to realize near 100 percent literacy and employable skills amongyouth, leading to a Knowledge Society by the year 2020.

The country will then have two national human resource cadres: (1) skilled youthwith specific world class technical skills and (2) knowledge professionals withhigher education to take up leadership roles in research, development andindustrial missions. This global human resource will meet the needs of qualityhuman resource for India and for the whole world.

Healthcare: Let me now narrate some of the innovativeinitiatives in medical care. During the last three years in Karnataka, a uniquecorporate healthcare medical scheme is in operation, under the leadership ofdoctors of the Narayana Hridayalaya, in partnership with the KarnatakaGovernment. This is benefiting over two million members, like farmers,craftsmen, artisans, and small vendors. Members of this scheme who pay a nominalsubscription of Rs. 10/- per month receive full medical treatment for majorailments, entirely free of cost.

I have also come across a number of humanitarian missions giving free treatmentto the poor, among them for example the Little Heart Foundation for children’sheart ailments, Care Kidney Foundation for kidney ailments at Hyderabad and thePaterson Cancer Centre at Chennai for cancer treatment.

There are several other initiatives of this nature showing the indomitablespirit of doctors, nurses and para-medical staff. For example, Karunya Nilayamhas initiated the process of screening of children in rural areas of Kerala sothat they can provide total treatment to over a hundred cancer affected childrenevery year free of cost. The Arvind Eye Hospital, Madurai provides freetreatment to 70 patients. We need to multiply such ventures to enable everycitizen of the country to receive quality healthcare. As a spin off fromIndia’s missile technology, came light weight calipers. These calipers havebeen field proven through a number of camps, spearheaded by the Nizam Instituteof Medical Sciences, Hyderabad. This has so far benefited more than 10,000 polioaffected children across the country. Mobile clinics are being increasinglydeployed in the remote areas of Uttaranchal and other hilly regions forproviding quality diagnostic and healthcare services to needy villagers. Spacetechnology has been extended to the healthcare sector. 34 specialty hospitalshave been connected through ISRO’s tele-medicine network and are providingtele-medicine services to over 140 remote locations all over the country.

Our Government hospital system with its extensive outreach can symbioticallycollaborate with the emerging private health care initiatives. This indicatesthat, it is definitely feasible to achieve the mission of providing effective,affordable and quality healthcare services to all the people of our country bythe year 2020.

3. Information and Communication Technology

The Indian ICT Industry is growing at about 28 percent perannum. This is definitely a strong indicator that the ICT industry requires anational mission to realize $200 billion turnover by 2012. Job opportunities areexpected to grow from one million to nearly 9 million direct jobs and 6 millionindirect jobs in the construction, retail and transportation industries by 2010.

The Government of India is creating a Pan-African e-network for connecting 53African countries. In a similar way, India has proposed to extend the servicesto Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

Many State Governments are in the process of implementing e-Governance servicesand creating State Wide Area Network across their States. I am happy to say thatthe Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has decided to investRs. 24,000 crore for establishing an e-governance network and Government toCitizens Services across the country within five years time. Through capacitybuilding, job opportunities, better consumer protection laws and secureinfrastructure, ICT would enable economic growth to higher levels of prosperityin India.

4. Rural Development

The Bharat Nirman Programme aimed at rural prosperity across thecountry is in position with an outlay of Rs. 174,000 crore for the period of 4years. I am happy to find that there is a growing recognition of enhancing ruralprosperity through the Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA) model.

Periyar PURA (Tamil Nadu): I have inaugurated the Periyar PURA Complexpioneered by Periyar Maniammai College of Technology for Women, Vallam, Tanjoreconsisting of a cluster of 65 villages having a population of over one lakh.This model PURA complex has all three Connectivities - physical, electronic andknowledge - leading to economic connectivity. This has resulted in large-scaleemployment generation and creation of a number of entrepreneurs with the activesupport of 1150 self-help groups. Two hundred acres of wasteland has beendeveloped into a cultivable land with innovative water management schemes.Villagers are busy in cultivation, planting Jatropha, herbal and medicinalplants, power generation using bio-mass, food processing with dedicatedmarketing centers. This model has emanated independent of any governmentinitiative. I have also seen the other PURA models like the Loni PURA inMaharastra, the Chitrakoot PURA in Madhaya Pradesh and the Byraju PURA in AndhraPradesh. These experiences can be emulated nation wide. We need 7000 PURAs allover the country. This movement can be multiplied by thousands of entrepreneurs,educational administrators, small-scale industrialists and bankers with thesupport of government agencies providing total economic prosperity to ruralIndia by 2020.

Rural Electrification - Solar Village: At village Kaylapara on SagarIsland, Sundarbans, I saw a photovoltaic solar power plant of 120 KW capacity,the largest off-grid plant in our country established by the West BengalRenewable Energy Development Agency in collaboration with the Ministry of NonConventional Energy Resources. It is providing six hours of electrical energy to33 villages of Sagar Island. This model of standalone Solar Energy Systemsshould be replicated in many remote, hilly areas and island territories.

II Comprehensive National Security

Peaceful and harmonious conditions in all parts of the countryare essential for people to cooperate with one another for accelerated nationalgrowth. However, there are challenges to peace from across our geographicalborders, from terrorism and violence, and from scarcities created by rapidlydepleting natural resources. These dynamic challenges call for special measuresto ensure a comprehensive, integrated system of security which has four majorcomponents: territorial security, internal security, energy security, andeconomic security.

Challenges to Peace and Economic Progress

Territorial Security Our nation and Armed Forces are well prepared to protectour territorial security. They are continuously being strengthened to deal withnew forms of warfare.

Internal Security: Let me now come to an important aspectof security that is drawing the attention of the entire country and the world.The constant threat of low intensity proxy war and terrorism has become adisturbing feature of national life. This constitutes the new face of war. Dearcitizens, this matter is of great concern to all of us. Therefore, I propose toshare my thoughts with you on how we can face this challenge and resolve toeradicate this threat.

Requirements to Combat Challenges to National Interests

At the State level, greater and more effective coordinated decision-makingability is the most basic requirement. At individual levels, greater respect fortraditional values and sense of social responsibility like love and respect forone’s family and teachers, service to the neighborhood and community;tolerance for authority are now absolutely essential. Above all, we as people,individuals and especially institutions, require increased ability to cooperatewith one another, improving thereby our work and personal relationships. Whilewe have the basic structure in the form of law, police cadres, intelligenceagencies and judicial system, we need to reinforce them with required updateswith a code of conduct. Every citizen, every group, every religion and everypolitical and executive system should allow the law to function withoutinterference. To combat the challenges, I would like to discuss under the threebroad areas namely (A) economic security through development with peace (B)citizens security (C) energy security – all these leading to comprehensivenational security.

A. Economic security through Development with Peace Mission

Accelerated development has to be integrated with peacemissions. Such missions will have four major components namely: economic zonenear international borders and Line of Control, social development in difficultareas, national level movement to eliminate terrorism and citizen security.

(a) Economic zone near International Borders and Line of Control:Presently, the areas close to the international border and Line of Control arenot used for economic activity. The Government may consider using the availableland area for promoting economic activity with people’s participation. Theeconomic security of these border regions would in itself become complementaryto territorial security required in these zones.

(b) Social development in difficult areas: Social-minded people may beenabled to start educational, sports complexes and healthcare institutions inevery difficult area in the country. I would like to share the salient featuresof a typical model that has made a significant impact on social development.

Jeevan Vidya experience: Jeevan Vidya is being practicedby Prof Ganesh Bagaria, IIT, Kanpur, Prof Rajeev Sangal, Director IIIT (Hyderabad)and their teams. This scheme is concerned about addressing the basic causes ofmajor problems of violence, corruption, exploitation, domination, terrorism andwar. It has been found that violent and anti-social behaviour, unless dealt withcare and with professionalism, could aggravate the extreme behaviour.

Jeevan Vidya develops tolerance for ambiguity and uncertainty in human conductby enabling self-knowledge that understands harmony in the self and in theentire existence. The academicians could bring about marked change even amongthe inmates of jails through the use of these techniques.

Jeevan Vidya is a 'teachable human value based skill' that can address inherentconflicts within the mind of the individual, within families, in organizationsand in public life. Inner conflict is the very essence of violence. For example,with the skills imparted, it would be possible to reduce the overall period ofsecondary education from 25,000 hours of teaching to 20,000 hours, since thechildren become more responsible and productivity conscious.