New Delhi: Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 77th Independence Day today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the Government is working with Women’s Self Help Groups (SHGs) with the aim of creating 2 crore ‘Lakhpati Didis’ in villages.
The PM observed that 10 crore women are today associated with Women’s Self-Help Groups. “In villages today, one can find a Didi in the Bank, in the Anganwaadi and a Didi to provide medicines.”
The Prime Minister spoke about agri-tech and made a pitch for leveraging the potential of science and technology in rural development.
The PM said that 15,000 Women’s Self-Help Groups would be given loan and training for operating and repairing drones. “Drone ki Udaan” will be carried out by these Women’s Self-Help Groups, said the PM.
Prime Minister, Shri Modi said “If the dreams are to be fulfilled, the resolutions are to be achieved, then it is the need of the hour to fight the three evils of corruption, nepotism and appeasement”
The first evil, the Prime Minister said, is corruption that is at the root of all the problems of our country. “Freedom from corruption, fight against corruption in every area and in every sector is the need of the hour. And countrymen, my dear family members, this is Modi’s commitment; it is my personal commitment that I will continue to fight against corruption”, said the Prime Minister.
Secondly, dynastic politics has destroyed our country, said the Prime Minister. He continued “this dynastic system had gripped the country and snatched away the rights of the people of the country.”
The third evil, Shri Modi emphasized, is appeasement. “This appeasement has also stained the basic thinking of the country, our harmonious national character. These people destroyed everything. And therefore, we must fight against these three evils with all our might. Corruption, nepotism and appeasement; these challenges have flourished which suppressed the aspirations of the people of our country.”
These evils, he said, rob our country of whatever abilities some people have. “These are the things that put a question mark on the hopes and aspirations of our people. Be it our poor, be it Dalit, be it backward, be it Pasmanda communities, be it our tribal brothers and sisters, or be it our mothers or sisters, we all have to get rid of these three evils for their rights.
Attacking corruption menace, the Prime Minister said “we must create an atmosphere of aversion towards corruption. There can be no bigger filth than this in public life.” The Prime Minister talked about using technology to combat corruption. He informed how 10 crore fake beneficiaries were removed from various schemes and also the confiscation of the 20 times worth of property of financial absconders.
Regarding nepotism and dynasties, the Prime Minister lamented that dynastic political parties are of the family, by the family and for the family and this kills talent. “It is imperative that democracy gets rid of this evil, ” he said.
Similarly, appeasement has damaged social justice a great deal. “This thinking and politics of appeasement, method of government schemes for appeasement, has killed social justice. And that’s why we find appeasement and corruption are the biggest enemies of development. If the country wants development and wants to fulfil the dream of developed India by 2047, then it is necessary for us that we do not tolerate corruption in the country under any circumstances, we should move forward with this mood”, Shri Modi said.