New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu, in her address to the nation on the eve of the 80th Independence Day, said the country was moving towards building a “Viksit Bharat” by the centenary year of independence in 2047, guided by the spirit of Antyodaya to ensure development reaches every individual.
The president delivered the address on Friday, a day the nation also observes as Vibhajan Vibheeshika Smriti Divas, remembering the lakhs of Indians who lost their lives or were displaced during the violence of Partition, according to an official website.
Murmu paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, describing him as the “sculptor of the unity of modern India” for integrating over 550 princely states into independent India. She also invoked Mahatma Gandhi and Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar as guiding figures of the freedom struggle, and noted the country was marking the 200th birth anniversary of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule this year.
Highlighting welfare achievements over the past decade, the president said more than 25 crore people had been lifted out of poverty. She noted that nearly 59 crore account holders had joined the banking system under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, of which over 32 crore were women.
She added that food security had been ensured for more than 80 crore people through free rations, while the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana had provided free healthcare coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh annually to 60 crore people.
On women’s empowerment, Murmu said more than 10 crore women were members of Self Help Groups, and the target of creating 3 crore Lakhpati Didis had been achieved, with the government now aiming for 3 crore more.
She noted that women won 8 of India’s 13 gold medals at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and that the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, enacted in 2023, would reserve 33 percent representation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.
The president further said India remained the fastest-growing major economy in the world despite global instability, with growth projected at more than twice the average global rate. She credited the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan with strengthening the country’s economic and security foundations.
On national security, Murmu referred to the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, calling it a demonstration of the Armed Forces’ precision capability and a firm message to terrorists that they would face consequences “no matter where they hide.”
She also cited the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty as a decisive step in the interest of the nation and its farmers, and described India’s Naxal-free status as a major achievement following decades of conflict.
The president noted that 12 Maratha military forts were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List last year, and that Sarnath, the site of Buddha’s first sermon, was added this year.
Concluding her address, Murmu quoted Telugu writer Gurajada Apparao’s message that “a nation is not just its land, a nation is all its people,” and called on citizens to devote themselves to transforming “Swatantra Bharat into Viksit Bharat.”
