President Ram Nath Kovind today pitched for a partnership between citizens and the government to create a New India by 2022 that is a "compassionate society" and includes the "humanist component integral to the nation's DNA".
In his maiden address to the nation on the eve of Independence Day, Kovind remembered the role of leaders of Independence struggle including Jawaharlal Nehru. He said the generation that brought us to freedom was diverse which included men and women from all parts of the country and a variety of "political and social thought".
Asking people to draw inspiration from freedom fighters, Kovind said there was a need to invoke the same spirit today for nation building.
Ram Nath Kovind also stressed on the partnership between the citizens and the government, between the individual and society, between a family and the wider community.
Kovind said this spirit of empathy and of social service and volunteerism is very much alive in India. He also added that the partnership between the citizens and the government remains crucial to the success of several flagship announcements of the Narendra Modi government – like voluntarily giving up LPG subsidy, demonetisation, introduction of GST besides schemes like 'beti bacaho beti padhao', 'Swachh Bharat' among others.
He said a New India means some obvious parameters – like a house for every family, power on demand, better roads and telecom, a modern railway network, rapid and sustained growth.
Speaking on demonetisation, Kovind lauded the “immense patience and understanding" of the citizens in the days after the note ban and hailed the
“whole-hearted support” of the people in the battle against corruption.
Appreciating the families which gave away their LPG subsidies, Kovind said: “Each of us must find a way to give back to society. Each of us must choose one thing we can do to help another, less fortunate Indian.”
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