'Let Us Keep Aside Non-Issues'

Following is the full text of the President's address to the nation on the eve of Independence Day:

My dear citizens of India,

On the eve of the 57th Independence Day, I extend to you mybest wishes for your happiness and prosperity. My salutations to all of you athome and abroad. Let us on this occasion remember with gratitude the selflessservice rendered by the personnel of the armed forces and also those of the para-militaryforces, who guard our frontiers on the land, at the sea and in the air.

Let me dedicate this Independence Day broadcast to thosegreat souls who pioneered the Independence movement. We remember them withreverence and gratitude, not for their religious, political, language, caste andcreed affiliations, but for the 90-year saga of sacrifices to realise thesingular and noble vision of heralding an independent India.

Let us for a moment pause to reflect what it is that forwhich we would like to be remembered by the future generations. Will we beremembered for how many churches our generation has added, will we be rememberedfor how many mosques our generation has added, will we be remembered for howmany temples our generation has added or will we be remembered for how manygurudwaras our generation has added? No, not at all. We will be remembered onlyif we give to our younger generation a prosperous and safe India resulting outof economic prosperity coupled with our civilizational heritage.

At this point of time I would like to share with you anexperience which I had at Raj Bhavan, Srinagar during my recent visit to thethree regions of Jammu & Kashmir. A number of children from differentschools of the city and neighborhood interacted with me and sang with me thenational anthem. At the end of our interaction, three students approached me andintroduced themselves. One was a Hindu girl, second was a Muslim boy, and thirdwas a Sikh boy. They asked me - "Mr. President, please tell us now whenwill we become prosperous, free from poverty and fear of terrorist attack? Allowus to go on a mission to penetrate the minds of the extremists and bring aboutunity of minds." These children represent the 300 million strong youth ofthe nation. The questions of the students engulfed me, resulting into a poeticverse:

"Oh Almighty, create thoughts and actions in the mindsof the people of my nation, so that they live united.

Light the minds of the religious leaders of my country toevolve a bridge among religions with compassion and love.

Embed the thought 'Nation is bigger than the individual orparty' in the minds of the leaders.

May God, bless my people to work and transform the countryinto a prosperous nation in a decade."

In one year's time I visited 23 States and three UnionTerritories. I interacted with various cross sections of people; and exclusivedialogue with Members of Parliament and legislators of certain states and alsopresented the developed India plan to the joint session of the Parliament in Feb2003.

The dialogue with the people, and written responses from manycitizens gave me an insight into the aspirations of the people to get intoaction of transforming India into a developed nation, in less than two decades.Whether it was a remote village in Kerala, or a far away rural set up inNagaland or Uri in J&K the area close to Line of Control, I would like toemphatically state that the feelings and aspirations for prosperous India arethe same.

For India to become a developed nation, we must give thrustto the Nation's core competencies. The GDP has to grow annually by 8 to 10% withconsistency over years instead of the current 5%. This year, it is reassuringthat our economy in three sectors - agriculture, manufacturing and service arein the ascent phase. If we put united efforts to keep up the momentum we canreach 8% growth rate in about a year. We should ensure that the benefits of thisgrowth should reach the economically weaker sections of the society.

We should reinforce our gains in the agriculture, power, ICT,industrial and education sectors, space, nuclear, and defence technologies,chemical, pharmaceutical and infrastructural industries, oil exploration andrefining, and more importantly on the critical technologies.

When we are consolidating our strengths, we should developincreased safety consciousness to prevent loss of valuable human and materialresources in road, rail, air, power, industrial and other accidents. The reliefmechanisms have to reach the accident sites at right time.

The core competencies, resources and safety consciousnessshould be the basis on which the country can embark on a national mission fortransformation.

We need to evolve and develop specific integrated missionssector-wise to take the country forward on the path to self-sustainingdevelopment. These missions will provide the thrust for the realization ofdeveloped India in a time bound manner. They will also provide large scaleemployment opportunity for the youth through creation of various types ofindustries and enhancement of the national infrastructure. I would like todiscuss five specific missions.

First mission on the Networking of Rivers is under activeconsideration of my Government and from the task team evolving the plan ofaction; we must move on to a mission mode programme including the ecologicalenhancement plan for executing the project. This mission will eliminate theperiodical problem of drought and floods experienced in a number of river basinstates and provide both water and power security. In addition nation has toembark on water harvesting and desalination of sea water as national missions.

Availability of high quality uninterrupted power should beensured at an affordable price, which is key to economic growth. This is oursecond mission. The existing capacity of about 100 thousand Megawatts would needtripling by the year 2020. To achieve it, apart from hydel, thermal and nuclearpower systems, we need to give thrust on sustainable energy resources likebiomass, wind and solar farms of 800 to 1000 MW capacity and efficienttransmission and distribution.

Providing urban facilities to rural areas is anotherimportant mission about which I have talked to you earlier. In the long terminterest, it is necessary for us to make the living in the villages attractiveproposition for our people by reinforcing the rural habitat and providing moderneconomic linkages. To achieve this, economically viable cluster of villages haveto be created through a mission mode programme into physical, electronic, andknowledge connectivities, leading to the self sustained economic prosperity forthe groups of villages. It is essential that PURA has to become a businessproposition to be run by small scale industrialists, entrepreneurs, and societalestablishments.

Mission of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) andrelated services is one of the wealth generators for the nation. We shouldaspire to increase the business volume by 15-20 times in ten years duration. Thebenefit of ICT must reach all parts of the country through telemedicine, tele-educationand e-governance. We have to embark on creating ICT infrastructure anddeveloping knowledge products to promote selective self reliance in the ICTSector and thus achieving a competitive edge globally.

With vast civilisational heritage of the country, from theHimalayas to Kanyakumari, J&K, Central India, North Eastern states, Bihar,Western States, the large coastal line, Andaman Nicobar and Lakshadeep Islandshave a lot to attract the tourists. After my visit to almost all the regions ofthe country, I have realised that the tourism industry has a tremendouspotential for wealth generation and should operate as our fifth mission withhigher targets. To succeed in this mission the infrastructural requirements arevery essential and are to be improved. Thrust is required to be given for theinland water navigation, hotels, communication and tourist promotion. If wepromote sustainable tourism, it will become India's core competence.

These mission areas need action and will provide themultiplier effect and give the necessary momentum to all sectors of the economy.

During my visit to rural areas in certain States, I realizedthat hard earned money of the rural people, instead of being deployed for theeducation of the children and environmental improvements including theirhabitat, was being wasted in undesirable practices like alcoholism and otheraddictions. In certain States I realized that the ratio of male and female wasnot proportionate. These prompted me to evolve a declaration in consultationwith the rural population for administering it to the village citizens. Theyparticipated in it with enthusiasm. The oath for enriching the village life isas follows:

· Children are our precious wealth

· We will give equal importance for male and female childrenin providing education and rights for growth of our society.

· Earnings come out of hard work. We will not waste it ingambling and liquor. We will become the role models for our children.

· We need to tell our children about the importance ofeducation as learning gives knowledge and knowledge makes the children succeed.

· We need to jointly protect our forest and preventpollution.

· We will plant at least five trees/saplings.

It is essential that, the reputed leaders and social workerswhile visiting the rural areas can administer this oath in a similar way. Socialworkers, women self-help groups and non-governmental organisations have to takeup this task as a mission. For India to develop we need vibrant villages.

Divisive forces use terrorism as a tool in the name of ethnicgroupism, religious fundamentalism and sometimes political ambitions as arationale for terrorism leading to conflicts among the nations. People are usedas war tools. Within the next two decades, we will encounter a totally newsituation of acute shortages of water, energy and minerals. No single nationwill be able to handle the situation by itself. Humanity will require megamissions for harnessing solar energy, drinking water from sea water throughdesalination process and bringing minerals from other planets. In such asituation, the present reasons for conflict will become insignificant andunwarranted. I call upon the neighbouring countries to see this perspective andhave a bigger vision. India has definitely taken a significant peace initiativewith all its neighbours. The recent visit of Prime Minister to China definitelypaves the way for resolving certain outstanding issues.

Recent terrorist attack in J & K through suicide bombingresulting in number of casualties, of both service and civilian personnel, is acause for serious concern. No religion had mandated killing others as arequirement for its sustenance or promotion. These cowardly acts borne out ofutter frustration deserve severe condemnation and actions for preventingrecurrence of such events.

I am convinced that developed India 2020 vision transforminginto a mission is a national challenge and requires nationwide participation.While my government is committed for such missions, every citizen of Indiashould ask in what way he or she can contribute to these missions directly orindirectly. It is difficult to spell out all specific possibilities of tangiblecontribution by our citizens. I would like to mention a few here as examples:

Educationists should build the capacities of spirit ofinquiry, creativity, entrepreneurial and moral leadership among the students andbecome their role model. Today the professional education is becoming acommercial venture. It is not affordable for even middle class people, what totalk of people below poverty line. The State governments, universities and themanagement of educational institutions should review, streamline the admissionprocess and bring down the cost of education without sacrificing the quality.Education is enlightenment; it is not trade.

In the health sector, the major challenge is to developAnti-HIV/AIDS vaccine to prevent further spread of the disease. Another humaneissue is to ensure that HIV affected children are not discriminated in schoolsand hospitals. It is essential that voluntary organizations and religiousleaders of the locality provide a humane touch to these members of the societyby removing the fear from the minds of the people. Can we dream and act for aHIV free India?

The farming community needs to increase their productivitythrough the mission Second Green revolution using technological advances. Alsodry land cultivation needs a thrust. The large-scale industries have to increasetheir productivity and quality so that the market share can be increased foreconomic growth and GDP. They should aim to become multinational companies andglobal leaders.

Judiciary is a prime pillar in our democratic set up andshould be able to administer natural justice with speed and nobility.

Media has to become a partner and positive critic in nationaldevelopment and celebrate the individual successes and the collective efforts ofrural India.

The Government, with the support of R&D labs, can providetechnological upgradation to small-scale industries and remove procedural andsystemic bottlenecks in executing missions. Actions emanating from theGovernment in all their public dealings should become fully transparent throughE-Governance.

Parliamentarians and Legislators belonging to eachconstituency should become mission facilitators for their constituency and alsoresolve inter/intra - constituency conflicts. I am reminded of a Tamil epicwhich provides the code of conduct for the people in high and responsiblepositions: It means, people who are in high and responsible positions, if theygo against righteousness, the righteousness itself will get transformed into adestroyer. Whoever deviates from righteousness, whether they are individual orstates they are responsible for their own actions.

If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation ofbeautiful minds, I strongly feel that there are three key societal members whocan make a difference. They are father, mother and the teacher. Let us jointogether and launch this movement from home and school to eradicate corruption.

We are a large country; we are also blessed with naturalresources and highly motivated young human resource. We have to prioritize ourthoughts on national development and make all other issues as"non-issues". This will ensure focus and thrust for the developmentprocess. And it will prevent dissipation of energy and resources on the nonproductive issues.

I appeal to the political leaders, religious leaders, opinionmakers, media personnel and all Indian citizens to place a moratorium on allissues which are impediments to the development of the nation, from now andpledge ourselves to make the missions of Developed India a reality.

This will be the greatest legacy that we can proudly leavebehind for our next generation. Let us sacrifice our today so that our childrencan have a better tomorrow. I pray to the Almighty to provide us the wisdom,knowledge, physical resources and ability to work hard to succeed in ourmissions. Allow me again, my dear citizens to wish you a very purposeful andhappy Independence Day tomorrow.

'Jai Hind'