New Delhi: In his address to the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the country's independence on Wednesday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the key initiatives of his Government would include massive increase in public spending on education, health care, agriculture and rural development.
Describing farmers’ welfare as the core of all concerns, Singh announced a slew of measures, including a Rs 25,000-crore investment package for the agricultural sector.
"Over the last three years, we have significantly increased public expenditure in the social sectors. This is in line with our commitment to the welfare of the aam aadmi (common man)," Singh said.
As widening access to education was the key goal of the Government, the Centre would help states to set up colleges in 370 districts and also open 30 new Central Universities, he said.
The Prime Minister also said that in order to boost science and professional education, five new Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, eight new IITs, seven new IIMs and 20 new Indian Institutes of Information Technology were being set up.
"We should seek not just functional literacy, but good quality education that is affordable, accessible, equitable and available to every boy and girl who seeks to study. For the needy we will provide more scholarships," Singh said.
In order to boost vocational education and skill development, Singh said 1,600 new industrial training institutes and polytechnics, 10,000 new vocational schools and 50,000 new skill development centres would be set up to enable 100 lakh students to get vocational training.
The Prime Minister said it was his "fervent desire" that India became a fully educated, modern and progressive nation.
"From this historic Red Fort, I would like this message to go to every corner of India – we will make India a nation of educated people, of skilled people, of creative people,” Singh said.
To promote social security in unorganised sector, he unveiled an old age pension scheme for senior citizens above 65 years and below the poverty line. Besides life and disability cover, there would be a new health insurance scheme for the poor also, he said.
The Prime Minister also said that the entire country would be covered by the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), which is presently in operation only in 330 selected districts.
To address the issue of unrest arising out of the setting up of Special Economic Zones and industrial projects, Singh said a national policy for rehabilitation and resettlement was on the anvil.
Recognising industrialisation as the most effective means to create new employment avenues, Singh said his government would give a new thrust to industrialisation and planned urbanisation.
Asserting that it was time for a revolution in modern education, the Prime Minister announced that 6,000 new government-funded schools would be opened and that universalisation of secondary education was on the anvil.
Comments
0 comment