India is celebrating 72 years of independence today. Continuing the tradition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort in New Delhi. This is his fifth and final address in the current tenure on the occasion of Independence Day.
Earlier, he hoisted the Tricolour and inspected the Guard of Honour at Red Fort. PM Modi’s Independence Day speech is likely to focus on highlighting the achievements of the NDA government as well as announcing his flagship health policy–National Health Protection Scheme or Aayushman Bharat.
In line with the practice he has followed for the past four years, Modi had sought ideas from the people for his Independence Day 2018 speech. According to MyGov.in, some of the suggestions on the website revolve around the issues of rape, open defecation, reservation system and education.
For the 72nd Independence Day celebrations, the Indian Navy is the coordinating service. The Guard of Honour will be commanded by Commander P R Jagan Mohan of the Indian Navy.
This is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s fifth and final Independence Day 2018 speech from the ramparts of Red Fort during his current tenure reports The Indian Express.
He is likely to launch the world's largest government-funded healthcare program called the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme. It will be launched on a pilot basis in some states, with the full-scale roll-out of PM Modi's pet project expected in September end, sources said. Ayushman Bharat, popularly referred to as "Modicare", aims to provide coverage of Rs. 5 lakh per family annually, benefiting more than 10 crore poor families reports NDTV.