Manned space mission, OROP, triple talaq: 10 things PM Modi focussed on in I-day speech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech for the 72nd Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort on Wednesday highlighted the various initiatives and developmental works undertaken by the NDA government in the last four years. This was his fifth speech at the 17th-century monument since he ascended the top post. 

Here are a few points from the Prime Minister's Independence day address: 

• We plan to send a manned mission to space before 2022. With the help of our Indian scientists, we will be sending an Indian and our tricolour to space.
• In the coming months, Jammu and Kashmir will have panchayat elections. We will ensure that village level election takes place in the state in the coming months, we are moving in that direction. Every problem of Jammu and Kashmir can be embraced by the solution. Our government is committed to the development of all sectors of Jammu and Kashmir and all sections.
• With a 'Beej Se Bazar Tak' approach, we intend to create value addition for the farmer at all stages. We are bringing remarkable changes in the agriculture sector. The aim is to double farmer incomes by 2022. An Agricultural Export Policy is being drafted so that our farmers can compete in international markets. New forms of agricultural technology are also being adopted to help farmers move forward.
• Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan will be launched on September 25 this year. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality and affordable healthcare. The healthcare initiatives of the Government of India will have a positive impact on 50 crore Indians. It is essential to ensure that we free the poor of India from the clutches of poverty due to which they cannot afford healthcare.
• Tripura, Meghalaya and many parts of Arunachal Pradesh are seeing historic peace. From 126, Left Wing Extremism is restricted to 90 districts and will come down even further.
• Muslim women have been persecuted due to triple talaq. We have brought in a law to help them, but some people don't want this bill passed. I promise the Muslim women that I will not let them down and will fulfil their wishes.
• From being seen as among the fragile five, India is now the land of reform, perform and transform. We are poised for record economic growth. 
• The One Rank One Pension (OROP) demand was pending for decades. The people of India, our brave army personnel had faith in us and we were able to take a decision on OROP.
• We have been able to weed out 6 crore ghost beneficiaries from government schemes, these were names of people who were not even born. The real beneficiaries never used to get their rightful subsidy.
• Earlier, only 4 crore people used to pay direct tax, this has gone up by three times since then. Indirect taxpayers too have gone up since the introduction of Goods and Service Tax (GST) from 70 lakh to 1 crore taxpayers. These are honest taxpayers and the government schemes run because of them.