Prime Minister Narendra Modi, outlining the aspirations of a new India on its 75th Independence Day, said the country “should not confine our 75th year in a single celebration”. “We should lay the ground for new goals, move forward with a new determination,” he said, pointing out that for every nation, there comes a time when it “interprets itself in a new light” and sets off to meet new goals.

For India, the time is now, he said, so the day arrives by the time the country celebrates 100 years of its Independence.

“The aim of amrut kaal (golden hour) is to build an India where cities and villages do not have a development divide… an India where the government does not unnecessarily interfere in the lives of its people, an India that has the latest modern infrastructure… that we do not lag behind anyone… this is the goal of millions of citizens,” the Prime Minister said in his address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

The Prime Minister has spoken of reducing the government’s interference earlier too.

In his Independence Day address last year, he said: “I have asked my officials time and again, that so many years after Independence, can’t we reduce the interference of the government in everyday lives of ordinary citizens? The point of Independence is that the government slowly releases its hold on people and the people go ahead and live their own lives, make their own decisions. Let all avenues be open for them.”

“There should be no pressure from the government. Likewise, id there is a crisis, there should be no absence of government also,” he had added.

The Prime Minister, however, reminded the people that resolve means nothing without the efforts to back it up.

“A resolve will remain incomplete till it is not matched with valour and hard work. Therefore we have to achieve all our resolves through ultimate valour and hard work,” PM Modi said.