PM outlines new vision of caring India

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today outlined a new vision of a caring India where no person or region is left out of the journey of development and progress.

After unfurling the national flag at the ramparts of the historic Red Fort, Singh sounded philosophical when he said "as I stand here and look at our tricolour fly high and fly majestically, my thoughts go to what I have said at these ramparts in the last three years."

The Prime Minister said over these three years, he has outlined a new vision of a caring India:

"An India that is united despite its many diversities. An India that is not divided by caste, creed or gender. An India in which the creativity and enterprise of every citizen can find its full and free expression.

An India in which the weak and the downtrodden are empowered, the disabled find support, the destitute find succour and every individual is touched by the hand of progress and development.

An India in which no person or region is left out of the journey of development and progress.

An India in which every citizen can live a life of dignity, self-respect, decency and hope; where every citizen feels proud to say - I am Indian!

An India that lives in peace with all neighbours and all nations.

An India that has regained its due place in the comity of nations."

The Prime Minister described this vision of India as the proud inheritance from the national movement.