Promises kept or broken? An analysis of PM Narendra Modi's Independence Day speeches

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort in New Delhi, India on the 71st Independence Day on August 15, 2017 (Image: Reuters)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to deliver the final Independence Day speech of his current tenure, with Lok Sabha elections scheduled to take place in the first half of 2019.

Modi’s speeches have generally included social messages, announcements of major schemes and an annual review of his government's performance.

Observers suggest that the speech, which will be delivered from the ramparts of the Red Fort in New Delhi on Wednesday, could act as his vision document as well as a report card on the Modi sarkar’s performance so far.

The prime minister may also want to use this platform to spread awareness about his government's work ahead of assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram, slated to happen later this year.

Here is an analysis of key promises PM Modi made in his independence Day speeches over the last four years and how many of them have been fulfilled:

2014

The 2014 speech, delivered from the ramparts of the Red Fort in New Delhi, was the first for Modi. The 65-minute speech revolved around various social issues such as female foeticide, dignity of women, sanitation and policy issues such as ‘Digital India’ and the need to ‘Make in India’.

It was in this speech that Modi said he was "present amidst people not as pradhan mantri (prime minister), but as pradhan sevak (prime servant)".

Separate toilets for girls in all government schools in one year

PM Modi promised to build separate toilets in all government schools across the country within one year, with “the help of state governments”.

Further, PM Modi said his government should be in a “firm position to announce that there is no school in India without separate toilets for boys and girls” by the next Independence Day in 2015.

“Can’t we just make arrangements for toilets for the dignity of our mothers and sisters?” PM Modi had asked. “The government should utilise its budget on providing toilets. I call upon the corporate sector also to give priority to the provision of toilets in schools with your expenditure under corporate social responsibility (CSR),” he added.

According to government data, cited in a report by The Hindustan Times, around 2 percent of government schools did not have separate toilets for girls in 2015-16.

Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana

The prime minister announced a new financial scheme aimed at helping the poor open zero balance bank accounts which will be bundled with a debit card and life insurance cover.

“I have come here with a pledge to launch a scheme on this festival of freedom. It will be called ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana’,” the prime minister had said. “An account holder under ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana’ will be given a debit card."

“An insurance of Rs 1 lakh will be guaranteed with that debit card for each poor family, so that such families are covered in case of any crisis in their lives,” he added.

The Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana was officially launched on August 28, 2014. According to government data, 32.25 crore bank accounts have been opened under the scheme till August 1 this year, with Rs 80,674.82 crore in total account balance.

2015

Electrification of 18,500 villages in 1,000 days

The prime minister promised electrification of 18,500 villages within 1,000 days. “It is now the solemn pledge of ‘Team India’ of 1.25 billion countrymen, that the target of providing electric polls, electric wires and electricity to these 18,500 villages would be achieved within next 1,000 days," he had said.

According to government’s criteria, a village can be considered electrified if electricity is provided in public places such as schools, panchayat offices, health centres and community centres, along with at least 10 percent of households.

According to reports, government data suggests that out of the 18,452 un-electrified villages, 76.58 percent (14,132 villages) were electrified in approximately 750 days from July 2015 when the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) was launched.

On April 28, 2018, the government completed electrification of all villages as electricity reached Manipur’s Leisang village.

The government has claimed that the task was completed in 987 days (as on April 28, 2018), attributing it to an effective implementation of DDUGJY.

2016

Post offices to be converted to payment banks

In 2016, the prime minister said post offices in the country would be converted to payments banks.

“Due to information technology, WhatsApp, messages, online, e-mail, our post offices were becoming irrelevant slowly. Post Office is an example of our identity. We have revived and rejuvenated our post offices. It is now linked with poor and small persons,” the prime minister said.

“We have taken a step to convert our post offices into payment banks. Starting this will spread the chain of banks in the villages across the country in one go,” he added.

While the postal department had set up two pilot branches on January 30 2017 in Raipur, Chhattisgarh and Ranchi, Jharkhand, the long-awaited India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) project will only be launched with 650 branches across the country by PM Modi on August 21 this year. The payments bank will ultimately have at least one branch in every district and focus on financial services in rural areas.

20 percent hike in pension for freedom fighters, their families

During the speech, PM Modi announced a hike in pension given to freedom fighters and their families, calling it a “small offering” from him.

“Today, when we are celebrating 70 years of Independence, we remember the contribution of our freedom fighters. Today, for the respected family members of these freedom fighters, the government has decided to increase the pension by 20 percent,” the prime minister said.

“So, the freedom fighter who used to get Rs 25,000 earlier, will get Rs 30,000 now. This is a small offering from my side to the sacrifices made by these freedom fighters,” he added.

In a reply to the Rajya Sabha on March 15, 2017, the government confirmed that the pension for ex-Andaman political prisoners/spouses increased around 21 percent from Rs 24,775 to Rs 30,000 in August 2016. For freedom fighters who suffered outside British India/spouses category, the pension amount increased from Rs 23,085 to Rs 28,000.

The family pension is being given to eligible dependents of freedom fighters under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980.

2017

The I-Day speech in 2017 revolved around key issues such as triple talaq, security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and fight against terrorism. He also spoke about the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Triple Talaq

Speaking about women’s empowerment, PM Modi said he would like to “honour those sisters” who have been forced to lead a “very difficult life due to ‘triple talaq (talaq-e-biddat)’.”

“There is no recourse for them, and such victims of ‘triple talaq’ have launched a massive movement in the country. They shook the conscience of the intellectual class of the country, the media of the country also helped them and a movement was started in the country,” he said.

“I heartily commend those sisters who have launched this movement, who have been fighting against ‘triple talaq’ and I’m confident that the country will help them in this struggle,” he added.

The prime minister said the country “will help these mothers and sisters in securing this right.”

The Lok Sabha passed The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 in December last year. The bill makes instant triple talaq in any form — spoken, writing or by electronic means — illegal and void, with up to three years in jail for the husband.

However, the bill has seen severe opposition in the Upper House. The bill is now likely to be taken up in Rajya Sabha in the winter session.

The PM kept another promise when he delivered his shortest Independence Day speech in 2017. A year earlier, he was criticised for giving a 96-minute speech — the longest ever by any prime minister.