Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on Sunday announced the ‘Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti National
Master Plan’, a Rs 100 lakh crore infrastructure initiative that he said will lay the
foundation for a “holistic infrastructure” and an “integrated pathway” for the
country’s economy.

While
addressing the nation on the occasion of India’s 75th Independence
Day from the ramparts of the Red Fort, PM Modi said, “In the coming days, we
will launch PM Gati Shakti Plan, a 100-lakh crore national infrastructure
master plan which will make a foundation for holistic infrastructure and give
an integrated pathway to our economy”.

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 “75 Vande Bharat trains will connect every
corner of India in 75 weeks of Amrit Mahotsav of Independence,” he added.

The Prime
Minister also said that the country has to work together for manufacturing
world class products and use cutting-edge innovation and new age technology. He
the plan will bring employment opportunities for youth as well as help in
holistic infrastructure growth.

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The plan
will help local manufacturers compete with global players in addition to helping
develop possibilities of new economic zones in the future, he said.

“I call
upon all departments to launch campaign to review rules and procedures; we must
remove all rules that create hindrance,” PM Modi said.

In his speech
the Prime Minister paid tributes to the country’s freedom fighters, Olympic
athletes, doctors and nurses and announced a number of ambitious projects, including
the goal of becoming energy independent by the year 2047.

He said
that the country will achieve the target of becoming energy independent thorugh
a mix of electric mobility, gas-based economy, doping ethanol in petrol and
making the country a hub for hydrogen production. As part of the ‘National Hydrogen
Mission’, India will aim to become the new global hub of green hydrogen, PM Modi
said.

He also said
that the next 25 years will be India’s “Amrit Kaal”, during which the nation
will have to transform itself to work towards leading the world.

India is
marking its 75th Independence Day as “Azadi ka Amrit
Mahotsav”, under which a series of events have been organised across the
country. It is a 75-week-long campaign, which began on March 12 this year and
will culminate after 75 weeks on August 15, 2023.