R&D institutes to financial inclusion: What Modi could speak about on Independence Day

Prime minister Narendra Modi’s first Independence Day address has already marked a break from the past even before it is delivered because of the sheer amount of media speculation surrounding it, right from how it will be rendered to the likely surprises up his sleeve.

According to this report,Modi is not preparing a printed speech and will speak extempore. There have been reports that said theprime minister is expected to highlight not just his government’s achievements but also announce new initiatives such as research institutes for industry and a new financial inclusion scheme.

Here’s is a compilation of what to look forward to on August 15 from the master orator:

**Financial inclusion scheme:**A major announcement is expected on financial inclusion and the Prime Minister is expected to speak about the government’s plan to bring in 7.50 crore households into the banking system and he’s likely to highlight the need to use IT to take the financial sector to new heights, reports India Today. According to official data, only around 6.8 lakh households use India’s banking services.

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Roads, highways and sanitation: Infrastructure has been Modi’s central theme, in the run-up to the election and also after. There has been a special emphasis on the need for better road connectivity across the country. So, he could highlight some of the measures being undertaken by the road transport ministry and could speak about the plan to have 8,300 km worth of highways readied, reports The Times of India.

He could also speak about new initiatives on sanitation and the supply of drinking water across the country, as well as an initiative to develop smart cities, with the urban development ministry reportedly finalising all consultation on the project by 14 August.

Research institutes: Modi had spoken extensively about the need for more training institutes in the country and one of the announcements from the ramparts of the Red Fort could be about the setting up of research institutes in the fields of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and automobiles with assistance from the private sector, reports The Economic Times.

The funding for these institutes is expected to come from the Technology Development Board that receives the cash from an innovation cess that is at present levied on companies.

Skill development institutes: The PM’s speech is expected to also speak about the skill development programme which is expected to be developed further by HRD minister Smriti Irani, notwithstanding her Yale degree controversy, reports the_DNA_.

And while it may not be announced from the Red Fort, the Modi government is also expected to bring a smile on car and bike owners’ faces by cutting the price of petrol by Rs 2 per litre .