New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced an undersea optical fibre cable link to connect Lakshadweep with mainland India.
He said that in the upcoming 1000 days all six lakh Indian villages will be connected with optical fibre.
The announcement comes after Modi, earlier this week, inaugurated India’s first submarine cable line between Chennai and Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands situated on the edge of the eastern Indian Ocean.
In his Independence Day speech, the Prime Minister set a target of completing the Lakshadweep undersea project in 1,000 days to boost mobile and broadband communication between mainland India and the group of islands situated on the Laccadive Sea, off the southwestern coast of India.
“We have around 1,300 islands. Keep in mind their geographical location and their significance in the development of the nation, work to begin in new projects in some of these islands is underway. We have chosen some islands for rapid development. Recently, we connected Andaman & Nicobar Islands with an undersea cable for a better internet. Next, we will connect Lakshadweep,” he said.
Referring to the fight against Covid-19, Modi said, “we will win over Covid-19, the resolve of 130 crore Indians will help us win.” Modi declared 130 crore Indians took a pledge amid the pandemic to make India ‘Atmanirbhar’ (self-reliant). Modi said Atmanirbhar Bharat is now a mantra.
The Prime Minister said he was confident in the abilities of the youth and women of the country in realising dream of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
He said, “a special campaign with a holistic approach is also being worked out to reduce pollution in 100 selected cities of country.”
“India is committed to hold assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir once delimitation exercise is complete,’ he said. The PM said, ‘Self-reliant India has an important priority — self-sufficient agriculture sector and self-reliant farmers.”
Stating that all villages will have optical fibre network within 1000 days, he said, ‘the mindset of free India should be ‘vocal for local’. We should appreciate our local products, if we don’t do this then our products will not get the opportunity to do better and will not get encouraged.’
The Prime Minister added: “I am confident that measures like opening up the space sector will generate many new employment opportunities for our youth and provide further avenues to hone their skills and potential.”
“National Digital Health Mission will begin from today. This will bring in a new revolution,” the Prime Minister said.
Every Indian will have health id card, he said and added that new cyber security strategy is also ready. About 7,000 projects of different sectors have been identified to bring new revolution in infrastructure, he said.
According to Modi, the middle class will be the biggest beneficiary for Ease of Living. “We want to focus on economic growth and development but humanity must retain a central role in this process and our journey,” he said.