Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 15 (IANS): Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the occasion of 77th Independence Day celebrations, said that Kerala has become a model for the entire country by treating everyone equally and solving the problems of society unitedly.

After hoisting the Tricolour here, he said, “In the journey forward, we have to strengthen unity, secularism and scientific temper. However, there are regressive attempts which have to be nipped in the bud. Only then will our freedom become more meaningful."

The CM while highlighting his government's achievement since the first term in 2016 till date, said they are in the process to convert Kerala into a world-class developed middle-income society by the time the country ushers its 100th year of Independence.

And to buttress his point, Vijayan said the gross state domestic product (GSDP), which was around Rs 5.6 lakh crore in 2016, had grown to Rs 10.17 lakh crore, registering a growth of 84 per cent in the last seven years.

“The per capita income of the state has grown by 54 per cent over the last seven years. We have been able to bring down Kerala’s debt from 39 per cent of GSDP to less than 35 per cent,” added Vijayan.

Across Kerala at all the 13 other district headquarters, Vijayan’s cabinet colleagues took the salute at the Independence Day parade held.

Likewise the Tricolour was hoisted at various central, state and private institutions, which has now become a practice across the state.

In Puthuppally where a poll has been necessitated after the demise of Congress veteran Oommen Chandy, the main candidates -- Chandy Oommen (Congress) and CPI(M)'s Jaick C.Thomas -- were spotted hoisting the national flag and going around campaigning.