New Delhi, Aug 15 (NIE): Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort in New Delhi as India celebrates the 72nd Independence Day. This is Modi’s fifth and final address as PM in the current tenure.

Modi began by congratulating the all-women INS Tarini team for circumnavigating the globe and paying tribute to freedom fighters and the martyrs of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. He said the recently concluded monsoon session of Parliament focused on social justice.

PM Modi announced his flagship health policy –Aayuhmaan Bharat from the Red Fort. The ambitious Ayushman Bharat or National Health Protection Scheme aims to cover over 10 crore vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) and provide health cover up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year. The scheme will be rolled out on September 25, on the occasion of Deen Dayal Upadhyay’s anniversary.

Modi also announced the much demanded permanent commission for women in armed forces. So far women were given short service commission in Army, Navy and Air Force.

Ahead of his speech, PM Modi unfurled the Tricolour and inspected the Guard of Honour. Also present at Ref Fort are Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, BJP president Amit Shah, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, LK Advani among other political leaders.

In his previous Independence Day speech, which lasted about 56 minutes, his shortest ever, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on his vision of New India – a corruption-free, violence-free India where people live in equality without caste and communal differences. Modi also touched upon various issues confronting India’s Centre-state ties, economic reforms, financial inclusion and triple talaq. Modi had also said his government was committed to the “lost glory” of Kashmir. “Na gaali, na goli, parivartan hoga gale laga ke (Neither bullets nor brickbats will solve the Kashmir issue, only love will),” the PM had said.

Viewers can watch the live telecast of the event on Doordarshan from 6.25 am on August 15. In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Prasar Bharati has partnered with Google and its video sharing platform YouTube to telecast the Independence Day programme live online.