anirudhsankar/PMIndia-SpeechDataset-2004-2024 huggingface dataset:
PM's closing remarks at the meeting with Trade Union Leaders
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: August 19, 2006 New Delhi

PM's closing remarks at the meeting with Trade Union Leaders Hindi Version "I thank you for attending this meeting today. You have been free and frank in expressing your views, concerns and opinions. The discussions have been informative. I have noted all the issues raised by you and I assure you that we will pay due attention to your concerns. I would like to assure you that the welfare of our working classes is of great importance to our Government. You have raised the important issue of enforcement of Labour Laws and strengthening of enforcement machinery. These Laws are as much the Law of the land as any and they must be implemented. I will immediately write to all Chief Ministers for effective implementation of Labour Laws. I will also raise it in the next NDC meeting. On some issues, we will take steps immediately for moving forward. There is the problem of backlog arrears of wages for PSUs. The pending wages amounting to Rs. 350 crores will be released well before Puja so that no worker is put to any hardship. There has been discussion on the ceiling for Bonus. I agree that the current ceilings were set more than a decade ago. We will soon consider this in the Cabinet and will take a favourable decision. There have been some interesting suggestions on preferences to workers when chronically loss making PSUs are to be sold. We will examine these. There have been other suggestions such as the Workers' Capital Trust and on Contract Labour. These merit due consideration. Many of you have mentioned about the nature of our price indices and whether there are any distortions that may have crept into them. I will have an Index Review Committee constituted as requested by you to look into this matter. Some important issues have been raised regarding the welfare of agricultural workers and unorganized sector workers. The fact that we have draft proposals from many sources is a demonstration of the interest we are taking in the matter. I believe that there are many things possible for the welfare of our Labour. They include social security, health care and life insurance. We are examining the details of each of the components of a social security scheme. We are also looking at a framework whereby we can create the crores of jobs our country needs. At the moment, over 50% of our population is below 25 years of age and soon, over half of our unemployed will be educated unemployed. At the same time, we are having labour shortages in many sectors. We need to generate jobs. We need to generate more incomes. We need better working conditions for labour. We need a better social security system. We need better Labour Law implementation. We will consider setting up a Working Group consisting of all stakeholders to suggest concrete ways of moving forward on all these issues in a short time frame. I thank you once again for attending this meeting. I look forward to your views in future."
PM's remarks at the inauguration of parliament museum
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: August 14, 2006 New  Delhi

PM's remarks at the inauguration of parliament museum Hindi Version "I am truly delighted to be present here today at the inauguration of the Parliamentary Museum on the eve of the 60th Independence Day. It is a splendid museum that will portray the history and living traditions of our unique democracy. Mr. Speaker Sir, on behalf of a grateful nation, I thank you for having conceived this idea. This is a magnificent gift to our nation on the eve of 60th year of independence. Sir, tomorrow we enter the sixtieth year of our independence. In these six decades India has emerged as a great and vibrant democracy. Never before, in the history of the world, have a billion people voluntarily sought their salvation from the legacy of poverty, ignorance and disease through a system of representative government that has provided strong protection to individual rights and freedom. By show-casing this magnificent history of our democracy, the Museum celebrates the success of our efforts. I am happy that the Museum has a section on our freedom struggle. The views of Bapuji, Dr. Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and the many architects of our democracy reflect the values and principles of our democracy as envisioned by the founding fathers of our republic. One of the fundamental objectives of our democracy has been the attempt to make it inclusive and representative of the diversity of India. In this context, I hope we can work together to realize the goal of increasing the participation of women in our Parliament. This Museum or archives should have a separate section devoted to the magnificent role of our women in the functioning of our democracy. It should also have a section on Parliament's role in social and economic empowerment of the weaker sections and minorities. In one of his writings, Jawaharlal Nehru had said 'a museum is a collection of all kinds of things of beauty or things of utility from the past and present. It should convey to us some idea of the larger scheme of life. It should ultimately lead to or at least help in the understanding of the present scheme of things'. I sincerely hope these words will guide the authorities of this museum in building a unique institution worthy of our heritage that will record, reflect and celebrate our achievements at the fountainhead of our democracy. Sir, with these words let me congratulate both the Lok Sabha Secretariat and the Rajya Sabha Secretariat for their invaluable effort in putting up this magnificent museum. I hope that particularly our children and youth will be encouraged to visit it, because it is the younger generation who must water this plant of our democracy. This museum should inspire them to do so. I congratulate all those associated with the museum and wish it all success."
Excerpts of  PM's Statement to the press at Vadodara, Gujarat
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: August 11, 2006 Vadodara, Gujarat

Excerpts of  PM's Statement to the press at Vadodara, Gujarat Hindi Version I have come to Gujarat to see for myself the extensive damage caused by the unprecedented floods, particularly in River Tapi. After a seemingly good beginning to the monsoon, the situation seems to havetaken for the worse in the last week; affecting many parts of Gujarat, particularly Central and South Gujarat. The vibrant industrial city of Surat seems to have been badly affected by the floods caused by River Tapi. The three million residents of this city have been undergoing severe hardship over the last few days. Houses have been completely flooded, people have been stranded, electricity and water supply have stopped, telephone communication has been completely disrupted and road and rail communication have snapped. The citizens have not been able to get basic food commodities necessary for survival. I sympathize with their plight and feel sorry for them. But we cannot let Surat go under. A decade ago, Surat conquered the plague. I am sure they will face this challenge also. Surat is a vibrant industrial city. It is the diamond hub of India and a center of textile and chemical industry. It is the source of valuable exports. We will provide all possible assistance to help this city recover fast. The Armed Forces have been playing a gallant role in rescue operations. I also compliment the civil society groups actively engaged in rescue and relief. Yesterday, the Congress President and the Raksha Mantri visited Surat. An immediate assistance of Rs. 150 crores from the Calamity Relief Fund was announced. I have reviewed the situation and we have decided to immediately release another Rs350 crores from the National Calamity Contingency Fund, taking the total assistance to Rs.500 crores. We will soon be sending a Central team to assess the situation after which further assistance will be announced. My heart reaches out to the families of those who have lost their near and dear in these floods. We will provide Rs. 1 lakh to each of these families. I pray Surat recovers fast from this trauma. We will stand by it at all times.
Excerpts of  PM's Statement to the press at Nanded
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: August 11, 2006 Nanded, Maharastra

Excerpts of  PM's Statement to the press at Nanded Hindi Version There has been heavy rainfall in Maharashtra since July this year. In the first spell in July, Western Maharashtra was badly affected with Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur and Sholapur being the worst hit. And in August, districts in Vidarbha, Marathwada and Northern Maharashtra have been badly affected by floods. Today, I flew over parts of Nanded city and Nanded district which have been badly hit by the Godavari River and its tributaries. I am told that the water level in the Godavari has been at an unprecedented levels. The people of Nanded, Nandurbar, Jalna, Parbhani, Yavatmal, Buldhana, Akola and Chandrapur have suffered a lot from these floods. Many have lost their homes, their possessions and in some case, lives as well. Over 160 persons have died because of these floods in Maharashtra. This is extremely sad and unfortunate. I am told that almost three lakh people had to be evacuated to safety in relief  camps. The Government of Maharashtra has been doing its best to provide relief to people in the affected areas. The Government of India has been providing all possible assistance to the State in immediate rescue operations. The Army, Air Force and Navy have been in the forefront in providing assistance. We are fully with the State Government in its efforts and support it in whatever way it desires. We will immediately provide an assistance of Rs.400 crores to the State for its relief activities. Of this, Rs. 220 crores from the Calamity Relief Fund and Rs. 180 crores from the National Calamity Contingency Fund. We will send a team soon to assess the damage caused by these floods and will provide further assistance.  We will also give Rs. 1 lakh from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund to the families of all those who died in the floods.
Excerpts of PM's Statement to the press at Hyderabad
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: August 11, 2006 Hyderabad

Excerpts of PM's Statement to the press at Hyderabad Hindi Version I had a review meeting with the Chief Minister, Cabinet Ministers and state officials on the record floods that have hit the State of Andhra Pradesh in the last few weeks. I was shown pictures of the heavy flooding and damage that has occurred. I flew over parts of the Godavari and Penganga basins in Nizamabad district where there has been widespread flooding. The Godavari River has been flowing at unprecedented levels, causing extensive flooding and damage in the rice bowl of the State, the East and West Godavari districts. North coastal Andhra including Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam have also been badly affected. Many cities and towns and over 5000 villages have been flooded and lakhs of families have lost their homes and belongings. I am told that some of the canal systems may have been damaged as well. Smt. Sonia Gandhi and the Home Minister visited the coastal regions two days ago. I had a chance to see some of the damage today. The Chief Minister and the Government of Andhra Pradesh have been working extremely hard to restore normal life in the affected parts. I commend their efforts. We will do all that is necessary to support rescue  and relief operations. An assistance of Rs. 200 crores from the Calamity Relief Fund of the Central Government was announced two days ago. Seeing the extensive damage, another Rs. 200 crores of assistance will be provided immediately from the National Calamity Contingency Fund. We will send a Central Team shortly to assess the damage and provide further assistance. Over 110 people have died in the State. I feel sad about this. We will provide Rs. 1 lakh each from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund to the families of those who died in the floods. Andhra Pradesh is the granarv of South India. The floods, which I am told are the second highest in history, should not affect the productive capacity of its fertile lands. We will work jointly with the State Government to quickly restore the canal and irrigation system to a good condition.
PM's Statement on Departure for Outreach Session with G-8 Summit at St. Petersburg
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: July 16, 2006 St. Petersburg

PM's Statement on Departure for Outreach Session with G-8 Summit at St. Petersburg Hindi Version "I am visiting St. Petersburg to participate in the Outreach Session of the G-8 Summit which will be held tomorrow. We welcome the initiative of President Vladimir Putin, the Host of the G-8 Summit to extend an invitation to India. Brazil, China, Mexico, South Africa, Congo and Kazakhstan will also participate in the Outreach Session. The main issues on the Agenda include global energy security, education and fight against infectious diseases - all issues of vital importance to the global community. It is our expectation that the St. Petersburg Summit will also provide a useful opportunity for discussions between the industrialised countries and major emerging economies of the world on issues such as security, world trade, terrorism and globalisation. Terrorism is a scourge that continues to afflict different parts of the world. The tragic human cost that this entails was brought forth once again by the recent attacks in Mumbai and Srinagar. We will impress upon the leaders gathered at the G-8 Summit that the international community must adopt an approach of zero-tolerance for terrorism anywhere. The international community must isolate and condemn terrorists wherever they attack, whatever their cause and whichever country or group provides them sustenance and support. During my stay in St. Petersburg, I look forward to meeting world leaders present there: including President Putin of Russia, President Bush of the United States, President Hu Jintao of China, President Lula da Silva of Brazil, Chancellor Merkel of Germany and Prime Minister Koizumi of Japan. I will also participate in the first trilateral meeting at the Summit level with the Presidents of Russia and China, which will take place in St. Petersburg."
PM's remarks at meeting of Comm. of 150th Anniversary of First War of Independence
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: July 13, 2006 New Delhi

PM's remarks at meeting of Comm. of 150th Anniversary of First War of Independence Hindi Version Ladies and Gentlemen, "I am grateful to all of you for your time and your valuable comments. I think this has been a useful discussion and some very interesting suggestions have been made. I do believe that this opportunity to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the First War of Independence in 1857 should be used to recapture the spirit of our freedom struggle. I sincerely believe that a new generation of Indians must be made to feel the patriotism and the idealism of our forefathers. I also believe that this is an opportunity to derive inspiration from the unity of the Indian people exemplified in that struggle. Indians cutting across communities, religions, regions, castes and languages came together to fight for freedom from foreign rule. I also think we must re-discover the aesthetic beauty of the freedom movement. The celebration of the writing of our National Song, Vande Mataram, should be used to underscore the cultural and aesthetic sources of Indian nationalism. I also think we should draw attention to the role played by women leaders like Rani of Jhansi who also fought against British attempts to implement gender biased laws of inheritance. This is an year of many anniversaries. We are also celebrating the 60th anniversary of our Independence. In whatever we do we must rediscover the ideals and the idealism of the national movement. I was recently at Sewagram in Wardha and was truly inspired by the simplicity that marked Gandhiji's life. I think we must convey this message of the value of "high thinking and simple living" to our youth. The celebration of our freedom movement should not become an occasion for jingoism, narrow nationalism and chauvinism. Rather, it must be an opportunity to celebrate our diversity, our liberalism, our civilisational inheritance and the values of integrity and service to man that defined the national movement. I hope we can communicate these ideas and values through the programmes we undertake to organize. Thank you. "
PM's address to the Nation
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: July 12, 2006 New Delhi

PM's address to the Nation Hindi Version Real Media - PM's address to the Nation (Hindi) Real Media - PM's address to the Nation (English) Friends, Yesterday, the people of Mumbai and Srinagar once again endured the trauma of terrorism. The nation stands by them in this hour of grief. I pay tribute to all those who showed courage and humanism in responding to the cowardice of terrorists. Your resilience and resolve will triumph over the evil designs of the merchants of death and destruction. This is not the first time that the enemies of our nation have tried to undermine our peace and prosperity. These elements have not yet understood that we Indians can stand united. That we will stand united. They have not yet understood that we will never let them win. I salute the people of Mumbai and Srinagar for the speed with which they have returned to normal life today. This is living proof of our contempt for terrorism. I commend the good work done by the police, the security forces, railway staff, firemen, medical personnel, government officials and others in responding to the tragedy. I commend all our citizens for the concern they have shown in this hour of distress. My heart goes out to those who have lost their loved ones. We will do all that is possible to help each of the families in distress. Mumbai stands tall once again as the symbol of a united India. An inclusive India. Let me say again, no one can make India kneel. No one can come in the path of our progress. The wheels of our economy will move on. India will continue to walk tall, and with confidence. Let me assure you that the Government will do whatever is required to deal with the challenge at hand. We will win this war against terror. Nothing will break our resolve. Brothers and sisters, I urge each one of you to remain calm. Do not be provoked by rumours. Do not let anyone divide us. Our strength lies in our unity. Let us stand together as one people, as one nation. Jai Hind.
PM's opening remarks at the Joint Press Conference with the Prime Minister of Spain
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: July 3, 2006 New Delhi

PM's opening remarks at the Joint Press Conference with the Prime Minister of Spain Hindi Version "It is a privilege to welcome Prime Minister Zapatero to India. This visit marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. Both India and Spain are convinced of the importance of upgrading our bilateral relations for mutual benefit. We view Spain as an important country in the EU. We value Spain's contribution in addressing issues of global importance. The economic engagement between India and Spain is an important element in our Partnership. It is satisfying to note that bilateral trade has trebled in the past 5 years to reach the figure of € 2.7 billion. Spain is an important investor globally. We would like Spain to look at the opportunities that India has to offer for investment in various sectors such as infrastructure, automobiles, renewable energy, tourism and environment protection. India and Spain share common views on a range of regional and global issues. During our meeting today we reiterated our commitment to work together in addressing global challenges such as terrorism, in preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, in promoting development which is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable, and in the effective management of globalization. Both countries have suffered the scourge of terrorism. We look forward to working with Spain in building an international consensus on combating terrorism, including through coordinating efforts at the United Nations. Prime Minister Zapatero briefed me on Spain's initiative for an Alliance of Civilizations. India will extend its support to this important initiative. A Joint Statement will be issued today, which outlines the range of engagement between our two countries. Let me take this opportunity to once again welcome Prime Minister Zapatero to India."
PM's speech at the banquet hosted by Uzbek President
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: April 26, 2006 Tashkent, Uzbekistan

PM's speech at the banquet hosted by Uzbek President Hindi Version "I would like to express my deep appreciation to the Government as well as the friendly people of Uzbekistan for the very warm welcome and hospitality extended to me and my delegation. A visit to Uzbekistan is for me an experience that is both moving and replete with a sense of history. We have civilizational ties with Uzbekistan dating back to the dawn of history. Even up to the early years of the last century in the major cities of Uzbekistan - Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva - there were communities of Indian traders who lived and worked in harmony with the Uzbek people. Tashkent is immortal in our memories because of its association with a great son of India - Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri. While paying my respects at Shastriji's memorial this afternoon, I felt a deep sense of gratitude towards the Government and people of Uzbekistan for their enduring tribute to our Late leader. India was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Uzbekistan in 1992. Of course, even as early as April 1987 we had opened an Indian Consulate in Tashkent. Mr. President, we applaud the achievements of Uzbekistan in facing multifarious challenges. Your success is important not just for the people of this country, but for Central Asia as a whole. Your visit to India in April last year was an important milestone in consolidating our ties. Uzbekistan has registered 7% increase in its GDP last year. Your plans to attract foreign investment for rapid growth are impressive. India stands ready to be your partner for mutual benefit in sectors ranging from agriculture and science & technology to mining and hydrocarbons. Our trade and economic ties are growing but we must do more. The Jawaharlal Nehru India Uzbekistan Centre of Information Technology in Tashkent, inaugurated today, heralds a new beginning of cooperation in this field. Our common objective is to seek peace and prosperity for our peoples. Terrorism is a menace that must be fought collectively. Stability and prosperity of Central Asia is in the interests not just of India, but the world community as a whole. This goal cannot be reached without Uzbekistan, which must lead the way. I was deeply touched by the popularity of our dances, music and films in your country. We draw inspiration from our unique and enormously rich heritage. Here, I would like to quote from the great Uzbek philosopher and poet, Alisher Navoi, who said 565 years ago:- "May the Earth be an abode of delight, pleasure, songs and orchards, May peace ascend to the throne of the world, And let all the peoples gather for its feast" I thank you once again for your warm hospitality. I now invite you to join me and raise your glasses in a toast: - to the good health and happiness of President Islam Karimov and Madam Karimova - to the well-being and prosperity of the people of Uzbekistan, - to the ever-lasting friendship between India and Uzbekistan."