anirudhsankar/PMIndia-SpeechDataset-2004-2024 huggingface dataset:
PM’s remarks in Rajya Sabha– Farewell to retiring members
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: March 21, 2012 New Delhi

PM’s remarks in Rajya Sabha– Farewell to retiring members Mr. Chairman Sir, I join you and all other colleagues in conveying our warmest regards and very best wishes to all the retiring members of this august House. As many of those who have spoken before me have mentioned, it is our sincere wish and hope that many of them will return to this House for another term. But even if there is some delay in that thing materializing, the experience that they have gained in this House will be of enormous help to them in their public life. After all, public life does not end with not being a Member of Parliament. There are enormous opportunities in our country today to serve our country in diverse capacities. And therefore I join all the Honourable Members who have spoken before me, in wishing best of luck to our retiring colleagues. Mr. Chairman Sir, I am a member of this august House for over 20 years. In this period of 20 years, I have come in contact with great personalities. Some of them are sitting in this House. I wouldn’t like to name anyone individually. But I have believed that membership of this august House is a great learning process. I have certainly found it as a great learning process. My contacts with people from different parties, different persuasions, different backgrounds, have given me an idea of the diversity and ‘unity in diversity’ that characterizes our great country. When we debate various issues, often there is a tension on the surface. But I am convinced that the underlying concern of all members of this House must be to maintain unity and integrity of our country. I recall, Dr. Mohammed Iqbal once said, looking at India’s civilization for 3000 years, what is it that keeps it going, and he said: Mit gaye Misra, Unaan aur Rome Lekin Kaayam hai ab tak naam-o-nishaan hamaara Kuch baat hai ki hasti mitati nahin hamaari Sadiyon raha hai dushman daur-e-zamaan hamaara. And it is this perspective, which comes out whenever there is a debate. There are tensions, but underlying that is a common concern that all of us are servants of the people of India. There is a great opportunity given to us to serve our country. And with these words, I once again join you and all other colleagues in conveying our very best wishes to all those members who will be retiring today. Thank you.
Excerpts of the PM's speech at the inauguration of two hospitals in Tamil Nadu
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: December 26, 2011 Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu

Excerpts of the PM's speech at the inauguration of two hospitals in Tamil Nadu I am happy to inaugurate two hospitals today – the Apollo Reach Hospital and the Vasan Eye Care and Research Institute. I congratulate Dr. P.C. Reddy. He has brought world class medical facilities to many part of India. Through the model of Apollo Reach Hospitals, he is bringing the best medical facilities to rural India, in this case Sivaganga and neighbouring districts. I also congratulate Dr. A. M. Arun. I am told that this is the 100th hospital in the network of eye care hospitals that has been established by the Vasan group in a short span of time. I am happy to note that along with the hospital there will also be an eye care nursing institute in this campus. Our Government has laid great emphasis on health care. The Naional Rural Health Mission is one of our flagship programmes. In the six years till march, 2011, an amount of about Rs. 63,000 crore was released to the States under the Mission. Over 1.4 lakh personnel, including doctors, specialists, nurses and para-medics have been added to the health system. We have supported the construction of several thousand district and sub-district hospitals, primary health centres and sub-centres. Over 8 lakh health assistants – called ASHAs – have been trained and deployed throughout rural India. Our aim is to provide good medical care at affordable cost to the people of India. In the public hospitals system, medical care is provided almost entirely free. However, given the vastness of the country and the large population, it is necessary that the efforts of the Government are supplemented by the private sector. That is the justification for encouraging the private hospitals system. I would like to emphasise that private hospitals have an obligation to provide medical care at an affordable cost to the people; and it is also their social obligation to provide free medical care to some of the very poor. I have no doubt that the two hospitals will bear these obligations in mind. The people of Sivaganga and neighbouring districts are indeed fortunate that they will be able to access the best medical facilities that are available in the country. I wish the two hospitals many years of devoted service to the welfare of the people. I also wish the people of Sivaganga happiness and prosperity.
PM's remarks at the Professor Hiren Mukerjee Lecture
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: December 20, 2011 New Delhi

PM's remarks at the Professor Hiren Mukerjee Lecture “I am delighted that Prime Minister Jigmi Y. Thinley is delivering the fourth Prof. Hiren Mukerjee Memorial Parliamentary Lecture this year. He is the first democratically elected Prime Minister of perhaps the world’s youngest democracy. He is also an alumnus of Delhi University. Most importantly, he is a great friend of India and has many admirers in our country. He is an eloquent parliamentarian. No one would have been happier to see the dawn of democracy rise in our neighbourhood than Professor Hiren Mukerjee. He spent long years in these hallowed environs fighting for democratic values, speaking for the people and upholding the stature of Parliament. Since the Parliamentary elections in Bhutan in 2008, Prime Minister Thinley has worked to fulfill the solemn mandate of his people with great distinction. Bhutan is also fortunate to have the benevolent and wise guidance of Their Majesties the Kings of Bhutan at a time of profound change in the country. The people of India rejoice at Bhutan’s success as it moves ahead on the path of greater progress, happiness and prosperity. I have had the pleasure of working closely with Prime Minister Thinley. I recall how ably he guided the SAARC Summit in Thimpu last year, which had the theme ‘A Green and Happy South Asia’. We signed a landmark Thimpu Declaration on Climate Change and a convention on cooperation in environment that have added new and important dimensions to processes of regional cooperation in South Asia. Prime Minister Thinley is a passionate believer and eloquent advocate of Bhutan’s seminal notion of Gross National Happiness. This concept was first articulated in 1972 by His Majesty the Fourth King, but Prime Minister Thinley has given practical meaning to it in the functioning of his government and restructuring of Bhutan’s society. The power of this idea today finds increasing acceptance and I believe that we have a lot to learn from it. I look forward to listening to Prime Minister Thinley’s exposition on this theme. Prime Minister Thinley’s presence at this important event is of great significance because India and Bhutan are the closest of friends and neighbours. It is a relationship based on strong bonds of amity, affection, trust and mutual benefit, and one that the people of India deeply cherish. My discussions with Prime Minister Thinley on different occasions give me great hope and confidence that our two democracies working together are poised to forge an even stronger partnership that will bring added prosperity to our people, promote our common security and strengthen our ancient ties of friendship. I once again extend a warm welcome to Prime Minister Thinley.”
PM's speech at Banquet hosted by President Medvedev
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: December 16, 2011 Moscow

PM's speech at Banquet hosted by President Medvedev I am deeply moved by the warmth of the welcome and generous hospitality accorded to me. I have been a regular and frequent visitor to Russia and feel enriched each time I visit this great country. The people of India rejoice in the great successes of the Russian people. Russia is regarded as a tried and trusted friend of India, that has stood with India at every juncture of our nation-building process. We owe a deep debt of gratitude to the people and successive leaderships of Russia. Mr. President, your own personal contribution and the attention you have given to India has been a source of great encouragement to us. Under your Presidency, we have expanded the horizons of our cooperation and opened new doors. Today, our relations span diverse sectors ranging from defence, space and nuclear energy to exchanges in the commercial, educational and cultural fields. The underlying basis to this cooperation is the trust and goodwill among our peoples, our cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts in academia, science, tourism and businesspersons. Next year we celebrate the 65th anniversary of the formal establishment of our diplomatic relations. We should mark this occasion by highlighting the benefits of our decades long partnership and creating greater awareness about each other among the younger generation. The world is witnessing profound transformation and a shift in the global balance of power. At this time of transition, our relationship serves as an anchor of peace and stability. It is essential that India and Russia work even more closely together at the international level. I am truly pleased at the manner in which our cooperation and exchanges within the United Nations, G-20 and BRICS have been progressing in recent years. We warmly welcome Russia’s participation in the East Asia Summit process. This will contribute to regional peace and prosperity. As two large and diverse democracies, with rapidly transforming societies and economies, we must work together to ensure that the emerging international order is multipolar, based on respect for international law and equality amongst nations. India and Russia should promote a world order in which dialogue and cooperation and not conflict and confrontation are the basis for inter-state relations. I am confident that India-Russia relations are poised to achieve even greater heights in the years to come. Ladies and Gentlemen, may I request you to join me in raising a toast: - To the health and well being of His Excellency the President of the Russian Federation and Mrs Medvedeva; - To the long-standing tradition of close and continuing friendship and cooperation between India and Russia; and - To the prosperity, success and happiness of the friendly people of Russia. Thank you.
PM's opening remarks at the All Party Meeting
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: December 14, 2011 New Delhi

PM's opening remarks at the All Party Meeting Thank you all for coming here today. I have invited you to this meeting to seek your guidance and views on the important matter of the Lokpal Bill. You will recall that a full discussion had been held in Parliament before the draft Lokpal Bill had been referred to the Standing Committee. Based on that discussion, Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee had made a statement on the same day in both the Houses of Parliament about the sense of the two Houses. In my letter of 27 August, 2011 to Shri Anna Hazare in which I had requested him to end his fast, I had said that the Parliament had agreed in principle on three matters. These were the Citizen's Charter, the inclusion of lower bureaucracy under the Lokpal through an appropriate mechanism and the establishment of Lokayukta in the States. The sense of the Houses and the records of discussions in Parliament had then been conveyed to the Standing Committee for their guidance. The Standing Committee has now completed its deliberations. The Committee has done very valuable work in record time and I thank Shri Abhishek Singhvi and his colleagues for the efforts they have put in. All of you would have seen the recommendations of the Standing Committee on the various issues and also the corresponding provisions of the draft Bill tabled by the Government earlier. It is for this august group to indicate how far the recommendations of the Standing Committee meet the sense of the Parliament and how far the various provisions are feasible and efficacious. The Government is committed to implement in letter and spirit a good and effective Lokpal Bill that would have a quick and positive impact in further curbing the cancer of corruption without any adverse effects on the efficiency of our system of public administration. I am personally keen that this momentous legislation should be passed on the basis of consensus among all parties as far as possible and that this sho.uld not be subjected to party politics in any way. This is an occasion where we must keep the interests of the country foremost in our minds. The Government is also keen that we must make all efforts to pass a Lokpal Bill in this very session that is based on consensus and that is driven by Parliament as the custodian of legislation. Your guidance and cooperation in this matter are of paramount importance.
PM's remarks at the unveiling of the Jawaharlal Nehru Bust and Commemorative Marker in Singapore
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: November 20, 2011 Singapore

PM's remarks at the unveiling of the Jawaharlal Nehru Bust and Commemorative Marker in Singapore "I feel deeply honoured to be here this afternoon at this ceremony to unveil the bust of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and the Marker commemorating his association with Singapore. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was not just India's first Prime Minister. He was a visionary, scholar and the builder of modern India. He was a humanist and an internationalist, and a champion of the post-colonial world. Singapore today is an embodiment of human progress and the spirit of internationalism. Jawaharlal Nehru was prescient when he said in 1946 that Singapore will become the city where Asian unity is forged. We are witnessing such unity being forged. Singapore's great cultural and intellectual institutions are playing a vital role in this process. I therefore most warmly congratulate the National Heritage Board of Singapore on this initiative, and wish it all success in its future activities. In honouring Pandit Nehru today, you honour India and all the values that India stands for - secularism, democracy, freedom and the rule of law. These are the values that continue to unite our two nations today. The Bust and Commemorative Marker will serve as a symbol of our friendship and our respect for each other's achievements. In celebrating our past, we enhance understanding of each other's cultures, inspire the younger generation and better prepare ourselves for the future. Singapore stands at the crossroads of East Asia. It is today one of the most advanced economies of the world and an engine of growth for Asia. It has led by example, and by the exceptional qualities and skills of its people and society. These are successes which Jawaharlal Nehru would have been very happy to see. There is a lot that India can learn from Singapore. This Bust and Marker will stand as yet another symbol of the close relations between India and Singapore, and will inspire even greater interest about each other among our peoples. I most sincerely thank Mr. Goh Chok Tong, Dr. Yaacob Ibrahim and Mr. Ong Yew Huat for being present here to honour a great son of India and a great statesman. I thank you."
PM's speech at lunch hosted by the Prime Minister of Singapore
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: November 20, 2011 Singapore

PM's speech at lunch hosted by the Prime Minister of Singapore "I thank you for the warm hospitality with which my wife and I have been received in Singapore. Excellency, we in India regard you as an ardent advocate and supporter of our strong partnership. It was during your visit to India in 2005 that we signed a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement between India and Singapore. That Agreement has led to a qualitative upgradation of our trade and investment relations with Singapore. I look forward to your visit to India next year. This will give you an opportunity to see for yourself the developments that have taken place in India in the last several years, and the manner in which Singapore has contributed to India's progress. Excellency, our government places the highest priority on our relations with Singapore. Ours is a partnership that stands on the foundation of shared values of pluralism, secularism and democracy, and convergence of our perspectives on regional and international issues. It was the opening of our relations with Singapore which led to a strategic shift in India's foreign and economic polices and which today have evolved into our 'Look East' policy. Singapore opened new horizons for India. Singapore's rapid transformation and economic growth model is a beacon of hope in the uncertain world we live in today. You serve as an example not only for Asia but for the world at large. Your investments in human resources, education and infrastructure are examples worthy of emulation. Singapore has emerged as a valued partner for our ambitious plans for infrastructure development. It is India's largest trade and investment partner in ASEAN. We welcome greater investment and technology flows from Singapore. Our people to people exchanges, tourism and the revolution in connectivity has brought us closer to each other than we have ever been. Today, eleven Indian cities are directly connected by air to Singapore. I am greatly encouraged to see the linkages being established between our Museums and Universities. Singapore's consistent support to the Nalanda University Project is a matter of great encouragement for us. I would also like to thank you for the warm welcome that has been given to thousands of Indians working and studying in Singapore. Our relations also encompass political, security and defence cooperation. We value our engagement with Singapore in these areas. Next year, we will observe twenty years of full dialogue partnership between India and the ASEAN. We look forward to working closely with Singapore to commemorate these twenty years, and to evolve an even more ambitious roadmap for the period ahead. Ladies and gentlemen, I request you to join me in raising a toast to: - The health and happiness of Prime Minister Lee and Mrs. Lee, - The progress and prosperity of our two countries, and - The deepening friendship between India and Singapore."
PM's statement to the media at the Joint Press Meet at Addu Atoll, Maldives
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: November 10, 2011 Addu Atoll, Maldives

PM's statement to the media at the Joint Press Meet at Addu Atoll, Maldives Prime Minister of India (Dr. Manmohan Singh): Ladies and gentlemen, I have always regarded Prime Minister Gilani as a man of peace. Every time I have met him in the last three years, this belief has been further strengthened. We have today had a very extensive discussion of relations of our two countries. We started a new process in Thimphu last year. That dialogue process has yielded some positive results. But more needs to be done. And, therefore, we have decided that we will resume this dialogue with the expectation that all issues which have bedeviled the relations between our two countries will be discussed with all the sincerity that our two countries can bring to bear on these talks. I have always believed that the destinies of people of India and Pakistan are very closely linked, interlinked that we have wasted lot of time in the past in acrimonious debates. The time has come to write a new chapter in the history of our relationship. And I am very happy that Prime Minister Gilani fully endorses this view that we have a unique opportunity, and, therefore, the next round of talks should be far more productive, far more result-oriented in bringing the two countries closer to each other than ever before. I thank you.
PM's remarks at Banquet hosted by Prime Minister of Bangladesh
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: September 6, 2011 Dhaka, Bangladesh

PM's remarks at Banquet hosted by Prime Minister of Bangladesh I am delighted and honoured to be in Dhaka. I am touched by the warmth and friendship of the people of Bangladesh and the extraordinary hospitality accorded to me and members of my delegation. Present here tonight are not only the leading dignitaries of Bangladesh, but also the Chief Ministers of all the States of our North-East bordering Bangladesh. This is a unique and special moment. It is a demonstration of our collective will to shape a better future for ourselves. There are few countries in the world whose destinies are so interlinked than ours. We are people of the same region. We share the same religious beliefs, language, customs and aspirations. We have a common ethos. I have come to Bangladesh to build upon your momentous visit to India last year. We deeply value your commitment to strengthening India-Bangladesh relations. You have served your nation with great distinction. Your personal sacrifices and belief in the values of pluralism, democracy and human dignity have earned you respect throughout the world. You have upheld the great legacy of your illustrious father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Today, Bangladesh is in the midst of a major socio-economic transformation. Your economy has witnessed steady growth during the last several years. You have achieved commendable successes in eradicating poverty, hunger, illiteracy and disease. These are achievements Bangladesh can be justly proud of. Our talks today and the agreements that have been signed represent a qualitative leap forward in our relations. We have found solutions to seemingly difficult problems; problems which had defied solutions for years. We have done better. We have put in place a forward looking and comprehensive framework for cooperation in development. We have shown an openness of mind and heart to build bridges of collaboration across sectors. It is befitting that in this atmosphere of hope and confidence, we are jointly celebrating the 150th Birth Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. The establishment of a Tagore Chair at Dhaka University, an India-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Indian Parliament and the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre in Dhaka will add to the intensity of people to people interaction. Allow me to conclude by affirming India's complete commitment to the progress and prosperity of Bangladesh. We desire to see a stable, secure and self-reliant Bangladesh. India will remain at your disposal in every sphere of your nation building efforts. I once again thank you, the government and people of Bangladesh for the warm and gracious hospitality extended to us. May relations between India and Bangladesh continue to flourish. Thank you.