anirudhsankar/PMIndia-SpeechDataset-2004-2024 huggingface dataset:
PM's opening remarks at the onboard press conference
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: July 10, 2009 Flight on Board

PM's opening remarks at the onboard press conference Hindi Version I am returning to India after attending meetings of the G-5 leaders ( India, Brazil, China, Mexico and South Africa) , of the G-5 + G-8 and Egypt, and of the G-8, G-5, Egypt and African Countries. There were also meetings of the Major Economies Forum on Trade and Climate Change. These meetings took place when the world is attempting a recovery from the recession caused by the financial crisis in the heart of the developed world. After our discussions, it is my sense that while there are some signs of recovery, the world economy is still a long way from recovering the earlier growth momentum and there must be questions whether that will soon be possible for the global economy. We also discussed other global issues such as Climate Change and Sustainable Development, and the elimination of hunger through food security. On trade, the dangers of protectionism were highlighted. It is clear to me that meaningful global action on all these issues requires a restructuring of the institutions of global governance, starting with the UN Security Council. The sentiment has been recognized in the declarations of our meetings. I return home convinced that we must continue to strengthen our steps at home to regain the 8-10 % growth path. The international environment will not be as supportive as before for some time to come. I am however, confident that our domestic economic strengths will enable us to return to our earlier path of rapid and inclusive growth. I also had useful conversations with the leaders of Angola, Japan, the USA, Russia, the UK, Australia, our host Italy, and several other world leaders.
PM's opening remarks at Press Conference of G-5 leaders
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: July 8, 2009 Italy

PM's opening remarks at Press Conference of G-5 leaders Hindi Version "Your Excellency President Calderon, President Lula of Brazil, President Jacob Zuma of South Africa and Minister Dai Bingguo, Ladies and Gentlemen of the media, I am very happy to be here in the beautiful town of L'Aquila, which has recovered remarkably from the devastating earthquake that struck the area in April. In our meeting today we covered a large agenda and I thank President Calderon for his efforts in making the discussions fruitful and productive of results. The developing countries have been the most affected by the global financial and economic crisis. We discussed how we could contribute to strengthening the green shoots of recovery. It is only through an inclusive approach that a collective global effort can be truly effective. We will stress tomorrow the importance of maintaining adequate flow of finance to the developing countries and also of keeping markets open by resisting protectionist pressures. The developing countries are also the worst affected by high food prices. We agreed that agriculture and food security need to be placed at the core of the international agenda paying particular attention to the concerns of the small and marginal farmers. As responsible members of the international community, we recognize our obligation to preserve and protect our environment. But climate change cannot be addressed by perpetuating the poverty of the developing countries. The concept of sustainable development has so far been a buzz word. We need to evolve a coherent strategy of growth that brings about a higher standard of living without harming the environment. Technology has to be a key element in our global strategy to meet the challenge of climate change. India in collaboration with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs will be hosting a conference on technology development and transfer related to climate change on 22nd October in New Delhi. The objective is to promote the collaborative development, deployment, dissemination and transfer of climate friendly technologies in a rapid and widespread manner. The G-5 Declaration reflects many of the concerns and positions of developing countries and have been admirably summarized by President Calderon. These need to be taken into account in shaping global responses to global challenges. We would like to engage in a dialogue with our developed country partners on an equal footing. India looks forward to working with the G-5 as we begin our dialogue with the G-8 countries tomorrow. I would like in conclusion to thank our host Prime Minister Berlusconi and the people of Italy for their warm reception and hospitality."
PM's statement prior to departure for the G8-G5 Summit in Italy
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: July 7, 2009 New Delhi

PM's statement prior to departure for the G8-G5 Summit in Italy Hindi Version I am leaving today for Italy to attend the Summit meeting of the G-8 and G-5 countries being hosted in the city of L'Aquila on July 9-10 by the Italian Presidency of the G-8. I will also attend a meeting of the leaders of the G5 group of countries (Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa). This will be an occasion for projecting India's views on major global issues relating to the world economic and financial crisis and its impact on development, food security, energy security and climate change, international trade negotiations and reform of international institutions. As part of the G-8 related events, I will also participate in the meetings of the Major Economies Forum on Trade Matters and Climate Change, as well as a meeting on food security being organized by Italy with the participation of several African nations. The global financial and economic slowdown that we are witnessing is particularly detrimental for the development objectives of developing countries such as India. This has not been a crisis of our making, but we have had to bear its consequences. The slowdown in the advanced economies has affected our exports, strengthened protectionists sentiments and impacted credit and capital flows. We would therefore like to see a concerted and well coordinated global response to address systemic failures and to stimulate the real economy. In the longer run, we would like to see a much higher level of stability and sustainability in the growth patterns of the developed world, and in international financial governance. The issues of food security, energy security and climate change are closely interlinked. They have to be approached as a single undertaking if we are to give meaning to the concept of sustainable development. Climate change will be an important subject of discussion. It is the developing countries that are the worst affected by climate change. What we are witnessing today is the consequence of over two centuries of industrial activity and high consumption lifestyles in the developed world. They have to bear this historical responsibility. India will actively participate in the international negotiations on climate change within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Bali Action Plan. During my visit, I look forward to having bilateral meetings with the leaders of Italy, Angola, Germany, Japan and the UK.
PM's statement to media on the Union Budget and answers to questions
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: July 6, 2009 New Delhi

PM's statement to media on the Union Budget and answers to questions Hindi Version PM: The Finance Minister has done a commendable job in reconciling the short term requirements of our economy, to provide a stimulus to the growth process and simultaneously to ensure that we recapture the rhythm of the growth process despite the recessionary tendencies in the world economy. He has therefore chosen a strategy to concentrate on increasing investments in the infrastructure sector both in the public sector and in the private sector through PPP route. Simultaneously he has taken care that we spend lot more money in putting in place social safety nets, in increasing our investment outlays in rural development, agriculture, in healthcare services, in urban renewal missions. Overall the strategy of the budget is to ensure that our economy recaptures the rhythm of the accelerated growth process. Simultaneously it seeks to honour in large measure, the commitments that we have made to our people to work steadfastly for the well being of the aam aadmi. Question on 7 % growth rate. PM: Well, we are working towards that goal and it is achievable. 7% growth rate this year is an achievable growth target but it is not good enough for the medium term, we must move to a growth path of 8 to 9%. Question on increased outlay for NREGA. PM: It is very significant. It is a measure of our commitment to the well being of the poorer sections of our community.
PM's statement on Railway Budget
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: July 3, 2009 New Delhi

PM's statement on Railway Budget Hindi Version Railway Minister Kumari Mamata Banerjee has done a very competent job in a short period of time. She has presented a budget without imposing any burden by way of increase in freight charges or passenger fare. At the same time she has in keeping with our party's election promise focused on improving amenities for passengers,improving safety and security of railways and making rail travel a desirable experience. She has outlined a programme of modernizing 50 railway stations to world class standards. A large number of facilities have been included by way of using the innovative finance mechanism of public private partnerships to improve the productivity of the Railways and to finance more investment. I therefore complement the Railway Minister for a very competent job she has done in a very short period.
PM's statement at the Joint Press Conference after Conclusion of the Second BIMSTEC Summit
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: November 13, 2008 New Delhi

PM's statement at the Joint Press Conference after Conclusion of the Second BIMSTEC Summit Hindi Version We have just concluded the second BIMSTEC Summit. This is a very special occasion. The Summit has taken place four years after the first Summit in Thailand. It marks the completion of ten years of the creation of BIMSTEC in 1997. Ten Ministerial meetings of BIMSTEC have taken place so far. In addition, meetings at Senior Officials level are held twice a year, and there is a BIMSTEC Working Group based in Thailand which meets every month. BIMSTEC is the bridge between South and South-East Asia. There is far greater regional and sub-regional integration in Asia than was the case when BIMSTEC was created in 1997. We all belong to the Bay of Bengal community. Nature and geography have bound us together by land and by water. We are all developing countries faced with similar challenges. BIMSTEC is therefore an idea whose time has come. It is against this background that we have held very positive and forward-looking discussions today. We were unanimous that the commonalities between us provide vast opportunities to enhance cooperation and connectivity between us. We agreed to focus on enhancing our rail, road, air and shipping links to further promote people-to-people contacts and to further facilitate cultural exchange, business and tourism flows. The leaders expressed their satisfaction at the progress that has been made in the negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement in trade in goods and called for their early conclusion. They welcomed the establishment of the Centres for Energy and Weather and Climate in India and the BIMSTEC Cultural Observatory in Bhutan. They expressed concern at the threat which terrorism poses to our region. The Retreat provided us a useful opportunity to exchange views on several pressing issues such as the international financial crisis, energy security, food security and climate change. There was a common desire among all leaders to work together to meet these challenges. The Summit has given a strong political impetus to the strengthening of our cooperation in the identified thirteen areas. We have agreed to direct our officials to focus on concrete outcomes and implementation of decisions that have been reached. I would like to personally thank the leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand for their active contribution in making this Summit a success. Their guidance and suggestions helped to enrich our discussions and to chart out a new roadmap for BIMSTEC.
PM's internvention at working lunch of ASEM
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: October 25, 2008 Beijing

PM's internvention at working lunch of ASEM Hindi Version "We have had a very fruitful discussion and dialogue. There is complete agreement among all of us that ASEM is a powerful forum to deal with global issues. We are all agreed regarding the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). But our pre-occupation with the global financial crisis should not detract from pursuing the goal of fulfilment of MDGs. We are half-way in 2008 to reach the targets (of MDGs) set for 2015. However, the way things are moving, few believe that those targets will be met. One participant had mentioned the amount required for the purpose. The UN Secretary-General has been able to secure pledges of only US $ 16 billion. This is reflective of the unequal world that we live in. We should be concerned about the fulfilment of the MDGs which requires far more energetic efforts. Far more energy is required if we are to meet the goals by 2015, rather than later discuss why we did not realize those goals."
PM's statement on  the successful Launch of Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: October 22, 2008 Tokyo

PM's statement on  the successful Launch of Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft Hindi Version The successful launch of the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, India's first unmanned scientific mission to the moon, marks the first step in what we hope will be a historic milestone in India's space programme.  The spacecraft was launched by the Indian Space Research Organization using India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV. All the launch vehicle systems performed satisfactorily and the spacecraft has been successfully placed in an orbit around the earth. This is the beginning of a two week long effort in which our scientists will now manoeuvre the spacecraft into expanding orbits around the earth before finally shifting it to an orbit around the moon. Chandrayaan-1 will then orbit the moon and carry out high resolution remote sensing to prepare a 3-dimensional atlas of the moon. It will also carry out chemical and mineralogical mapping of the lunar surface. The spacecraft carries eleven scientific instruments, five from India and six from universities and laboratories of the European Space Agency, USA and Bulgaria. I congratulate all the scientists associated with this mission for the successful completion of the first step. When completed, the mission will put India in the very small group of 6 countries which have thus far sent space missions to the moon. Our scientific community has once again done the country proud and the entire nation salutes them. Thank you. [Manmohan Singh]
PM's concluding remarks at the 14th National Integration Council Meeting
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: October 13, 2008 New Delhi

PM's concluding remarks at the 14th National Integration Council Meeting Hindi Version I would like to thank all of you, leaders of political parties, Chief Ministers, social activists and other distinguished participants for the very useful deliberations today in this meeting of the NIC. I have listened carefully to your well considered suggestions and would like to assure you that we will give due attention to each and every one of them. I have noted with great satisfaction that there is across the board consensus on the need to contain communal discord and violence, protect minority rights and uphold our cherished ideals of nationalism, secularism, inclusiveness and non-violence. The Council has been unanimous in the condemnation of the recent acts of communal strife and discord in some parts of our country. There has also been agreement that terrorism constitutes a major challenge for the cohesiveness of our nation. This challenge has to be met effectively but targeting of particular communities and their profiling has to be avoided. It has to be recognised that terrorists have no religion. Today's deliberations will give us renewed courage to face all our challenges in the coming days. Suggestions have been received to hold more frequent meetings of the NIC and to put in place an institutionalised mechanism within the NIC to pursue relevant issues on a continuous basis. These valuable suggestions will be taken up for immediate follow up action. After hearing your statements, I believe that we agree on the imperative necessity to preserve and protect the secular fabric of our composite society and the interests of all our people, particularly the minorities and the disadvantaged. Needless to stress, it is incumbent on the Central and State Governments to act decisively and firmly when communal strife, ethnic violence and terror disturb our peace and harmony. I would like to take this opportunity to assure all of you that the Central Government would not be found wanting in the fulfilment of its Constitutional obligations. I am convinced that we need to approach these issues with vigour and unity of purpose. What we are confronting today is a problem of dangerous proportions and we need to act together, now and in future. This meeting is one step forward. I call upon the Chief Ministers of all States to initiate similar dialogues with all sections of society. They should pay special attention to winning the hearts and minds of minorities and other disadvantaged groups. The police and security forces ought to be adequately sensitive to the concerns of minorities. Let us all work together, shoulder-to-shoulder to decisively defeat the nefarious designs of divisive forces and take our nation forward. At the end of our very productive deliberations today, it is appropriate for us to adopt a resolution which reflects our concerns and resolve.
PM releases a Journal on Sufis and Rishis of Kashmir
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: October 6, 2008 New Delhi

PM releases a Journal on Sufis and Rishis of Kashmir Hindi Version "Well I am very happy to have this opportunity to be present on this occasion and the third volume of this very important journal of the Rumi Foundation is being released. I thank Dr. Karan Singh, I thank Muzaffar Ali Sahib and Saiyyada Imam Sahiba and all of you for being participant in this noble endeavour. When I look at our civilization there is an element of uniqueness about it.  I recall Alama Iqbal's famous line Yunan-o-Misra-o-Roma, sab mit gaye Jahan se Abtak Magar hai baqi, Nam-o-nishan hamara, Kuchh bat hai ke hasti mitti nahin hamari, Sadiyon raha hai dushman daur-e-Zaman hamara I often wonder what is it that we have a living civilization of thousands and thousands of years and that it still survives several onslot. This very largely, I think, because of the underlying commitment of our forefathers to the ideas of tolerance, respect for diversity, celebration of diversity. The oneness of all approaches to the realisation of ones maker, paths may differ but the ultimate objective is the same. And therefore it does not behove  any one of us to find fault with the rest of us, I recall, my own convocation when I took my graduation that year the convocation was addressed by no less a person than Dr. S. Radhakrishnan and  there is a couplet which I think is also published in one of his books Kalki - the future of civilizations. He narrated that and that still rings in my ears, "there is so much good in the worst of us and so much bad in the best of us that it did not behove any of us to find fault with the rest of us." I think tolerance is what has sustained our civilization and Sufism is a supplanted  manifestation  of that  commitment to tolerance, respect for diversity, and I compliment Muzaffar Ali Sahib and all of you ladies and gentlemen who are engaged in this noble endeavour. May your tribe flourish. At a time when dark clouds are on the horizon, it is only the voice of sanity  and all men and women of goodwill  and understanding must work together to keep the torch  of our civilizational  heritage alive and that you have chosen this path, I compliment you and I salute you. Whatever role that I can play in ensuring that this venture of yours moves from success to success you have my assurance. We will do all that we can to lend a helping hand. I once again thank you for your commitment to a cause  which  represents  the essence of our civilization, a living civilization.  May your tribe flourish."
PM's statement to the Press after the India-France Summit
Speaker: Dr.Manmohan Singh
Date: September 30, 2008 Paris, France

PM's statement to the Press after the India-France Summit Hindi Version "It is a great honour for me to visit France at the invitation of President Sarkozy. I am most grateful to the Government and people of France for the warm hospitality that has been extended to me and to my delegation. President Sarkozy is a great friend of India and an international statesman. Under his dynamic leadership, we seek to further deepen and expand our strategic partnership with France. This was my second Summit meeting with President Sarkozy within one year. We reviewed the progress that has been made in our cooperation in the areas of trade and investment, science and technology, space, defence, culture and education since President Sarkozy's visit to India in January this year, and discussed ways and means to further strengthen our relations. I also had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Francois Fillon, to whom I extended an invitation to visit India. Today we have added a new dimension to our strategic partnership by signing an inter-governmental agreement on civil nuclear cooperation. France is the first country with whom we have entered into such an agreement after the lifting of international restrictions on civil nuclear cooperation with India by the Nuclear Suppliers Group. I conveyed to President Sarkozy our gratitude for France's consistent support to our civil nuclear initiative. We have also signed important agreements in the field of peaceful uses of outer space and social security. We agreed that defence cooperation between India and France should move away from a buyer-seller relationship to joint production and transfer of technology. We agreed that India and France are on course to achieve the target of raising our bilateral trade to 12 billion Euro by 2012. We agreed to work towards promoting and facilitating investments in each other's countries. We will continue to encourage initiatives aimed at promoting exchanges of students, researchers and academics and at deepening institutional linkages between our universities. We discussed the impact of the international financial crisis on the global economy, energy security, food security and climate change. We both agreed on the need to reform international institutions, including the United Nations, to more effectively deal with these issues. We agreed to enhance cooperation in the area of counter-terrorism. I believe my visit has opened new vistas in our relations with France which are based on the solid foundation of our shared commitment to democracy, pluralism and the rule of law. There is much that India and France can do bilaterally as well as globally."