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PM’s Address in ECOSOC commemoration of UNs 75th Anniversary

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Prime Minister's Office

PM’s Address in ECOSOC commemoration of UNs 75th Anniversary

Posted On: 17 JUL 2020 8:49PM by PIB Delhi

Excellencies

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This yearwe celebrate the75th Anniversaryof the founding of the  United Nations.It is an occasionto recognise the UN'smany contributions to human progress. It is also an opportunity to assess the UN's role and relevancein today's World,and to shape a better future for it.     

Excellencies,

Indiawas among the 50 founding membersof the United Nations immediately after the Second  World War.A lot has changed since then.Today the UN brings together193 member countries.Along with its membership,the expectationsfrom the organisationhave also grown.At the same time multilateralism is facing many challenges today.     

Excellencies,

From the very beginning,India has actively supportedthe UN's development workand the  ECOSOC.  The first president of ECOSOC   was an Indian.India also contributedto shaping the ECOSOC  agenda,  including theSustainable  Development  Goals. Today, through our domestic efforts,we are again playing a salient role in achieving  Agenda 2030and the Sustainable Development Goals.We are also supporting other developing countriesin meeting their Sustainable  Development  Goals.     

Excellencies,

India is hometo one-sixth of humanity. We are mindfulof our weight and responsibility.We know thatif India succeeds in achievingits development objectives,it will go a long way in achievement  of global goals.And sowe have taken "whole-of-society" approach- by engaging our States,our local governments,our civil society, communities and our people.   

Our motto is  'Sabka Saath,  Sabka Vikaas,  Sabka Vishwas' - meaning   'Together,  for everyone's growth,  with everyone's trust'.This  resonates  with the core SDG principle of leaving no one behind.   Be it access to  nutrition ,  health   education,   electricity   or housing  - we are making great progress through our inclusive programmes.     

Excellencies,

Last year,  we celebrated the 150th birth anniversary  of the Father of our Nation, Mahatma Gandhi,by achieving full sanitation coverage  in our six hundred thousand villages.   

In five years,we built over 110 million household toilets,which improved our rural sanitation coverfrom  38 % to  100 %. Our massive    awareness generation programmesare empowering our women.We have achieved gender  parity in elementary and  secondary education.    Nearly  70 million womenin rural Indiaare part of self-help groups  under our Livelihood Mission.They are transforming lives and livelihoodson a big scale.Over a million womenare elected representativesof our local governments,leading the process of participatory  development.In the last six years,we opened 400 million bank accountsfor the unbanked,  out of which 220 million are owned by women.We have leveraged the power of technologyfor financial inclusion.This is based on the trinity  of a unique identity number, a bank account, and a mobile connection for everyone.It has allowed us to make Direct Benefit Transfersof 150 billion dollars to over 700 million persons.Our food security programmesreach 813 million citizens.

Our ‘Housing for All’ programme will ensure thatevery Indian will have  a safe and secure roof over her head by 2022,when India completes  75 years as an independent nation.By then, 40 million new homes  would have been madeunder this programme - more than the total number of householdsin many countries.Today,our ‘Ayushmaan Bharat’ schemeis the world's largest health protection programme, covering  500 million individuals.In the fight against COVID,  our grass-roots health systemis helping India ensureone of the best recovery rates in the world.We are also on track to remove TB  by 2025.Other developing countriescan learn from the scale  and success of India's development programmes. And from the technologies and innovations we have deployed.It is this realisation   that  under-pins India's own development partnership with the global South.  

Excellencies,

While marching forwardon the path to development, we are not forgetting  our responsibility towards our planet.   Over the past few years,we have reduced38 million tonnes of carbon emissions  annually.   This was achieved  by electrifying our villages,  providing clean cooking  fuel    to 80 million poor households, and introduction of energy efficient measures.    We have set a target  to install  450 Gigawatt  of renewable energy and restore  26 million hectares  of  degraded   land by 2030.    We have  an age-old tradition of living in harmony   with nature.    We launched one of the largest campaigns  for cleanliness and discouraged usage of single-use plastic.    Internationally, our Initiative to set up the International Solar Alliance was a practical manifestation  of climate action.    Similarly,  the Coalition for Disaster Resilience  Infrastructure brings together  all  relevant stake-holders for a comprehensive approach.    We have always prided ourselves  as the first responder in our region - a friend in need.Be it earthquakes,cyclonesor any other natural or man-made crisis,India has responded with speed and solidarity. In our joint fight against COVID, we have extended medical and other assistance to over  150 countries.We also helped create a  SAARC  COVID emergency fund in our neighborhood.     

Excellencies,

The  COVID-19 pandemic  has severely tested  the resilience  of all nations.    In India,  we have tried to make  the fight against the pandemic a people's movement,by combiningthe efforts of Government and society.     We have given  the highest priority  to deliver benefits to poor households.    We have announced  a package  of more than 300 billion dollars.    It will bring  the economy back on track,build modern infrastructure and put in place a technology-driven system.We have put forwarda vision of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'  a self-reliant   and Resilient  India, integrated with the global economy.     

Excellencies,

India firmly believes  that the path  to achieve sustainable  peace and prosperity   is through multilateralism.   As children of planet Earth, we must join hands  to address  our common challenges and achieve our common goals.    However, multilateralism  needs to represent  the reality of the contemporary  world.Only reformed multilateralism   with a reformed United Nationsat its centercan meet the aspirations  of humanity.Today, while celebrating  75 years  of the  United Nations,  let us pledge to reform the global multilateral  system.  To enhance its relevance,  to improve its effectiveness, and to make it the basis  of a new type of  human-centric globalisation.  The  United Nations  was originally bornfrom the furies    of the Second World War.  Today,  the fury  of the pandemic provides the context  for its rebirth and reform.     Let us not lose this chance.     

Excellencies,

India has been elected to the United Nations Security Council  at this very important time.With our deep commitment to maintaining global harmony,to improving socio-economic equity ,and to preserving nature's balance,  India will play its rolein full support of the UN agenda.   

Namaskar.  

Thank you.

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