Urging caution against alleged efforts being made to impede the liberty of various sections, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said the country’s independence hinges on thwarting the growing threats to its founding ideals of unity, democracy, secularism, and scientific thought.
Leading the State’s 77th Independence Day celebrations here on Tuesday, he also laid stress on the State’s commitment to building an egalitarian and modern society.
Mr. Vijayan, who hoisted the national flag and received salute at the ceremonial parade at the Central Stadium here, harked back to the country’s freedom movement that drew energy from the participation of all sections of the population. “People cutting across caste, religions, regions, languages, cultures and beliefs are entitled to the hard-earned freedom which could not be restricted within particular groups,” he said.
Setting an ambitious target of transforming Kerala into a developed middle-income society that is driven by knowledge and innovation by the 100th year of Independence, he said the government strived to ensure equitable access to benefits for all sections.
Elaborating on the progress achieved by the State during the Left Democratic Front (LDF) rule, Mr. Vijayan said its Gross Domestic Product increased to ₹10.17 lakh crore from ₹5.6 lakh crore in 2016 to register an 84% increase within seven years. The per capita income also increased from ₹1.48 lakh to ₹2.28 lakh during the period, recording an increase of 54%. The government had also succeeded in bringing down the debt to Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) ratio from 39% to below 35%.
The State’s Information Technology (IT) sector, which has been witnessing a boom, registered exports worth ₹85,540 crore in the past seven years. The sector also received investments of ₹7,304 crore and could generate 62,000 jobs.
The ceremonial parade was led by Varkala Additional Superintendent of Police B.V. Vijay Bharath Reddy. Kerala Armed Police (KAP) 5th Battalion Assistant Commandant Biju Divakaran was the second-in-command.
Platoons of the Malabar Special Police, Special Armed Police, KAP I, II, III, IV, and V Battalions, Kerala Armed Women Police Battalion, India Reserve Battalion, Rapid Response and Rescue Force, Kerala Prisons, Kerala Excise Department, Kerala Forest Department, Kerala Fire and Rescue Services, Motor Vehicles Department, Sainik School, National Cadet Corps (NCC) Senior Division Army Wing (Boys and Girls), NCC Senior Division Naval Wing (Girls), NCC Junior Division Air Wing (Boys), Students Police Cadets (Boys and Girls), Bharat Scouts, Bharat Guides, Mounted Police, Brass and Pipe bands of various police battalions participated in the parade. The parade also witnessed the participation of a Tamil Nadu Police contingent.
The Chief Minister gave away the President’s police medals, Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak and Jeevan Raksha Padak awards on the occasion.
