India needs to be poverty free, says PM

New Delhi: India will deemed to have achieved true independence only when it abolishes poverty, illiteracy and hunger, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared Wednesday.

Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day, Manmohan Singh said the country had achieved "much in these 65 years" since British colonial rule ended.

"Today is certainly a day to celebrate the success of our democracy," he said.

"However, on this occasion we should also introspect about what remains to be done.

"We would achieve independence in the true sense only when we are able to banish poverty, illiteracy, hunger and backwardness from our country.
"This would be possible only when we learn from our failures and build on our successes."

IANS