2022: the year in which India will conquer the space
India will launch its first manned space mission by 2022 and launch a social security plan starting in September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a few weeks ago in his last Independence Day speech before the 2019 general election. The mission would make India the fourth country to make it after the United States, Russia and China.
Modi, a powerful speaker who will seek reelection in the world's largest democracy early next year, has used the speech to highlight the achievements of his government, amid concerns about the lack of jobs and growing violence against the Muslim minority.
The Hindu nationalist leader has announced his plan to bring "the Indian tricolor to space" in a manned mission that would make India the fourth country to make one, after the United States, Russia and China.
"India is proud of our scientists, who are excelling in their research and are at the forefront of innovation," Modi stressed from Mughal-era Red Fort in Delhi, before tens of thousands of people. "In the year 2022 or, if possible, before, India will fly the tricolor in space," he assured. That year will be the 75th anniversary of the country's independence.
Months after the election of Modi in 2014, India became the first Asian country to reach Mars when its first mission to the red planet entered orbit, at a cost of 74 million dollars.
On the other hand, Modi has indicated that his Government will launch on September 25 a health insurance plan that had previously been announced, baptized as 'Modicare', which will give about 500 million poor people in the country health coverage of 500,000 rupees (almost 6,290 euros) to treat serious diseases.Its detractors argue that while Modi has adopted several initiatives, its mandate has been marked by violence against Muslim cattle merchants and economic swings after the prohibition in the country of higher value tickets and the implementation of a system of unified taxes.
In his 80-minute speech, Modi has argued that the pace of road construction, the provision of electricity in localities and the construction of latrines has increased since his crushing victory in 2014, which devastated the historic Congress party. "We want to make more progress, we do not consider stopping or getting tired on the road", Modi assured.
