Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the nation on the 69th Indian Independence Day on Saturday from Red Fort, albeit with a slight change from the last year - this time, he will stand behind a bullet-proof shield.
[Watch Live Coverage of Independence Day Celebration at Red Fort]
With heightened terror threats in India in recent weeks, security officials are not ready to take any chances on 15 August, unlike last year when they relented to Modi's request to 'directly connect' with the people.
Here is the list of security measures at Red Fort ahead of the 69th Independence Day.
Modi's I-Day Speech -
Modi's extempore speech on the last Independence Day was said to be the longest since Jawaharlal Nehru's. The Prime Minister had used the platform at Red Fort to announce several schemes and initiatives, such as Make in India, Swacch Bharat Abhiyan, Jan Dhan Yojana, and Adarsh Gram Yojana.
This year, too, Modi is expected to announce several schemes of his government, including a universal health insurance plan, and several rural schemes.
In fact, some reports have even gone on to predict that Modi could announce the implementation of the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) scheme for ex-servicemen on 15 August.
What is likely to make Modi's I-Day speech more interesting this year is that he may use inputs from the public. He had called for ideas from the public for the I-Day speech during a 'Mann ki Baat' programme last month, in what could be the first time a PM is seeking crowd-sourced inputs to include in his speech.
"I am getting suggestions on issues I should raise in my Independence Day speech. People want me to talk about clean Ganga, Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao. People can write to me and send suggestions on MyGov website," Modi had said, according to Mint.
Where to Watch LIVE -
While the contents of Modi's I-Day speech will remain a speculation till he delivers it at the Red Fort on Saturday, there is no need for you to wonder where you can catch him live in action.
You can watch PM's speech in the Youtube video of PMO India below. Youtube channels of Narendra Modi and NIC Webcast will also provide live streaming.
Live coverage of the I-Day celebrations will begin at 6.30 am on 15 August.
You can also follow the live streaming of Modi's speech through his website.
In case you cannot watch the live streaming, you can get regular updates from the I-Day celebrations through the Twitter account of the PMO or of news agencies such as ANI.
