Lamenting that India scored poorly in cleanliness, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday said that children needed to be taught hygiene under a new Clean India campaign. "I consider it a primary responsibility of all our citizens to maintain cleanliness and hygiene around them," the prime minister said in his annual Independence Day speech from the Red Fort.u00a0 "I would like our children to be taught the importance of cleanliness and hygiene in schools from the very beginning under a campaign for a Clean India," he said. He appealed to state governments, Panchayats, civil society groups and common citizens "to make this campaign successful".u00a0 "Nutritious food and good health services are necessary but not enough for ensuring good health of our citizens. We also need cleanliness and good sanitation in our villages, towns and cities," he said.u00a0 "There are many diseases which would be difficult to prevent otherwise. The truth is that our country lags behind in this area," he said.u00a0 The following are the highlights of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Independence Day address to the nation Sunday: *The central government will do everything possible for rehabilitation of the affected people in Ladakh.u00a0 *We are building a new India in which every citizen would have a stake.u00a0 *The rate of our economic growth has been better than most other countries in the world. This shows the strength of our economy. *To ensure equal partnership of women in our progress, we have taken the initiative for reservation for women in parliament and in state legislatures.u00a0 *The growth rate of our agriculture has increased substantially in the last few years.u00a0 *Our government wants a food safety net in which no citizen of ours would go hungry. *I would certainly like to say that we are making every possible effort to tackle inflation. I am also confident that we will succeed in these efforts.u00a0 *The subsidy on petroleum products has been increasing every year. It had become necessary, therefore, to increase the prices of petroleum products.u00a0 *We want the fruits of development to reach the common man. *Our government is committed to maintain communal peace and harmony. *We will soon bring a bill in parliament for constitution of two separate councils in higher education and health respectively so that reforms in these two areas can be accelerated.u00a0 *Naxalism is a serious challenge to our internal security. We will deal firmly with those who resort to violence. *It is also our endeavour that our adivasi brothers and sisters join the mainstream of development. *We have a special responsibility towards the states of the northeast. I would like to convey to all political parties and groups of the northeast that disputes in the name of state or tribe can only harm all of us.u00a0 *In Jammu and Kashmir, we are ready to talk to every person or group which abjures violence. Kashmir is an integral part of India.u00a0 *As far as Pakistan is concerned, we expect from them that they would not let their territory be used for acts of terrorism against India.u00a0 *The Commonwealth Games will start in Delhi after about one and a half months. I am convinced that all our countrymen will treat the Games as a national festival and will leave no stone unturned to make them a success.u00a0 u00a0

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Lamenting that India scored poorly in cleanliness, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday said that children needed to be taught hygiene under a new Clean India campaign.

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