New Delhi :Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said women have a significant role in making the country embrace new heights of progresst and exuded confidence that women-led development will take India forward.

Addressing the nation from the rampart of the Red Fort on 77th Independence Day after raising the Tri-colour, Modi said, “Women-led development will take the country forward. Today the maximum number of pilots in civil aviation are women in India and women scientists are leading the Chandrayaan mission.”

“My dream is to make two crore lakhpati Didi (sisters) in the villages. For this, the government has decided to launch a new scheme in which 15 thousand women Self Help Groups (SHGs) will be provided training to operate and repair drones that will empower the rural women and strengthen the agri-tech sector,” said the PM.

Modi further said, “Today the country has progressed due to the power of my mothers and sisters. The country is on the path of progress, so it is the efforts of my farmer brothers and sisters, it is your hard work that the country is moving ahead in the agriculture sector.”

“The Prime Minister said children from the country’s slums are showing their talent to the world.

“The youth of small villages and towns, our sons and daughters are showing wonders today. I want to tell the youth that there is no dearth of opportunities today. As many opportunities as you would like, the country has the ability to give more opportunities than the sky,” he added.