By IANS,
New Delhi: In his message on New Year’s eve, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday called on Indians to dispel the “air of despondency and cynicism” and believe in resilience and the capacity to resolve shortcomings in the Indian democracy.
“Let us make a new beginning to the year. Let us dispel the air of despondency and cynicism. We need to believe in the resilience of our democracy and its capacity to deal with infirmities and shortcomings through course correction,” said Manmohan Singh.
Wishing all citizens a very Happy New Year, he added that it was an occasion to take stock of the year gone by and of the challenges that lie ahead.
“On the eve of the New Year, I want to assure all our citizens that my government and I will work with renewed resolve for the welfare of our people,” he asserted.
The prime minister said his government “will redouble our efforts to deal effectively and credibly with the challenges of inflation, cleansing our governing processes, national security and making our delivery system work for the aam aadmi.”
President Pratibha Patil and Vice President Hamid Ansari also greeted the nation on New Year’s eve and hoped that 2011 would bring in peace, harmony and all-round progress to the people of the country.
Conveying her wishes to the people in the country and abroad, Patil said: “Let us take a New Year’s resolve to work to meet the exciting challenges of the present decade and promote unity and harmony amongst all our people.”
“May this year bring peace, harmony and all-round progress to all our people,” she added.
Ansari in his message said: “The dawn of the New Year is always welcomed with renewed hope, which can only be fulfilled by working together with resolve and dedication towards building a strong, united, peaceful and prosperous India.”