New Delhi: On the occasion of the Independence Day, Prime Minister A B Vajpayee announced a number of new socio-economic initiatives for uplifting the poor.

Prominent among them are:

• A participative social security scheme for the poor and the middle class.
• A major food-based social security programme for the destitute.
• Expansion of the Kisan Credit Card scheme.
• Improved crop insurance scheme.
• Rs 225 crore to revive the handloom sector.
• Rs 256 crore for 1 lakh slums in the current year.
• 1 lakh hand pumps for water-scarce areas.
• 1 lakh traditional drinking water sources to be revived.
• Drinking water for 1 lakh rural primary schools.
• Amalgamation of all schemes for the liberation of scavengers.
• National scholarships for the disabled.
• A national plan of action for children.
• Medical care scheme for ex-servicemen and dependents.
• Multipurpose identity cards for all citizens.

Reacting to the announcement, Sonia Gandhi, leader of the opposition, said the economic projects announced by Vajpayee in his Independence Day speech should not be "empty promises."