New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday lauded the central government’s decisive action in all spheres as she addressed a joint session of Parliament for the first time, a day ahead of this government’s last full-fledged Budget on 1 February.
She said politically-unstable countries around the world were swamped by massive crises. “But due to the decisions taken in national interest by this government, India is in a better position as compared to other countries,” the President said.
She mentioned the government’s work “for all sections of society”, which was done “without discrimination”. As a result of these efforts in the last few years, many basic facilities had reached 100 per cent of the population or were close to that target, Murmu added.
She spoke how 11 crore families had got piped water in three years under the “Jal Jeevan Mission”. “Poor families are getting the maximum benefit from this,” Murmu told the joint sitting of Parliament.
The President counted the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and the abolition of “triple talaq” among the government’s “major decisions”.
She specially mentioned how India’s “stable and decisive government” had steered the country through and tackled the “biggest crisis in 100 years (the Covid pandemic)”.
“Today, India’s self-confidence is at its highest and the world is looking at her from a different perspective. India is providing solutions to the world,” President Murmu said, adding that “a stable, fearless and decisive government” was working to realise the big dreams.
She touched upon the government’s “unprecedented emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship”, empowering the country’s youth to show the power of their innovations to the world.
She mentioned while the government built and redeveloped religious structures, it was also “constructing a modern Parliament and medical colleges in every district”.
“I am delighted that my government has decided to extend the ‘PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana’… This is the identity of a sensitive and pro-poor govt and this scheme is being appreciated across the world,” President Droupadi Murmu told Parliament.
She emphasised that “women empowerment” had been at the core of all schemes introduced by the government. “Today, we see the success of the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign. For the first time in the country, the population of women is more than men and their health has also improved than before,” she said.
She talked about the “aspirational districts” programme which has been taken up at the block level, and the “vibrant villages” programme to develop these areas along the country’s borders.
Murmu said “Garibi hatao” was not just a slogan anymore, but that the government was working at providing permanent solutions to the problems of the poor, as well as empowering them.
Murmu also said that this government had identified corruption as the biggest enemy of democracy and social justice. “To seize the property of fugitive economic offenders, my government has passed the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act,” she told lawmakers.
The President also said the government had awakened the aspirations of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. “Now that basic facilities are reaching them, these people are able to dream anew.”
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