Listing out the key achievements of the Modi Government ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday asserted it has worked to build a “New India” after assuming power in 2014 and infused new hope when the nation was passing through “uncertain times”.
He addressed both the Houses — Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha — in the Central Hall of Parliament on Thursday on the first day of the Budget Session. During his over 60-minute address, Kovind spoke on issues ranging from Rafale jet deal, surgical strike, demonetisation and 10 per cent reservation for the general category poor to the triple talaq legislation, the Citizenship Amendment Bill and the state of economy.
He claimed the country was passing through a difficult period before the 2014 General Elections, but the present government came out with an initiative to create a “new India”.
The President’s address, which reflects the government’s views, assumes significance as it comes just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, expected to be held in April-May.
Referring to the controversial Rafale jet deal with France over which the Congress has targeted the government, Kovind said the Indian Air Force will welcome the ultra-modern fighter aircraft in the coming months to strengthen its strike capability after a gap of many decades.
The mention of Rafale as well as the 2016 “surgical strikes” carried out on terror launch pads across the border was greeted by thumping of desks by the treasury benches.
The President backed the Centre’s Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which has met with stiff Opposition from political parties and people in the northeastern States. “The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will make it easier to provide Indian citizenship to those who had to take refuge in India after facing oppression somewhere else,” he said.
The president also praised the introduction of reservations for the poor among upper castes. The Government has taken many measures for women’s welfare, like introducing a Bill to make triple talaq illegal and extending the period of maternity leave, he added.
Addressing problems faced by farmers, who, he called are the foundation of the economy, the President said: “My Government has taken the historic decision of fixing the minimum support price (MSP) of 22 crops at one and a half times higher than the production cost of the crop.”
He praised the Government’s 2016 decision to demonetise old currency notes and said the Centre has taken several steps to bring back black money stashed abroad, including signing treaties with other countries. He also pointed out that India’s ease of business ranking improved from 142 in 2014 to 77 in 2018. “In 2014, India’s share of the world’s Gross Domestic Product was 2.6 per cent. Today, it has increased to 3.3 per cent,” Kovind said.
Listing out several other government initiatives, the president praised schemes such as the Deen Dayal Antyodaya scheme, the Ayushman Bharat and the Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan.
Highlighting the governments achievements and various welfare schemes, Kovind said 21 crore poor people were covered under the PM’s life insurance scheme, while over 2 crore households got power connection as part of the PM’s Saubhagya scheme. “Under Swachchh Bharat initiative, the Government has built nine crore toilets,” he said.
Kovind also claimed that Rs 88,000 crore had been deposited in bank accounts under the Jan Dhan scheme.
He cited an international survey and said that 55 per cent of all new bank accounts opened around the world between 2014 and 2017 were in India.