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India has fearless, decisive government, country is emerging as solution-provider, says President Murmu

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New Delhi | January 31, 2023 10:32:37 PM IST
Emphasising the significance of 'Amrit Kal', President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday exhorted citizens to work in the next 25 years towards making India a developed country which is self-reliant and embraces its glorious past while encompassing every golden aspect of modernity.

In her address to the two Houses of Parliament at the commencement of budget session, the President highlighted the efforts made by the government to boost infrastructure, expand educational facilities and digital network, empower women and provide basic facilities to segments lacking them.

She talked of the welfare schemes launched to take care of poor and vulnerable sections of society and small farmers.

Noting that India has a government which is stable, fearless, decisive and working with lofty ambitions, she said that country which once looked at others for solutions to most of its problems, is today emerging as a provider of solutions for the issues faced by the world.

The President said the government had shown will-power to transform policies when required and talked of surgical strikes, abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and law against triple talaq.

She said In India, almost one medical college has come up every month in the last eight-nine years and two colleges have been established every day and a university established every week.

The President said that as result of new initiative of the government, country's defence exports have grown six times.

She also referred to Agniveer scheme for recruitment to armed forces and said in today's era, it is very important for the forces to be enriched with youth power, to be proficient in warfare and to be equipped with the power of technology.

"This will give maximum opportunity to the youth of the country to serve the nation through the armed forces," she said.

The President said people had elected a stable government for two consecutive terms.

"My decisive government has always kept the country's interest paramount and shown the will-power to completely transform the policies and strategies when required. From surgical strike to a firm crackdown on terrorism, from a befitting response to every misadventure from LoC to LAC, from abrogation of Article 370 to Triple Talaq, my government has been recognized as a decisive government," the President said.

This was the first address by President Murmu to the joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament. She was elected as President last year.

Noting that this is "the best phase of India's global relations", she said, "we have strengthened our cooperation and friendship with various countries of the world".

"On the one hand, we are chairing the SCO this year, and on the other, being a member of the Quad, we are working for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific."

She said the world is also acknowledging India's tough stand on terrorism.

"Due to this, India's voice against terrorism is being heard seriously on every global platform. In October last year, a special meeting of the UNSC Counter-Terrorism Committee was organized for the first time in India. In this too, India made its position clear against terrorism. My government is also sincerely presenting the concerns related to cyber security before the whole world."

She said the government firmly believes that lasting peace is possible only when we are strong politically and strategically. "Therefore, we are constantly laying emphasis on the modernization of our military strength."

The President said a few months back, the country completed 75 years of independence and entered the 'Amrit Kaal'.

"This 'Azadi ka Amrit Kaal' assimilates the pride of thousands of years of our glorious past, the inspirations of Indian freedom struggle and India's resolve for a golden future. This 'Amrit Kaal'of 25 years is the period of the golden centenary of independence and the making of a developed India," the President said.

"This 25-year span is for all of us and for every citizen of the country to perform our duties to the utmost levels. An opportunity to build an era beckons us for which we need to work continuously with our full potential. By 2047, we have to build a nation, which not only embraces its glorious past, but also encompasses every golden aspect of modernity.

"We have to build a Bharat, which is self-reliant and also able to fulfill its humanitarian obligations. A Bharat which has no poverty and where the middle class is also prosperous. A Bharat whose youth and women power will be at the forefront to give direction to the society and the nation, and whose youth are well ahead of time. A Bharat whose diversity is even more vivid and whose unity becomes even more unshakeable," she added.

She said when the country actualises this reality in 2047, it will certainly observe and assess the foundation of its grand construction.

The President said the mantra of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas', 'Sabka Vishwas' and 'Sabka Prayas' has now become the inspiration for building a developed India.

"In a few months, my government will complete nine years on this Kartavya Path of development.

In almost nine years of my government's term, the people of India have witnessed many positive changes for the first time. The biggest change is that today every Indian's confidence is at its peak and the world's outlook towards India has changed," she said.

She said the digital network that India has built is a source of inspiration even for developed countries.

"The long felt urge to be rid of the scourge of mega scams and corruption in government schemes is now being realized. Today the debate is no longer about policy paralysis, instead India is being recognized for her rapid development and the far-sightedness of her decisions. That is why, we have now become the fifth largest economy in the world, up from the 10th spot. This is the foundation which elevates the self-confidence for building a developed Bharat in the next 25 years.

"Today India has a government which respects the honest. Today India has a government working for permanent solution of the problems of the poor and their lasting empowerment. Today India has a government working at an unprecedented speed and scale. Today India has a government that gives pre-eminence to public welfare by leveraging innovation and technology.

"Today India has a government which is committed to removing every obstacle being faced by women. Today there is a government in India which is committed to progress as well as the protection of nature. Today India has a government that preserves heritage while also embracing modernity. Today India has a government which is moving forward confidently to play its rightful role on the global stage," she said.

Referring to COVID-19, the President said the stable and decisive government has enabled the country to deal with the biggest calamity in 100 years and the situation that arose thereafter.

She said corruption is the biggest enemy of democracy and social justice and there has been a relentless fight against corruption in the last few years.

She said today the monetary benefits of more than 300 schemes are directly reaching the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.

"So far, an amount of more than Rupees 27 lakh crore has reached crores of beneficiaries with complete transparency. Every taxpayer feels proud when corruption is reined in and every penny of tax is put to good use."

"From Ayushman Bharat and Jan Aushadhi schemes alone, the countrymen have got assistance worth Rupees one lakh crore."

She said the government has fulfilled the wishes of each such section of society which has been deprived for centuries.

"We have fulfilled the wishes of the poor, dalits, backwards and tribal communities and given them the courage to dream. No work, no effort is small, and each has its role in development. With this spirit, emphasis is being laid on the development of deprived sections and underdeveloped regions."

She said 11 crore small farmers of the country are also on the priority list of the government.

"My government stands firmly with small farmers for enhancing their capacity from setting up of FPOs i.e. Farmer Producer Organizations to increasing MSP of crops."

She referred to government's efforts to push development in aspirational districts and said the North East and border areas are experiencing a new pace of development.

The President said all the welfare schemes launched by government have at the centre of them a vision to make life easier for women, provide new opportunities for employment and self-employment to women and ensure women empowerment.

Noting that heritage connects people to roots, she said the government has chosen the path of consolidating heritage and giving priority to development.

"Today, on the one hand, Ayodhya Dham is being constructed in the country, while on the other hand, the modern Parliament House is also being built. "

She said the country is moving ahead with the inspiration of 'Panch Prans' in the Amrit Kaal of independence. "My government is constantly trying to get rid of every sign of 'slave mentality'."

President Murmu said the country has started reaping the fruits of success of the Make in India and the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaigns. "Today India's manufacturing capacity is increasing and manufacturing companies from all over the world are also coming to India. Today we have initiated efforts for manufacturing of semiconductor chips and aeroplanes in India."

The President said seven years earlier, there were only a few hundred registered start-ups in India, today this number is almost 90,000.

"After the formation of my government, on an average, 11,000 houses were built every day for the poor in India, under the Awas Yojana. In the same period, an average of 2.5 lakh people got connected to broadband every day in India. More than 55,000 gas connections were given every day. Loans worth more than Rupees 700 crore were disbursed every day under the Mudra Yojana.

"In India, almost one medical college has come up every month in the last eight-nine years. During this period, two colleges have been established every day and a university established every week. Within just 2 years, India has administered more than 220 crore vaccine doses," she said.

Referring to social infrastructure, she said while 145 medical colleges were opened in the country between 2004 and 2014, more than 260 medical colleges have been opened during the tenure of my government from 2014 to 2022.

"The number of graduate and postgraduate seats for medical students has now doubled in the country as compared to earlier period. While there were about 725 universities in the country before 2014, more than 300 new universities have been set up in the last eight years. More than 5000 colleges have also been opened in the country during this period.

"Similarly, new records have been made in the country in terms of physical infrastructure. About 3.81 lakh km of roads were built in the country till 2013-14 under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. However, by 2021-22, this network of rural roads has increased to more than 7 lakh km. So far, more than 99 percent of the country's habitations have been connected by road."

She said the National Highway network has grown by more than 55 percent during the last eight years.

"Soon, more than 550 districts of the country will be connected by highways under the Bharatmala project. The number of corridors which will give impetus to the economy is going to increase from 6 to 50.

"The country's aviation sector is also growing rapidly. Upto 2014, the number of airports in the country was 74, it has now increased to 147. Today India has become the third largest aviation market in the world.

She said the government has increased the solar power capacity by almost 20 times in the last eight years and India ranks fourth in the world in renewable energy capacity. The government has also approved Hydrogen Mission recently.

She said the world is witnessing many challenges and relevance and efficacy of international institutions created decades ago is also being questioned.

"Under these circumstances, India has emerged as a country that is connecting today's divided world in some form or the other. India is today among those countries that are reinforcing the trust in the global supply chain. Therefore, today, the world is looking towards India with high hopes."

The President said India has assumed the Presidency of an influential global group like G-20.

"With the mantra of One Earth, One Family, One Future, India is attempting to find collective solutions to the current global challenges in collaboration with the G-20 member countries."

She said India's eternal journey as the mother of democracy is filled with infinite pride.

"India's knowledge, science and spirituality have been guiding the world for centuries and it will continue to guide the world in the same way in the coming centuries. The ideals and values of India have remained intact even in the dark period of slavery, and they will continue to remain intact. India's identity as a nation was immortal in the past, and will remain immortal in the future as well.

"In this Parliament, which is the heart of our democracy, it should be our endeavor to set goals that seem difficult and achieve them. We should try to accomplish today what is to be done tomorrow. What others are still thinking of doing, we Indians should accomplish before them. Let us fulfill the oath of the Constitution by walking on our Kartavya Path in this Mahayagna of nation building," the President said. (ANI)

 
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