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Amidst Global Instability, India is setting an example by emerging as Pillar of Political Stability: President Murmu


President Droupadi Murmu has said that amidst global instability, India is setting an example to the world by emerging as a pillar of economic, social and political stability. The President said this while addressing the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in the Parliament House today. She expressed confidence that the future generations of the country will witness a developed, strong, capable and prosperous India by 2047.

The President said that her government is working at an unprecedented pace for the development of the country and to ensure the welfare of the people with a vision of Reform, Perform and Transform. She said that the capital expenditure budget witnessed a record allocation of 11 lakh crore rupees which was only two lakh crore rupees 10 years ago. Highlighting the steps taken for building a robust infrastructure in the country, she said, the country is moving forward from Make in India to Make for the World which is creating employment opportunities. She said the government has sanctioned 70 thousand crore rupees to connect 25 thousand habitations under the fourth phase of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. She said massive work has been done to extend the metro network in the country which has crossed the one thousand kilometre milestone. She said, the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project has been completed and now the country will be connected by railway line from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. She said that several Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat and Namo Bharat Trains are operating in the country and the last six months a fleet of 17 new Vande Bharat trains and one Namo Train has been operationalized. She said the government is working to develop a modern and self-reliant agricultural system with a focus on doubling the income of farmers and giving appropriate rates to farm produce. She said, the government has started ‘Mission Mausam’ with the outlay of two thousand crore rupees to make the country weather-ready and climate-smart. She said, 41 thousand crore rupees has been disbursed to farmers in recent months under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. The President said the government has taken historic steps to protect the country’s borders and ensure internal security. She said the development of the border areas of the country is an important part of the nation’s strategy along with protecting the borders. She said the government has also made swift progress on critical issues like One Nation-One Election and the Waqf Act Amendment.

On the welfare schemes, the President said, her government is committed to granting ownership rights of residential land to the rural poor and promoting financial inclusion. She mentioned that over two crore 25 lakh property cards have been issued under the SVAMITVA scheme so far. She said, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana has been expanded to provide new houses to three crore additional families across the country. She said that under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, the government has decided to provide health insurance to six crore senior citizens aged 70 years or above. She added that the Dharti Aba Janjati Gram Utkarsh campaign has been started for five crore tribal people. The President said the government has initiated the Aspirational Districts programme in the country’s most backward areas to ensure good governance. She said, that along with the development of the Northeast, the government has started working on the action plan for Purvodaya to ensure all-round development. On the steps taken to ensure the welfare of government employees, the President said, the government decided to constitute the Eighth Pay Commission decision that will lay the foundation for substantial salary increases for government employees in the coming years.

Listing out the priorities of her government, President Droupadi Murmu said, a special focus has been laid on providing quality education and creating new employment opportunities. She added that one crore youth will be provided internships in the top 500 companies of the country. She said a modern education system is being provided to students under the National Education Policy. On women empowerment, she said, the government is working with the vision of women-led development. She said that banking and Digi Payment Sakhis are playing an instrumental role in financial inclusion. She termed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam a significant step towards women-led development.

Highlighting the initiatives taken to build a robust digital infrastructure in the country, the President said, her government has used digital technology as a tool for social justice and equality. She said that efforts to enhance cyber security have been marked by the fact that the country has received tier-1 status in cyber security in the world. She added that the India AI Mission has been started in the field of Artificial Intelligence. She also lauded the digital payment system saying that small shopkeepers are getting benefits from this. Expressing concern over the rising cases of cybercrime, she said that her government is taking concrete measures to curb cyber fraud. The President said, her government is moving forward with the vision of creating a ‘green future’ and ‘green jobs’. She said several big decisions have been taken to achieve the target of 500-gigawatt non-fossil fuel energy capability by 2030.

The President said that India’s growth in the sports arena has been remarkable. She made a special mention of the performances and achievements of Indian athletes at the Olympics and Paralympics. She said, her government has taken significant steps to create a world-class sports ecosystem in the country. She said initiatives like the Khelo India Scheme, the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), and the establishment of the National Sports University are contributing to this vision. She said a special sports centre for Divyang athletes has been opened in Gwalior. She also lauded the Indian Team’s remarkable success at the World Chess Championship.

On the ongoing Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, the President said, this festival highlights the country’s rich cultural heritage and social bonding. She said millions of devotees from across the country and the world have taken the holy dip at Prayagraj. She expressed her sorrow over the unfortunate incident that occurred on Mauni Amavasya and wished for the speedy recovery of the injured. She also paid tribute to former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

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