Amidst serious global crises, India emerged as the fastest-growing major economy: Droupadi Murmu

Amidst serious global crises, India emerged as
the fastest-growing major economy: Droupadi Murmu

President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu delivered her address at the beginning of the Budget session of Parliament on 31st January, 2024. It was her first address in the new Parliament building. In her address, she said that the magnificent building was constructed at the beginning of “Azadi ka Amrit Kaal.” It is imbued with the fragrance of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ and is a testimony to India’s civilization and culture. She also mentioned the massive success of schemes like PMAY,Ayushmaan Bharat, PM-KISAN etc. The following are excerpts from the address : 

This year is also the 75th year of adoption of our Constitution. During this period of Amrit Mahotsav, the celebration of 75 years of independence was completed. During this period, many programmes were organized across the country. The country remembered its unsung freedom fighters. After 75 years, the young generation relived that period of freedom struggle.

During this Amrit Mahotsav campaign :

• Amrit Kalash containing soil from every village of the country were brought to Delhi under the ‘Meri Maati, Mera Desh’ campaign.
• Over 2 lakh plaques were installed.
• More than three crore people took the oath of the ‘Panch Pran’.
• More than 70,000 Amrit Sarovars were built.
• Amidst serious global crises, India emerged as the fastest-growing major economy, consistently maintaining a growth rate of over 7.5 percent for two consecutive quarters.
• India became the first country to hoist its flag on the southern pole of the Moon.
• India successfully launched the Aditya Mission and its satellite reached a distance of 15 lakh kilometers away from Earth.
• Success of the historic G-20 Summit strengthened India’s global standing.
  India won more than 100 medals for the first time in Asian Games.
• We also won more than 100 medals in Para Asian Games.
• India got its largest sea-bridge, the Atal Setu.
• India got its first Namo Bharat train and the first Amrit Bharat train.
• India became the country with the fastest 5G rollout in the world.
• An Indian Airline company executed the world’s largest aircraft deal.
• Last year, my government has given government jobs to lakhs of youth in mission mode.
• Over the past 12 months, my government introduced several important legislations.
• These laws have been enacted with the cooperation of all parliamentarians.
  These are laws that lay a strong foundation for the realization of vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’.
• I appreciate all of you for having enacted the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam after a wait of three decades.
• This has paved the way for ensuring greater participation of women in the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies.
• This strengthens my government’s resolve for women-led development.
  My government has continuously upheld its commitment to Reform, Perform and Transform.
• The criminal justice system rooted in the era of slavery is now history. Now, justice takes precedence over punishment. The nation has got a new Nyaya Sanhita based on the principle of ‘Justice First’.
• The Digital Personal Data Protection Act will make the digital space more secure.
• “Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act” will strengthen research and innovation in the country.
• The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act will ensure the right to representation to tribals there.
• During this period the Central University Act was amended. This paved the way for setting up a Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University in Telangana.
• Last year, 76 other old laws were also repealed.
• My government is aware of the concerns of youth regarding irregularities in examinations.
• Therefore, it has been decided to enact a new law to deal sternly with such malpractices.
• Any nation can progress at a fast pace only when it overcomes the past challenges and invests maximum energy in the future.
• Over the past 10 years, India has witnessed several such tasks being accomplished in the national interest, for which the people of the country were waiting for decades.
• For centuries, there was an aspiration to construct the Ram Mandir. Today it is a reality.
• There were doubts regarding the removal of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. Those are now history.
• This Parliament also enacted a strict law against ‘Triple Talaq’.
• This Parliament also enacted a law to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities from our neighboring countries.
• My government also implemented One Rank One Pension,
• which was awaited for four decades. After implementation of OROP, the ex-servicemen have by now received approximately Rupees 1 lakh crore.

• For the first time, a Chief of Defence Staff has been appointed for India’s defence forces.

Outcome of ten years

• The achievements that are visible today are the outcome of the endeavors of last 10 years.
• Since childhood, we have been hearing the slogan of ‘Garibi Hatao’. Now, for the first time in our lives, we are witnessing eradication of poverty on a massive scale.
• According to NITI Aayog, in the last one decade of my Government, about 25 crore countrymen have been lifted out of poverty.
• This is something that instills great confidence among the poor.
• If the poverty of 25 crore people can be alleviated, then her poverty can also be alleviated.
• If we look at various dimensions of the economy today, then it boosts our confidence that India is moving forward in the right direction, taking right decisions.

Good Governance

• In the last decade, my government has made good governance and transparency the main foundation of every institution.
• As a result of this, we have witnessed major economic reforms.
• During this period, Insolvency and Bankruptcy code was enacted in the country.
• The country now has One country One Tax law in the form of GST.
• My Government has also ensured macro-economic stability.
• In 10 years, Capex has increased 5 times to Rupees 10 lakh crore. Fiscal Deficit is also under control.

Make in India

• Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat campaigns have become our strengths.
• Today, India is the world’s second-largest producer of mobile phones.
  During the last decade, there has been a five-fold increase in mobile phone manufacturing.
• A few years ago, India used to import toys, today India is exporting Made in India toys.
• India’s defence production has crossed Rupees one lakh crore.
• Today, every Indian feels proud on seeing the country’s indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

Ease of Doing Business

• We are committed to creating a conducive environment for doing business in India, and the government is consistently working towards this goal.
• There has been consistent improvement in Ease of Doing Business.
• More than 40,000 compliances have been removed or simplified in the last few years.
• 63 provisions in the Companies Act and Limited Liability Partnership Act have been removed from the list of criminal offences.
• The Jan Vishwas Act has decriminalized 183 provisions under various laws.
• A Mediation law has been enacted for amicable resolution of disputes outside the court.
• Forest and Environment Clearances now take less than 75 days whereas it used to take 600 days earlier.
• Faceless Assessment Scheme has brought greater transparency in tax administration.
• Our MSME sector is also benefiting enormously from reforms.

Digitalization

• The facility of DigiLocker is also making life easier. More than 6 billion documents have so far been issued to its users.
• Digital Health IDs of around 53 crore people have been created under Ayushman Bharat Health Account.
• Along with digital, there has been record investment in physical infrastructure. Today, infrastructure is being built in India, the kind of which every Indian used to dream about.

Infrastructure Development

• 10,000 kilometers of gas pipeline has been laid in the country.
• One Nation, One Power Grid has improved power transmission in the country.
• One Nation, One Gas Grid is boosting gas-based economy.
• The metro facility, limited to only 5 cities is now in 20 cities.
• More than 25 thousand kilometers of railway tracks were laid. This is more than the total length of railway tracks in many developed countries.
• India is very close to 100% electrification of railways.
• During this period, semi high-speed trains have been started for the first time in India.
• Today Vande Bharat trains are running on more than 39 routes.
• More than 1300 railway stations are being transformed under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.

Viksit Bharat

• My government believes that the grand edifice of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ will be erected on 4 strong pillars.
• These pillars are – youth power, women power, farmers and poor.
• With this objective, Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra has been underway since 15th November. So far, around 19 crore citizens have participated in this yatra.
• In the 10 years prior to 2014, the average inflation rate was over 8 percent. However, the average inflation rate has been maintained at 5 percent in the last decade.
• My government’s endeavour has been to increase savings in the hands of ordinary citizens.

No tax on income up to Rupees 7 lakh

• Earlier, Income Tax in India was levied on income of Rupees 2 lakh and above.
• Today in India, there is no tax on income up to Rupees 7 lakh.
• Due to tax exemptions and reforms, Indian taxpayers have saved about Rupees 2.5 lakh crore in the last 10 years.

Women’s economic participation

• My government has made relentless efforts to enhance women’s economic participation.
• Today about 10 crore women are associated with Self-help groups.
• Bank loans worth Rupees 8 lakh crore and financial assistance worth Rupees 40 thousand crores have been disbursed to these groups.
• The government is implementing a campaign to make 2 crore women Lakhpati Didis.
• 15 thousand drones are being provided to groups under NAMO Drone Didi scheme.
• Increasing maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks has greatly benefited lakhs of women of the country.

Farmers

• My government is laying stress on making farming more profitable. Our aim is to reduce the cost of farming while increasing profits.
• For the first time, my government has given priority to over 10 crore small farmers in the country’s agricultural policy and schemes.
• Under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, farmers have received over Rupees 2 lakh 80 thousand crore so far.
• Over the past 10 years, there has been a threefold increase in easy loans for farmers from banks.
• Under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, farmers paid a premium of Rupees 30 thousand crore. In return, they have received a claim of Rupees 1.5 lakh crore.

• In the last 10 years, farmers have received nearly Rupees 18 lakh crore as MSP (Minimum Support Price) for paddy and wheat crops.

Development through Cooperation

• For the first time in the country, livestock farmers and fishermen have been given the benefit of Kisan Credit Card.
• In the last decade, per capita milk availability has increased by 40 percent.
  The first free vaccination campaign is underway to protect animals from foot and mouth diseases.
• So far, more than 50 crore doses have been administered to animals in four phases.
• All these public welfare schemes are not just services. These are having a positive impact on the life cycle of the citizens of the country.
• The outcomes of my government’s schemes have been the subject of studies by various government and non-government organizations.

Human-centric development

• My government guided by the mantra of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas”, is committed to provide fair opportunities to every section of the society.
• For the first time, benefit of reservation has been extended to persons belonging to economically weaker sections of the general category.
• 27 percent reservation has been introduced under central quota for OBCs in under graduate and postgraduate medical courses.
• Constitutional status has been granted to National Commission for Backward Classes.
• 5 places associated with Baba Saheb Ambedkar have been developed as Panchteerth.
• 10 museums dedicated to tribal freedom fighters are being built across the country.

Modern infrastructure along the border

• Today my government is building modern infrastructure along the entire border. This work should have been done long ago on priority basis. Be it terrorism or expansionism, our forces today are giving a befitting response.

Roadmap for the next 25 years

• This vision also has a programme for the next 5 years. It also has a roadmap for the next 25 years. For us, the vision of Viksit Bharat is not limited to economic prosperity alone.
• We are giving equal importance to social, cultural and strategic strengths. Without them, the development and economic prosperity would not be permanent.
• The decisions of the last decade have also been taken with this objective in mind. Many more steps are being taken keeping this goal in mind.

Clean Energy

• My government is promoting green mobility in a big way. Lakhs of electric vehicles have been manufactured in the country in the last few years alone.
• We have now taken steps even for manufacturing of big aircrafts in India.
• Crores of new jobs will be created in the manufacturing sector in the coming days.
• In 10 years, non-fossil fuel based energy capacity has increased from 81 Gigawatt to 188 Gigawatt.
• Work is also being done at a very fast pace in the field of nuclear energy. My government has approved 10 new nuclear power plants.
• India is also progressing at a fast pace in the field of Hydrogen energy. So far, we have started two projects in Ladakh and Daman-Diu.
• My government has done unprecedented work in the field of Ethanol. The country has achieved the target of 12 percent Ethanol blending.

Encouragment of circular economy

• Under Atal Innovation Mission, 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs have been established to promote innovation. More than 1 crore students are involved in it.
• There were 7 AIIMS and less than 390 medical colleges in the country upto 2014, while, in the last decade 16 AIIMS and 315 medical colleges have been established.
• 157 nursing colleges are also being established.
• In the past decade, the number of MBBS seats has more than doubled.

Support to sports and sportspersons

• We are strengthening the sports economy to connect the country’s youth with skills and employment.
• My government has given unprecedented support to sports and sportspersons.
• Today India is moving towards becoming a great sporting power.

Grand temple in Ayodhya

• This year, on January 22, the country witnessed a similar epochal moment.
• After waiting for centuries, Ram Lalla has now been enshrined in his grand temple in Ayodhya.
• This was a matter of aspirations and faith for crores of our countrymen and the resolution of this has been accomplished in a harmonious manner.