President Pranab Mukherjee addressed a joint sitting of Parliament,
laying the roadmap of the new government headed by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi. The President's speech highlighted the government's economic agenda. In
his address in the Central Hall of Parliament, the President listed priorities
of the NDA government which include focusing on rural development, attracting
foreign investments and taking India back to the path of economic growth.
Key Highlights:
·
He said the Lok
Sabha elections have been an election of hope with the electorate transcending
the boundaries of caste creed and religion to vote in favour of development.
According to him, serving citizens should be the government’s first priority.
·
Containing
food inflation is a top priority for
the government and it plans to tackle it by improving supply-side
bottlenecks.
·
The government
will take steps to check hoarding and black marketing. It will also
reform the public distribution system. President Mukherjee also said the
government is alert to the possibility of below-normal monsoon. "The
government is already preparing contingency plans in case there is poor
monsoon. Reinstating the policy of ‘minimum government, maximum
governance’, he pledged to work to re-establish the credibility of institutions.
·
President
Mukherjee also said the government is committed to reviving the agricultural
sector and substantial investment will be made for rural asset creation. The
government will hike investment in farm infrastructure and will address issues in
farm pricing and procurement. It will also launch prime minister’s farm
irrigation scheme and will accord high priority to water security.
·
In the
education sector, the president said
the government will formulate National Education Policy and set up IIT, IIM in
every state. It will also launch national multi-skill mission. The
government also plans to digitize records and make an effort to scrap obsolete
laws and regulations.
· It plans to
set up Wi-fi zones in critical areas in five years and will roll out broadband
highway to reach each village.
·
The government is
also planning to formulate a new health policy. It will roll out
National Health Assurance Mission and set up AIIMS-like institutes in all
states. It will also launch clean, hygienic India mission.
·
The president
said social media will be the tool for participative governance. The
government will also vigorously follow up black money with foreign governments.
·
President
Mukherjee also said the government will encourage private investment in defence
production.It will carry out reforms
in defence procurement and will liberalise FDI in defence production.
·
The government
also pledged to progressively modernise courts. It is also committed to
providing 33 percent women quota in Parliament and will follow a policy
of zero tolerance in crime against women.
·
The government
has also committed to pursue coal sector reforms to attract investment.
It also envisages to have diamond quadrilateral plan for high-speed trains.
President Mukherjee reiterated the prime minister’s commitment to take steps to
ensure clean Ganga.
·
In order to
connect small towns, the government is planning to promote low-cost airports. It will also work to revamp all ports in the country
and evolve a model of port-led development. It plans to develop new world-class
ports. The government plans to promote cleaner fuels and formulate a clear
policy on natural resources.
·
President
Mukherjee also said the government will set up National Maritime Authority
and will build National War Memorial. It will implement
one-rank-one-pension for armed forces.
·
That foreign
policy will be an important agenda for the new government was obvious when
Modi invited all SAARC heads to attend his swearing-in ceremony. The new
government will work with neighbours to revitalize SAARC. It will work to
further boost strategic ties with China. It will also boost ties with Japan
for infrastructure investment and will build more on relations with Russia.
The new government is planning to bring renewed vigour in engagement with
the US.
