New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday addressed the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and congratulated all newly-elected MPs, post the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.
The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha began on Monday and the 264th session of the Rajya Sabha will begin on June 27.
“I congratulate all the newly-elected members of the 18th Lok Sabha. You all have come here by winning the trust of the country’s voters. Very few get this opportunity to serve the nation and the people. I have full faith that you would fulfil your duties with a feeling of the nation first,” President Murmu said as she addressed the House.
The President reached the Parliament in a procession from the Rashtrapati Bhavan, escorted by the horse-mounted presidential bodyguards.
She was received by Prime Minister Modi and the presiding officers of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha at the Gaja Dwar of the Parliament building from where she was escorted to the Lower House chamber with the traditional sceptre ‘Sengol’ in the lead.
Speaking of the Lok Sabha elections in the House, the President said, “On behalf of crores of countrymen, I would like to express gratitude to the Election Commission of India. This was the biggest election in the world.”
“Decades-long records of voting have been broken in Jammu and Kashmir. For the past four decades, Kashmir has witnessed low voting amid shutdowns and strikes. India’s enemies propagated it as the opinion of Kashmir, on international forums. But this time, the Kashmir valley gave a befitting reply to all such forces,” the President said.
“A stable government with a complete majority has been formed in the country after six decades. People have shown trust in this government for the third time. People are aware that only this government can fulfil their aspirations,” the President said, as she spoke of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term.
“The 18th Lok Sabha is historic in many ways. This Lok Sabha was formed in the early years of the ‘Amrit Kaal’. This Lok Sabha will also be a witness to the 56th year of adoption of the Constitution of the country.”
“In the upcoming sessions, this government is going to present the first budget of this term. This budget will be a futuristic, effective document of the government’s far-reaching policies and futuristic vision. Along with big economic and social decisions, fast-tracked reforms, and many historic steps will also be seen in this budget,” she said.
President Murmu also praised India’s economy under PM Narendra Modi’s governance, and said, “The pledge of reform, performance and transformation has made India the fastest-growing economy in the world. In 10 years, India rose from the 11th position to become the 5th largest economy in the world. Despite a pandemic and conflicts in different parts of the world, India has been able to achieve this growth rate. This became possible due to the reforms and decisions taken in the national interest in the last 10 years.”
“Today, India contributes to 15 per cent of global growth. My government is working towards making India the 3rd largest economy in the world,” the President said.
Speaking of rural and farm reforms, the President said, “The government is working on storage initiatives for agri-products and has increased MSP for farm produce. The demand for organic products is increasing globally and Indian farmers are capable of fulfilling this demand.”
“The government has built 3.8 lakh km rural roads under PM Gramin Sadak Yojana to connect villages. The government is also working for lasting peace in the North East, while several old problems have been addressed in the last 10 years,” she said.
