New Delhi: The Budget Session of Parliament, the last of the present Lok Sabha, began on Wednesday with an address by President Droupadi Murmu to a joint sitting.
The President pointed out that it was her first address in the new Parliament building which was built at beginning of 'Amrit Kaal', the BJP government's road map for India's progress till 2047 when it completes 100 years of independence.
"In last 10 years, we have seen India becoming one of the top five economies from 'Fragile 5'," she said while pointing out that India has one of the strongest banking systems in the world.
"According to NITI Aayog, in the 10-year rule of my government, nearly 25 crore people have come out of poverty. Earlier, the country's rate of inflation was in double digits. It is now within 4 per cent," the President remarked.
President Murmu also congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the passing of the Women's Reservation Bill and other important legislations. “Building of Ram temple has been a dream of centuries, it is a reality now,” she said.
PM Modi appeals to Opposition for peace
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the country is touching new heights of progress and asserted that its journey of "inclusive and all-round" development will continue with people's blessings.
In his remarks ahead of Parliament's Budget Session, Modi also slammed those opposition MPs who "habitually" disrupt proceedings. "Those habitual of creating disturbances, those who disrobe democratic values, all such honourable MPs must certainly introspect in this last session of Parliament of what they have done in the last ten years," the prime minister said.
"I am of the firm belief that the country is moving forward and touching new heights of progress ... the country is experiencing all-round and inclusive development," he said. "We are going to follow the tradition of presenting a full-fledged budget after the new government is formed," Modi said.
Following the customary all-party meeting on the eve the a session, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the government sought the cooperation of all the parties for the short session, even as the main opposition Congress raised issues like the alleged attack on Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra in Assam, the alleged "misuse" of probe agencies and the Manipur situation.
Joshi said the main agenda of the 17th Lok Sabha's brief session, set to conclude on February 9, was the President's Address, the presentation of the Interim Budget and the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address with a reply by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While Murmu's address covered a gamut of issues, from political to cultural and economic, to highlight the government's achievements during the 10 years under Modi, political watchers will be keen to see the measures announced by Sitharaman ahead of the polls.
Though Parliament will be passing only the interim budget for the rest of the tenure of the government, the minister may make a host of proposals to woo different voting blocs to highlight what the government will do if re-elected. Then Finance Minister Piyush Goyal had made a host of proposals, including tax sops and welfare measures, in the interim budget he had presented in 2019 before the elections, which saw the government retain power with a stronger mandate.
(With PTI inputs)
