President of India Ram Nath Kovind addresses both houses before Budget Session
President of India Ram Nath Kovind on Monday said that the government was taking steps to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. This was one of the several highlights of President Kovind’s joint address to the Parliament prior to the commencement of the Union Budget Session for the financial year 2021-22.
The President said that the government was far-sighted and it’s PM Ayushman Bharat Health infrastructure Mission will prepare the country for any health crisis in the future, reported ANI.
“To deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, the country's efforts are not limited to immediate challenges. Thus, my government is planning farsighted solutions which will be useful in the future as well. With the cost of Rs 64,000 crore, PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission started by the government is one example. This will not only help in meeting the present health needs but also prepare the country for future crises”, he said.
The President also said that more than 80 thousand health and wellness centres and crores of Ayushman Bharat cards helped the poor in their treatment. The government reduced the cost of treatment by making medicines available at affordable prices through more than 8,000 Jan Aushadhi centres, he added.
Addressing the joint sitting on the first day of the Budget Session, President Kovind also said that close to 1 lakh crore had been sanctioned for 1,000 schemes to boost the Agri sector in India.
He said, “The government believes in the basic mantra of 'Antyodaya', in which there is social justice, equality, respect and equal opportunities. Schemes like PM Awas Yojana, PM Svanidhi, Har Ghar Jal and PM Svamitva are greatly benefiting the citizens across the country”.
The President said that the government was working relentlessly to empower the rural economy and the farmers of the country. “Under Svamitva Yojana, more than 40 lakh property cards have been distributed in around 27,000 villages. The government is working relentlessly to empower the rural economy and the farmers of the country. Keeping in mind the record production, the government has also made record procurement," he said.
Saying that the government was focused on small farmers, the President said, “The government is working on empowering small farmers. With schemes like Samman Nidhi Yojana, Fasal Bima Yojana, Krishi Infrastructure Fund, the government is building AatmaNirbhar Krishi ecosystem”.
Further speaking on the government’s work towards Digital India, President Kovind said, “I would also appreciate the vision of the government for the success of the country's UPI platform in the context of Digital India and the growing spread of the digital economy. In December 2021, more than eight lakh crore rupees have been transacted through UPI in the country.”
The President added that the government was giving training to thousands of women self-help group members to include them as ‘Banking Sakhi’.
In a bid to enhance the internet connectivity in the country, the President informed that the government was working on developing 5G, the fifth-generation of wireless technology.
He said, "India is one of the nations that have the cheapest internet and mobile phones. We are also working on developing 5G. Our PLI Scheme on semi-conductor will further boost our startups ecosystem".
The President then added, "The government has relaxed various norms in the patents and Trademarks sector and therefore we have already witnessed 6,000 applications for patents and 20,000 applications for Trademarks in the FY 2021-22."
India had once again established itself as the world’s fastest growing economy, said President Kovind. He said, “Due to consistent endeavours, India has again emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. GST collection has consistently remained above Rs 1 lakh crore during the last several months”.
The inflow of 48 billion dollars in the first seven months of the current financial year was a testimony to the belief of global investor community in India’s growth story, according to the President.
“India's foreign exchange reserves today exceed 630 billion dollars. Our exports have also grown rapidly, breaking several past records. During April to December 2021, our goods-exports stood at 300 billion dollars or more than Rupees 22 lakh crore, which is one and a half times more than the corresponding period of 2020”, he said while speaking on the increasing exports of the country.
He further said that the government launched 14 key schemes with an outlay of over 1,97,000 crore to fully realise the potential of the manufacturing sector and to create new opportunities for the youth. "These schemes will not only help transform India as a global manufacturing hub but also create over 60 lakh jobs," he said.
President Kovind also said that the government has also recently announced a package of Rs 76,000 crore for silicon and compound semiconductor fabrication, display FAB, chip design and related ventures to develop our country as a global leader in electronics and technology hardware.
He also said, "The government has relaxed various norms in the patents and Trademarks sector and therefore we have already witnessed 6,000 applications for patents and 20,000 applications for Trademarks in the FY 2021-22."
