Indian President Pranab Mukherjee addressed a joint sitting ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ of the Parliament to lay the roadmap of the new government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 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. Also Read: Presidents speech: Stocks on fire as govt promises reforms 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, he added. 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. He said the government is seriously mulling options, including river-linking. 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. President Mukherjee also said digital India will be the backbone of the new government’s working. 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. On Monday, the president too said that 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
Posted on: Mon, 09 Jun 2014 12:21:24 +0000
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