PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS SETS OUT CHALLENGES BEFORE THE GOVERNMENT
The Budget Session of Parliament commenced with the Presidential Address to both Houses of Parliament on 12 March 2012. The President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil highlighted the achievements and the future plan of the government. The Indian economy which had grown at a rate of 8.4 per cent in 2010-11 slowed down to about seven per cent this year. She was confident that the economy would soon return back to the high growth trajectory of eight to nine per cent. The year 2012-13 would mark the first year of the 12th Five Year Plan that set the goal
Disclosure and Protection of Persons Making the Disclosure Bill and the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill. These Bills, once enacted, would help in curbing corruption and enhancing transparency and accountability in governance. She further added that the
Unique Identification Programme would improve service delivery for millions of underprivileged people. New e- Governance projects in education, health, public distribution and postal services would be launched for providing easy services to citizens. The President asserted that government would continue to focus on ensuring greater transparency, efficiency and accountability in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme. The government would work
Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil
of faster, sustainable and more inclusive growth. Reiterating the government’s commitment to provide an honest and more efficient government, she said several important steps had been taken towards that end. A number of Bills had been introduced in the Parliament including the Public Interest
on five important challenges that included: striving for livelihood security and continuing to work to improve issues regarding poverty, hunger and illiteracy. The President supported the National Intelligence Grid and the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) which she said aimed to improve India's capability to counter internal security threats. Touching upon foreign affairs, the President said the government remained firmly committed to the success of the South Asian Association for Regional
Dr Girija Vyas
Cooperation, ASEAN, G-20, BRICS and IBSA. She said India believed in resolving all outstanding issues with Pakistan through dialogue and attached high priority to the development of its strategic and cooperative partnership with China. On 13 March, Dr Girija Vyas,
a senior member of the Indian National Congress moved the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address. Referring to the recent elections in five of the Indian states, Dr Vyas said it was a testimony to the maturity of Indian democracy. Elaborating the efforts made by the UPA government to help those most vulnerable in society, she highlighted the government’s initiatives in containing inflation, besides the emphasis on health, education and inclusive growth. The Lok Pal Bill was introduced in Parliament to fight corruption but could not be passed due to the non-cooperative attitude of the opposition. She said a unified command was needed
to fight terrorism and extremism. Seconding the Motion, Dr Shashi Tharoor (INC) said the difference between the UPA government and some of its predecessors was that it believed in growth. India had become the world’s second largest telecommunications market and the government was going to create a national optical network to connect the unconnected. The Food Security Bill would ensure that no one remained hungry. India was ready to assume its global responsibilities in the 21st century, said Dr Tharoor. Shri Rajnath Singh, a
senior member of the BJP said while the opposition was willing to extend constructive
Shri Rajnath Singh
cooperation to the government on issues of national interest, the government was not. Instead of strengthening the federal structure of the country through cooperation between the centre and states, the