NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday cited India’s fight against the Covid pandemic, record procurement of farm produce and steps taken to improve internal security as “collective achievements” of the country.
Kovind credited small farmers for the strength of the agricultural sector and lauded the Narendra Modi government for its push to women’s rights. In his address to the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament, Kovind pointed out that 150 crore doses were administered in a record time.
He added that the Rs 64,000 crore PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission will prepare the country for a health crisis in the future.
Among the achievements listed out by President Kovind was that over six crore rural households are getting tap water under the Har Ghar Jal initiative.
Amid the plans by the Opposition to corner the government over farmer issues, Kovind said India’s agriculture exports have crossed Rs 3 lakh crore and that the farmers produced 30 crore tonnes of food grains and 33 crore horticulture produce in 2020-21.
Over 11 crore families received Rs 1.80 lakh crore through the PM-KISAN, the President said, adding that the government procured more than 433 lakh MT of wheat,which benefited over 50 lakh farmers.
Regarding women empowerment, Kovind said the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao initiative has yielded many positive results, including improvement in the number of girls enrolled in schools.
The President also spoke in favour of the government’s bill to increase marriageable age for women from 18 years to 21 years.
Additionally, the government has also provided training to thousands of members of the women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and made them partners as ‘Banking Sakhi’ who are delivering banking services to rural households at the doorsteps, he said.
Defence indigenisation
The thrust to indigenisation and reforms in India’s defence sector was highlighted by the President.
“Of all the approvals accorded for modernisation of armed forces in 2020-21, 87% were from the ‘Make in India’ category. Similarly, in 2020-21, preference was accorded to the ‘Make in India’ category in 98% of equipment- related contracts,” he said.