GOVERNMENT Is Focused On Finding Permanent Solution To Rural Distress: President Kovind

THE last Budget Session of the 16th Lok Sabha commended on Friday   with the customary Address delivered by President Ram Nath Kovind to the Members of both Houses of Parliament. The session will continue till February 13 and the India’s interim budget will be presented tomorrow by Piyush Goyal. He is handling the portfolio in the absence of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who is under treatment in The United States of America. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, who is also Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, read out the President’s Hindi Address in English. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan was also present on the dais as Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his Cabinet colleagues and other Members of Parliament sat through the occasion. After paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Guru Nanakdevji on in 550 birth anniversary, President Kovind recalled prior to the 2014 General Election, the country was passing through a phase of uncertainty. After the elections, my Government assumed charge and vowed to build a new India. A new India with no place for imperfect, corrupt and inertia ridden systems is emerging  under the  incumbent government. From day one, the mission of the Government based on transparency was to improve the lives of our citizens, to eradicate their difficulties owing to poor governance, and to make sure that the benefit of public services reaches the lowest strata of the society. The targets of the Government were determined by countless and helpless faces such as – that poor mother  who cooked in a smoke filled kitchen; that helpless sister who was compelled to postpone her own treatment due to financial worries despite serious illness; that daughter who had to wait the whole day until the cover of darkness for going to the toilet;  that child who was compelled to wait for day light to study because there was no electricity; that farmer who was caught in the anxiety of repaying his loan while watching his crops damaged by hail storm;  that youth  who was unable to earn his livelihood because no bank would lend to him. These very thoughts have shaped the schemes of my Government. These ideals of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya’s Antyodaya have been the touchstone of the Government’s work. The Government has infused new hope and confidence among the people of the country, enhanced the country’s image and has effectively brought in social and economic change. As a result, my Government has been able to win immeasurable affection and trust of the people. The main goal of my Government is to improve the life of every Indian. For an inclusive and modern development of our country, it needs to be ensured that not a single family is deprived of fundamental needs.  My Government which is sensitive to the needs of the common people and understands their pain, has prioritized provision of basic amenities, addressed health concerns of the people and implemented the Government schemes at an unprecedented pace after restructuring them. Lack of toilets had forced crores of Indians, especially our daughters and daughters-in-law to lead an undignified and unhealthy life. Under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, more than 9 crore toilets have been constructed. It is the outcome of this mass movement that coverage of rural sanitation that was less than 40 percent in 2014, has increased to 98 percent. According to an assessment, because of the toilets built, numerous poor persons have been spared of various kind of diseases and more than 3 lakh lives have been saved. In the year of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, we must remember that we have resolved in his memory to achieve Swachh Bharat by 2nd October. Many of our mothers, sisters and daughters used to suffer from various illnesses because of smoke filled kitchens, which also affected health of the entire family; and much of their effort and time were spent in collecting firewood. My Government has provided more than 6 crore cooking gas connections to such sisters and daughters under the Ujjwala Yojana. Even after decades of efforts, there were only 12 crore gas connections. On the eve of Budget session, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Wednesday said all parties have assured their cooperation in smooth functioning of the house and urged the members to raise issues of national importance. The brief session will have 10 sittings and the government is expected to make another push for getting the Triple Talaq Bill passed in pending in the Rajya Sabha due to opposition by the non-ruling parties. Amid speculation over an announcement of a farm relief package in the upcoming Budget, President Ram Nath Kovind said the government is attempting to find “permanent solutions” for problems faced by farmers,