President mentions Ram Mandir, Article 370, economic reforms in her address to Parliament

New Delhi, Jan 31 (IANS) President Droupadi Murmu addressed the joint sitting of both the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday, mentioning the removal of Article 370, economic reforms, educational reforms and indigenous defence manufacturing. In her first address in the new Parliament building. she said that building of the Ram temple in Ayodhya had been a dream for centuries and it is a reality now.

The President said there were doubts regarding the removal of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. Those are now history. This Parliament also enacted a strict law against ‘Triple Talaq’ and also a law to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities from our neighboring countries.

She said, "My government also implemented One Rank One Pension, appointment of Chief of Defence Staff."

She said, "According to NITI Aayog, in the last one decade of my government, about 25 crore countrymen have been lifted out of poverty. We have seen India transform from fragile five to a top five economy."

The President said that India’s exports have increased from about 450 billion dollars to more than 775 billion dollars. FDI flows have doubled. The number of people filing Income Tax Return has increased from about 3.25 crores to about 8.25 crores. start-ups in the country have grown to more than one lakh today. In December 2017, 98 lakh people used to pay GST, today their number is 1 crore 40 lakh.

Around 13 crore vehicles were sold in the 10 years before 2014. In the last 10 years, countrymen have purchased more than 21 crore vehicles. About 2,000 electric vehicles were sold in 2014-15, whereas, till the month of December for the year 2023-24, about 12 lakh electric vehicles have been sold, she added.

In 10 years, Capex has increased 5 times to Rs 10 lakh crore. The fiscal deficit is also under control. Today, we have forex reserves in excess of $600 billion. The NPAs of banks which used to be in the double digits in the past are today around only 4 percent. Today, India is the world’s second largest producer of mobile phones. Today India is exporting Made in India toys. India is maintaining a growth rate of over 7.5 percent for two consecutive quarters.

India became the first country to hoist its flag on the southern pole of the Moon. India successfully launched the Aditya Mission and its satellite reached a distance of 15 lakh kilometers away from Earth. The success of the historic G-20 Summit strengthened India’s global standing.

India won more than 100 medals for the first time in the Asian Games. We also won more than 100 medals in the Para Asian Games. India got its largest sea bridge, the Atal Setu. India got its first Namo Bharat train and the first Amrit Bharat train. It became the country with the fastest 5G rollout in the world.

The President stated, "I appreciate all of you for having enacted the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam after a wait of three decades. This has paved the way for ensuring greater participation of women in the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies. The nation has got a new Nyaya Sanhita based on the principle of ‘Justice First’."

She said that the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act will ensure the right to representation to tribals there. India’s defence production has crossed one lakh crore rupees. The country has the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, combat aircraft Tejas, manufacturing of C-295 transport aircraft is going to take place in India. Defence corridors are being developed in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The space sector has been opened for young start-ups.