Hon.
Members, I am delighted to address this first session of both
Houses of Parliament after the elections to the 16th Lok Sabha. Let me
begin by extending warm greetings to my fellow citizens, who
participated in large numbers in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. We
should never forget that we are here because of them. Serving them
should be our first priority. I felicitate the members of the new Lok
Sabha. You have successfully obtained the mandate from the electorate and now
you represent their hopes and dreams. I extend a warm welcome to all of
you and100 hope that the
sessions ahead with heavy legislative agenda will be productive
and useful. It is a matter of great120
satisfaction that the recent general elections were smooth and largely peaceful.
I would like to congratulate the Election Commission of India and the official machinery
for conducting these elections successfully. The deep interest shown by the
people of India in the elections is a sign of progressive deepening of our
vibrant democracy.
Before
I dwell upon the tasks ahead of us, I would like to express my solidarity
with the families of all those who lost their lives during the200 election process. I congratulate the new
Speaker of the Lok Sabha on her unanimous election to this august
office. By successively electing women Speakers, the Lok Sabha has
re-affirmed our belief in the importance of women in our society. This240 has been an election of hope. It
marks a turning point in the evolution of our democratic polity. The surge in
aspirations and the belief that these could be realized through
democratic processes, has been amply reflected in the record 66 per cent
participation by voters, and a clear verdict in favour of a single political
party after a300 gap of
nearly 30 years. The electorate transcended the boundaries of caste, creed,
region and religion to come together and vote decisively in favour of development.
The country needed a strong and stable Government that could provide effective
leadership.
In
my Republic Day speech earlier this year, I had hoped for 2014 to be a
year of healing360 after the fractured
and contentious politics of the previous years. Standing here today, I
applaud the wisdom of my fellow citizens for having voted for stability,
honesty and development in a resurgent India in which corruption will have no
place.400 They have voted for
a united, strong, and modern India. My Government will work to fulfill these
aspirations with the involvement of all the 125 crore people of this great
country. My Government is committed to nurturing the right environment for
actualizing this mandate of the people. We will work together to
re-establish the credibility of the institutions of
democracy. My government will function on the mantra of ‘Minimum Government,
Maximum Governance’. In all our actions, we will480 be guided by the core values of
our great civilization.
My
Government is dedicated to the poor. Poverty has no500 religion, hunger has no creed, and
despair has no geography. The greatest challenge before us is to end the curse
of poverty in India. My Government will not be satisfied with mere
poverty alleviation and commits itself to the goal of poverty elimination.
With a firm belief that the first claim on development belongs to the poor, the
Government will focus its attention on those who need the basic
necessities of life most urgently. It will take necessary steps to
provide security in its entirety to all citizens through empathy, support and
empowerment. Containing food inflation will be the topmost600 priority for my Government. There
would be an emphasis on improving the supply side of various agricultural
products. My Government will take effective steps to prevent hoarding and
black marketing. It will reform the Public Distribution System, incorporating
best practices from the States. My Government is alert about the
possibility of a subnormal monsoon this year and contingency plans are being
prepared. Despite more than two-thirds of our people living in rural areas; we
have not been able to provide adequate public amenities and livelihood
opportunities to them. My Government is committed to improving the quality of
life in700 our villages,
through empowered Panchayati Raj institutions. A substantial part of investment
will focus on creating community assets and improving basic infrastructure
such as roads, power and drinking water.
My
Government will strive to end the rural-urban divide by providing urban
amenities to rural areas while preserving the ethos of the villages.
Agriculture is the source of livelihood for majority of our people. In the
recent past, our farmers have been under severe stress with hopelessness
driving some of them to suicides. My Government is committed to reversing this
unfortunate trend. It will increase public and private investment in
agriculture800 sector. Steps
will be taken to convert farming into a profitable venture through science
and technology. My Government will address issues pertaining to pricing and
procurement of agricultural produce, crop insurance and post-harvest
management. Productivity of Animal Husbandry will be840 increased. Existing cooperative sector
laws will be reviewed to remove anomalies and lacunae. My Government is
committed to giving high priority to water security. It will complete the
irrigation projects on priority. There is a need for seriously considering all
options including linking of rivers, for ensuring optimal use of our water
resources to prevent the recurrence of floods and900 drought. We will nurture water
conservation and ground water recharge.
India
is the world’s oldest civilization. Today it is also a country with the
largest population of the youth. We must equip and nurture our youth with the
right kind of education, skill-set and opportunity to reap this demographic
dividend. My Government will formulate a National Education Policy
aimed at960 meeting the
challenges posed by lack of quality, research and innovation in our
educational institutions. We will set up IITs and IIMs in every State. My
Government will strive to break the barriers between formal education
and skill development, and1000
put in place a mechanism to give academic equivalence to vocational qualifications.
The children and youth of the country need avenues of recreation that
develop them and keep them fit. My Government will facilitate development and
promotion of Indian sports. It will popularize sports by making them an
integral part of the school curriculum and providing educational
incentives.1058
