 "Stage set for next gen reforms: President Murmu in her I-Day eve address | India News")
New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu during the opening of Amrit Udyan Summer Annuals Edition, 2024, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. The Amrit Udyan will remain open for the public from August 16 to September 15. (Photo: PTI)
President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said that the steps the government has taken across sectors have set the stage for the next generation of economic reforms and economic growth.
In her address to the nation on the eve of India’s 78th Independence Day, the President spoke of the programmes and schemes that the government has undertaken for the welfare of the poor, women, farmers, and the youth, including the Union Budget’s announcements on spurring job creation.
She said the “Prime Minister’s package of five schemes for employment and skilling” will benefit 41 million youth over five years. The new initiative of the government will help 10 million youth with internships in leading companies over five years, she said.
The President stressed the need to strengthen affirmative action as an instrument of inclusion. She said the spirit of inclusion pervaded every aspect of India’s social life, and the people moved together as a cohesive nation with the country’s diversity and plurality.
“I firmly believe that in a vast country like ours, tendencies that stoke discord based upon perceived social hierarchies have to be rejected,” she said. Highlighting the government’s commitment to women’s welfare and empowerment, she noted that budgetary allocations for women’s welfare have tripled over the past decade, leading to increased female labour participation and an improved sex ratio at birth.
On the country’s economic growth, Murmu said strategic planning and effective institutions have helped expand the network of roads and highways, railways, as well as ports. She mentioned that the government has vigorously promoted a range of sectors, such as semiconductors and Artificial Intelligence, while also creating an ideal ecosystem for startups. With greater transparency, the banking and financial sector has become much more efficient, she said. “All of these factors have set the stage for the next generation of economic reforms and economic growth that will catapult India among the developed nations,” she added.
Murmu said that from 2021 to 2024, India has been among the fastest-growing major economies, with an average growth rate of 8 per cent annually. “This has not only put more money in the hands of people, it has also drastically reduced the number of people living below the poverty line,” she said, adding that the government has continued the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana for those who continue to suffer from poverty or need a helping hand to come out of poverty.
The President said India will reclaim its rightful place on the global stage by remaining firm on the constitutional ideals of justice, equality, liberty, and fraternity. She also congratulated the Election Commission for the smooth and flawless conduct of the Lok Sabha polls.
Earlier in the day, the President met the Indian Olympic contingent to the Paris Olympics and congratulated them on their performance.
First Published: Aug 14 2024 | 9:17 PM IST
