Outlining the “very clear mandate” for the Narendra Modi dispensation in the Lok Sabha polls for continuing the uninterrupted “development journey” that it started in 2014, President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday said the Modi-2 Government is “moving ahead to create strong, secure and inclusive India”.
Kovind underlined the Government’s resolve to remove “social evils” of triple talaq and “nikah halala”, intensify crackdown on corruption and to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to check infiltration. The NRC is currently being updated in Assam on priority basis in areas affected by infiltration.
In an hour-long address to the joint sitting of Parliament with the PM, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and MPs of both Houses in attendance, the President said national security was paramount to the Government, he also revealed that the Centre will soon announce a new industrial policy — replacing that of 1991— to promote growth of industries and creation of jobs. The BJP had played the national security card during the elections to the hilt by showcasing the Balakot airstrikes even as it had been at the receiving end over rising unemployment.
The customary address of the President is prepared by the Government of the day.
India “jumped” to 77 position in ease of doing business ranking from 142 in 2014 and would now “work to reach the top 50 in the world”, he said, adding, towards this end process of simplification of rules will be further expedited in collaboration with States.
The President said work is underway in full earnest to transform India into a global manufacturing hub. “Keeping in view Industry 4.0, a new industrial policy will be announced shortly,” he said.
The new policy will replace the industrial policy of 1991 which was prepared in the backdrop of balance of payment crisis. This will be the third industrial policy after the ones released in 1956 and 1991.
The proposed policy aims at promoting emerging sectors and modernising existing industries. It will also look to reduce regulatory hurdles and encourage adoption of frontier technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence.
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, under the Commerce and Industry Ministry, in August 2017 had floated a draft industrial policy with an aim to create jobs for the next two decades, promote foreign technology transfer and attract USD 100 billion FDI annually. The department last year submitted a Cabinet note on the policy.
On MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises), he said to ensure entrepreneurs associated with the sector do not face any problem in accessing credit, the credit guarantee coverage is being enhanced to Rs one lakh crore. MSMEs contribute around 45 per cent to India’s exports, about 25 per cent to the GDP from service activities and over 33 per cent to manufacturing output of India.
On the education front, he said the Government is striving to increase the number of seats in higher educational institutions by one-and-a-half times by 2024.
Kovind said efforts will be made to amend the Citizenship Act while protecting linguistic, cultural and social identities. The BJP has maintained that the Citizenship Amendment Bill is aimed to give Indian nationality to those people who have been facing persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan for their religion
Apart from Assam, West Bengal, Tripura and some other parts of the Northeast are reportedly affected by the problem of illegal immigration.
The President said the Central Government is making all efforts to ensure a safe and peaceful environment for the people of J&K and maintained that the “recently concluded peaceful elections to local bodies and to Lok Sabha have bolstered our efforts”.
Lauding the election of 78 women MPs, the highest number in the history of Lok Sabha, Kovind said it presents the picture of a new India.
On the foreign policy issue, he said the whole world stands with India on the issue of terrorism and the designation of JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN is a major testimony to this. “New India” is rapidly moving towards occupying its rightful place in the international community.
