India has weathered the 2008 economic crisis well, says Pranab Mukherjee

India, which once suffered under the colonial rule, is doing well even as some top economies are still limping out of the slowdown triggered in 2008.

Referring to India’s sufferings under the colonial rule, President Pranab Mukherjee said the history of colonial rule was the history of exploitation, suffering and misery in India. And, now, a few decades later, India is at the cusp of growth while major economies are still limping.

Addressing the centenary celebrations of the Federation of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTAPCCI) here on Friday, he said India has made tremendous economic progress after independence.

Referring to programmes such as Digital India, Make in India and Clean India, the President said it is important to focus on job creation to harness the demographic dividend India has. “These programmes will open new vistas for the country,” he said.

The average age of over 50 per cent of the population is 25 years, an advantage which can be utilised properly only when the country harnesses its human resources. Stating that he was happy over the progress in the efforts made to tackle education, healthcare, employment and food problems, he said a series of measures had been taken over the years.

Congratulating the FTAPCCI for completing 100 years of its journey, he exhorted them to chalk out plans for the next 100 years.

Earlier, addressing fresh graduates at the Army College of Dental Sciences, he said there was a huge gap in dental doctors ratio in rural and urban areas. “There is one doctor for every 8,000 people in urban areas, while there is only one doctor for 50,000 people in rural areas. This gap has to be reduced,” he said.

The President is in Hyderabad for a week on his annual winter sojourn to the South. He arrived in the city on Thursday and will leave for Delhi on December 31.

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