President Ram Nath Kovind pitched the government’s initiatives against mounting criticism on jobless growth and farm distress even as he nudged parliamentarians on simultaneous elections and triple talaq in his maiden address to the joint House on the opening day of the Budget Session on Monday.

The Presidential address, a reflection of the government’s policy focus areas and main objectives in the last full year of its term, lined up measures to boost agriculture, create jobs, counter corruption and boost State intervention particularly reducing stent prices and controlling costs of essential medicines in healthcare where out-of-pocket expenditure amounts to approximately ₹3 lakh crore per annum.

Economic recovery

While he stressed on an economic recovery in the second half of 2017-18 after a “temporary slowdown”, the President showcased the average deceleration in the fiscal and current account deficits and a jump in foreign direct investment from $36 billion to $60 billion in the last three years.

Simultaneously focussing on a pro-farmer, pro-poor policy framework designed to make institutional changes to counter corruption, the President made a notable reference to the idea of one-nation-one-election, hailed the legislative measure taken to criminalise the practice of instantaneous triple talaq, and talked at length about infrastructural development and other measures aimed at the North-East region where two States — Meghalaya and Tripura — are due for elections in February.

Simultaneous elections

The President pitched for simultaneous elections to Parliament and the State assemblies on ground that frequent polls posed a “huge burden” on resources and impeded the development process.

“Citizens alive to the state of governance in the country are concerned about the frequent elections in one part of the country or another, which adversely impact the economy and development.

“Frequent elections not only impose a huge burden on human resources but also impede the development process due to the promulgation of the model code of conduct.

“Therefore, a sustained debate is required on the subject of simultaneous elections and all political parties need to arrive at a consensus on this issue,” Kovind said.

The President’s remarks come days after the Prime Minister made a strong pitch for holding the polls together.

Triple talaq

On triple talaq, said the President, the government has tabled a Bill on the issue in Parliament. “I hope that Parliament will soon pass it into a law.”

“For decades, the dignity of Muslim women has remained captive to political cost-benefit. Now the nation has an opportunity to emancipate them from this situation. ... once enacted, (it) will enable Muslim sisters and daughters to live a life of self-respect with courage,” Kovind said.

Look North-East

He said the government was “committed to ‘Empowerment and not Appeasement’” of the minorities by making intensive efforts for their economic, social and educational empowerment. Referring to the NDA government’s focus on the North-East States, the President highlighted specific development and infrastructural policy measures. “To accelerate the pace of development of this area, the North-East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme was sanctioned recently, with 100 per cent central assistance.

Under this scheme, projects relating to drinking water supply, energy, education and health will be completed,” he said.

To strengthen electricity transmission and distribution network in the North-East States, Kovind said the government had sanctioned schemes worth ₹10,000 crore in the last three years.

He also underlined how bamboo has been excluded from the category of tree, thus allowing it to be cut, transported and used, benefiting lakhs of people in the North-East where a majority of people in tribal areas depend on the bamboo industry.

“The inclusion of bamboo in the category of tree had adversely affected livelihoods associated with it. Keeping in mind these difficulties, my government has excluded bamboo from the category of tree. This has now provided freedom to cut, transport and use bamboo,” he said.

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