President Pranab Mukherjee has called for measures to address the impact of the factors that have slowed down the country's economic growth. Addressing the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament on the opening day of the Budget Session today, Mr Mukherjee said the country's economy is going through
difficult times and the government has responded to the situation by taking several measures to revive investment activity and investor sentiment. Terming the youth as the nation's greatest asset the President said he is confident that their energy and enterprise will take India to new heights.
Seeking the cooperation of all political parties, President Mukherjee expressed hope that the Budget session of Parliament will be productive and fruitful. In his hour-long address, the President pledged to usher in reforms for greater transparency, probity and accountability in governance and to enact legislations to tackle bribery by domestic and foreign public officials. Mr. Mukherjee said, the government attaches priority to the enactment of legislation proposed in the Whistle Blowers' Protection Bill, the Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of Public International Organizations Bill, Citizens' Right to Grievance Redress Bill, and the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, which already stand introduced in the Parliament. He said, the government is also considering amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act to punish the guilty and protect honest public servants.
Voicing concern over the safety of women, Mr Mukherjee said the government has promulgated an ordinance to provide for stringent punishment for heinous sexual offences against women as recommended by the Justice Verma Committee. Mr Mukherjee said the government is committed to enacting the National Food Security Bill as recommended by the Standing Committee. He said the food situation is comfortable with the country registering a record production for the last two years.Despite erratic and deficient rainfall, the country is likely to produce 250 million tonnes of food grains.
Mr. Mukherjee said India will launch its first space mission to Mars this year. He said several space missions have also been planned including the launch of India's first navigational satellite. Electricity generation from nuclear power plants increased by about 23% in 2011-12 over the previous year. This year, two units of the nuclear power plant at Kudankulam, established with Russian collaboration, will be commissioned.
President Mukherjee said the government is committed to creating 100 million jobs within a decade. Over 1.1 crore women have benefited from the Janani Suraksha Yojana. Mr Mukherjee said that Rajiv Awas Yojana has been extended to all small and medium towns with the target to make one million houses. Pranab Mukherjee also said that MGNREGA has provided employment to 5 crore families.