NEW DELHI, June 20 (UNI) President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday said the people have given a very clear mandate in this election for continuing uninterrupted and at an accelerated pace the journey of development that started in 2014.
In his customary address at the joint sitting of Parliament which marked the constitution of the 17th Lok Sabha, the President said the people have given even stronger support the second term of the government after assessing the performance during the first tenure.
In his hour-long address, the President touched upon almost all aspects of governance and broadly laid down the government’s vision, programmes and challenges for the next five years. He was flanked by Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu and newly elected Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
Among the parliamentarians in the packed Central Hall were Prime Minister Narendra Modi, flanked by leader in Rajya Sabha Thawar Chand Gehlot and leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi occupied seats on the next bench.
Recalling that the people had elected in 2014 a government with absolute majority after three decades, the President said the government marched forward without any discrimination with the mantra of ``Sabka Saath-Sabka Vikas’ , to create a New India
He said the government was dedicated to the goal of improving the lives of all citizens and providing all basic amenities to the last person standing at the margins of society.
He said that nearly half of the MPs in this Lok Sabha have been elected for the first time. The election of 78 women MPs which is the highest number in the history of Lok Sabha, presents the picture of a New India, he added.
Setting the tone for the government’s mission, he said: ``My Government wants to make the people conscious, capable, well-provided and unfettered to such an extent that that they do not feel the “Burden, Force, or Absence” of the Government in their daily life. Empowering every person in the country is the main goal of my Government..’’
He said the Government is moving forward towards realising their aspirations of building a Strong, Safe, Prosperous and All-inclusive India. This journey is inspired by the basic spirit of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas aur Sabka Vishwas’.
Noting that soon after swearing-in the Government has started working towards building a New India, the President outlined the salient features of the New India where equal opportunities to progress would be made available to every person and where life of every person becomes better with harmony binding the people with each other.
To pave the way for the golden future of New India, he said the Government has resolved to make the rural India will be strong and empowering urban India.
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