Budget 2019: President Ram Nath Kovind shares Modi govt's report card; top highlights of his speech

Ahead of the sixth and the last Budget to be presented by BJP-led NDA government, President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday kicked off the Budget session of Parliament.

Started on January 31, the Budget Session will conclude on February 13. (Image: ANI)

Budget Session 2019: Ahead of the sixth and the last Budget to be presented by BJP-led NDA government, President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday kicked off the Budget session of Parliament. Started on January 31, the Budget Session will conclude on February 13 with Interim Budget to be presented by Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on February 1. Addressing a joint sitting of both Upper and Lower house of Parliament, Kovind started his speech with a vote of thanks to all the MPs. In the initial phase of his speech, Kovind said that the country was going to a phase of uncertainty before the 2014 elections. "My government took up the initiative to form a New India. My government is committed to a corruption-free India." Here are the top highlights of President Ram Nath Kovind's speech where he listed out the achievement of Modi government: i. "Our government understands that high expenses on healthcare make a poor even poorer. That is why my government started Ayushman Bharat Yojana. In last 4 months more than 10 lakh poor people availed health benefits in hospitals under this scheme," said President Kovind adding that the government has given new hope to the people for a better future. ii. Further in his speech he also spoke about the government's priority in education. He stated that as many as 31 lakh new seats were added for medical studies across the country. iii. Kovind said that over 9 crore toilets were made under the Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan which has made the lives of thousands of women better and helped them to live with dignity. iv. Poor people are now getting all basic amenities of life which includes healthcare, sanitation, education, cooking gas, and much more. The direct benefit transfers are also reaching the poor without any pilferage: President Ram Nath Kovind v. Further, in his speech, Kovind also said that under the government's mass drug project as many as 4,900 drug centres have been opened in more than 600 districts across the country. vi. Lauding Modi government's achievement on various fronts, President Kovind said, "Over two crore houses were electrified under the Saubhagya scheme, 21 crore people were covered under the Pradhan Mantri Beema Yojna, nine crore toilets built under Swachh Bharat and six crore gas connection under the Ujjwala scheme." vii. Safety insurance plans on a mere premium of Re 1/ month and the 90 paise/ day premium has been granted to nearly 21 crore poor siblings as insurance safety shields on ' Prime Life Jyoti Insurance scheme': Ram Nath Kovind viii. Further speaking about the improving healthcare services in the country, President Kovind said that government is trying its best to strengthen the health-related infrastructure in the country. "My government is opening several new medical colleges, upgrading district hospitals and opening a wellness centre in every major panchayat of the country," he added. ix. Kovind also lauded the government for taking bold steps against all kinds of injustice against women of the country. "We have decided to punish rapists of minors with a death sentence. We have also brought up the issue of triple talaq to fight for the rights of women," President Kovind said during the joint sitting. x. "As many as 2 crore, 47 lakh households have been given electricity connections under the Prime Ministerial Fortune scheme. With such a speed, India is rapidly moving towards becoming 100 per cent electrified," President Kovind said. xi. President Kovind also spoke about the government's much anticipated Jan Dhan Yojna programme. He said, " as many as 4 crore people have opened a bank account and almost every family in the country is connected to the banking system. An international agency stated that 55 per cent of the total bank accounts opened between 2014-2017 were opened in India itself." xii. The President also spoke about the much controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill. "The bill will ease the way in which India's citizenship is obtained by those victims who have been forced to flee to India in the cause of harassment. They have no faults in it, but they are a victim of the circumstances," President Kovind said. xiii. Further speaking about the farmers of the country who are largely in distress, President Kovind said that his government is trying to double farmers' income. Kovind also claimed that his government understands the ongoing agrarian crisis in the country and strives for a lasting solution for it. "Assistance to farmers in the whole process of buying agricultural equipment and seeds from the market to deliver and sell agricultural products, this is the priority of the government," he said. xiv. President Kovind said that education is the basic right of every child of this country and to further enhance the opportunities for high-level professional education, the government is setting up new educational institutions and setting up 7 IITs, 7 IIMs, 14 IIITs, 1 NITs. xv. Last but not the last, President Kovind also spoke about the much controversial Rafale deal during his speech. "New deals in last year, purchase of defence equipment raised the morale of defence. After decades, Indian Air Force will use ultramodern Rafale aircraft in coming months and strengthen itself," he said.