India grew fastest among major economies in 2023: President Murmu tells Parliament

NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmi, addressing a joint sitting of Parliament on Wednesday, asserted that 2023 was a historic year for the country when it maintained the tag of being the fastest-growing major economy.

“The year 2023 was a historic year for India, when it grew the fastest among major economies despite global crisis. India grew about 7.5 per cent for two consecutive quarters”, she told the Parliament, on behalf of the central government.

The Indian economy grew 7.8 per cent and 7.6 per cent, respectively, during the April-June and July-September quarter of the current financial year 2023-24, thus remaining the fastest-growing major economy. With her address marked the start of the Budget Session of Parliament. Subject to the exigencies of government business, the session may conclude on February 9.

This is President Murmu’s first address in the new Parliament building. “…This is my first address in the new Parliament building. This grand building has been built at the beginning of the Amrit Kaal. This has the fragrance of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat’…This also has the resolve to honour democratic and parliamentary traditions. Besides this, it also has the resolve to build new traditions of the new India of the 21st century,” Murmu said. “I am confident that there will be meaningful conversation on policies, in this new building”, the President said.

Speaking about her government, she said, “The achievements that we see today are the extension of the practices of the last 10 years. We heard the slogan of ‘Gareebi Hatao’ since our childhood. Today, for the first time in our lives, we see poverty being alleviated on a large scale”.

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said that the new Parliament building has the fragrance of ‘Shrestha Bharat’ and reflects the glory of India’s culture and civilisation.

President Murmu said the past year has been of historic achievements for the country. She said the new Parliament building was constructed in the beginning of Amirt Kaal – the period to make India a developed country by 2047. “It (the new Parliament building) has the fragrance of Shrestha Bharat and reflects the glory of India’s culture and civilisation. This has the pledge to respect our democratic and parliamentary traditions”, the President said.

President Droupadi Murmu arrived at the new Parliament building for the Budget Session on Wednesday in the traditional horse-drawn carraige, which was last seen during the recent 75 th Republic Day celebrations.

President Murmu earlier today departed for Parliament in the buggy, flanked by guards for her address to a joint sitting of the both Houses of Parliament ahead of the start of the Budget Session. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla greeted her on her arrival in Parliament.

Before her address, rituals of sacred ‘Sengol’ were conducted in the House. The ‘Sengol’ was carried in the parliament along with the arrival of the President and was installed in the House in her presence.

On May 28 last year, PM Modi installed the golden spectre in the Lok Sabha chamber, right next to the Speaker’s chair in the new Parliament building, after performing puja. PM Modi was handed over the historic ‘Sengol’ by Adheenams before it was installed in the new Parliament building.

Meanwhile, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the interim Union Budget on Thursday. The last session before Lok Sabha polls, expected to be held in April-May this year, is to provide a total of eight sittings spread over a period of 10 days. (ANI)