India Ready to Face Challenges, Confident of Returning to 8-9 % Growth Path

The President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil being led in a ceremonial procession to the Central Hall of Parliament House to address the Joint Session of the Parliament on Budget Session, in New Delhi on March 12, 2012. The Vice President, Mohd. Hamid Ansari, the Speaker, Lok Sabha, Smt. Meira Kumar, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources, Pawan Kumar Bansal are also seen. Photo © PIB

NEW DELHI (NNN-UNI) -- President Pratibha Devisingh Patil today said India would work on challenges to meet security in livelihood, economy, energy, ecology and environment as well as internal and external security and lauded the government on the considerable improvement in the security situation in North East and Jammu and Kashmir.

She expressed confidence of taking the country back to a growth of eight to nine per cent, in her joint address to both the Houses of Parliament, to mark the beginning of the Budget session.

The President said, "the long-term fundamentals of the Indian economy remain robust. India's growth prospects arise from factors such as high domestic savings and investment rates, favourable demographics, and a stable democratic polity. My Government is confident that it will soon steer the country back to the high growth trajectory of 8 to 9 per cent."

In her last address before the upcoming Presidential election, Ms Patil listed livelihood security, economic security, energy security, ecological and environmental security and internal and external security as the five important challenges confronting the country today.

Expressing the Government's commitment to provide an honest and more efficient Government, the President said Bills like the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill and the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill would bring about a transformational change in curbing corruption and enhancing transparency and accountability in governance.

"My Government has remained committed to providing an honest and more efficient Government and has taken several important steps towards that end. A formidable and unprecedented array of Bills have been introduced in Parliament.

These include the Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of persons making the Disclosures Bill, the Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of Public International Organisations Bill, Citizens' Right to Grievance redressal Bill, the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill and the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill," she said.

India has also ratified the United Nations Convention against Corruption. Together, these have the potential of bringing about a transformational change in curbing corruption and enhancing transparency and accountability in governance, the President said.

She also expressed the government's commitment to resolve all outstanding issues with Pakistan through dialogue.

While noting that terrorist modules continued to be active in the country, as evidenced by the bomb blasts in Mumbai and Delhi, the President said steps like setting up of the National Counter Terrorism Centre aim to improve India's capability to counter internal security threats.

Noting that the bomb blasts on July 13, 2011 in Mumbai and on September 7, 2011 in Delhi were a grim reminder that terrorist modules continue to be active in the country, Ms Patil said, "In 2011, eighteen terrorist modules were neutralised. The National Intelligence Grid and the National Counter Terrorism Centre aim to improve India's capability to counter internal security threats." – NNN-UNI