File Photo: President Pranab Mukherjee
There is a lot to be done at Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Pranab Mukherjee today said as he ushered in his fourth year in office dispelling notions that life in the President's Estate was in a "realm of boredom".
Mr Mukherjee, who has launched many initiatives to bring Rashtrapati Bhavan closer to the masses, said it has been his idea to keep doing something which is "primarily concerned with the people" and that is the reason he chose to implement government schemes like 'Swachh Bharat' and 'Beti Bacaho, Beti Padhao' in the sprawling campus on Raisina Hill in New Delhi.
"While filing my nomination (for Presidency) a colleague simply said after being so long in active politics what would I do there (Rashtrapati Bhavan). He clearly said you are entering into a realm of boredom...from such active life.
"But I found it is not exactly the same and there is lot that can be done as there is a large community living here (inside President's Estate) of about 7,000 people and their families," Mr Mukherjee said after inaugurating an AYUSH wellness centre inside the Estate after the renovation of an old and abandoned building.
A lot of facilities can be created for them, Mr Mukherjee, who was sworn-in as the President on July 25, 2012, said.
"Therefore, whatever programme is taken over by the government, I decided to immediately implement it (in Rashtrapati Bhavan)," he said, while mentioning the recently launched SMART City project.
Mr Mukherjee said his idea is that government schemes can be put to experiment in the Bhavan and some "replicable" models could be evolved.
He said government ministries have always extended a "whole hearted" support to the activities launched in the Bhavan.