New Delhi:
On the first day of business in Parliament this year, the government used President Pratibha Patil's address to detail its strategy on the several big challenges it faces. The Opposition too made clear its strategy for the Budget Session through loud protests during the President's speech.
As President Patil, making her last address to a joint sitting of Parliament, listed a number of measures that she said would guarantee internal, external and economic security and bring about transformational change in curbing corruption and enhancing accountability in governance, her words in support of setting up a National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) drew loud protests from the Opposition benches.
President Patil's mention of the government introducing a 4.5 per cent sub quota within the 27 per cent reservation for backward classes also had Opposition MPs shouting. The DMK, a UPA ally, added to this by raising slogans at the start of the President's address seeking that India vote against Sri Lanka on a resolution in Geneva, moved by the US, that asks for investigation into alleged war crimes by Lankan soldiers and government. And Congress MPs from Andhra Pradesh joined sloganeering on the statehood-for-Telangana demand.
President Patil's speech that lasted over an hour was disrupted five times.
Opposition parties of all hue said as they headed into the Budget session that apart from price-rise and corruption, they would attack the government on Home Minister P Chidambaram's plan to set up the NCTC as an anti-terror organisation with over-riding powers. The chief ministers of many states say the proposal to set up such an organisation threatens the federal structure of the nation. "Needless to say, there'll be a debate where the entire performance of this government and the state of the nation will be discussed. In the numbers game, this government is increasingly becoming fragile. It's lost the faith of the nation, lost the faith of the Opposition, and is losing the face of some of its allies also. And this fragility in numbers, I think, becomes greater when issues of federalism are involved," BJP leader Arun Jaitley had told NDTV yesterday. And on the other side of the political spectrum, Left leader Sitaram Yechury said, "The NCTC issue will be crucial. It is against the federal structure of the nation."
The UPA government's task is made no less easy by the fact that one of the main opponents to the NCTC is its ally the Trinamool Congress. Mamata Banerjee has assured the government that she will not rock the boat but Opposition leaders have hinted that they will reach out to her and other UPA allies on the issue of federalism. Congress leaders, however, maintain that all is well, with their allies on the same page as them.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said today that he was confident of his government's numbers - he has been called upon to make that assertion after the Congress fared poorly in assembly elections held in five states, including UP, recently. The UP results put paid to the Congress's hopes of an easing of coalition equations at the Centre. It now has the difficult task of pushing important legislation and a reform-oriented General Budget with an aggressive Opposition and allies with a populist agenda.
Today, it held out both promise and hope through the President's address. Mrs Patil said the government would work to achieve economic security through rapid and broad-based development and creation of productive jobs and ensure energy security for our rapid growth.
She said the government will also strive to realise developmental goals without jeopardising ecological and environmental security.
Touching on the economy, she said the current year had been a difficult one for world economy and uncertainties hade had an adverse impact across the globe.
"There is increased political uncertainty and turbulence in the international system and the environment in which we operate has become more challenging over the last one year.
"Our economy grew at a handsome rate of 8.4 per cent in 2010-11, but it has slowed down to about 7 per cent this year. This remains a healthy growth given current global trends," President Patil said.
Asserting that the long-term fundamentals of the Indian economy remained robust, she said 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," she said.
Maintaining that the government has remained committed to providing an honest and more efficient government, she said the government has taken several further important steps towards that end.
President Patil said a formidable and unprecedented array of Bills has been introduced in Parliament. These include Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Persons Making the Disclosure Bill, Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of Public International Organisations Bill, Citizens' Right to Grievance Redress Bill, Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill and Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, she said.
India, she said, has also ratified UN Convention against Corruption.
"Together, these have the potential of bringing about a transformational change in curbing corruption and enhancing transparency and accountability in governance. A comprehensive public procurement law is being formulated. The National Mission for Delivery of Justice and Legal Reforms has already been set up," she said.
On black money, the President said, the government has initiated action on various fronts to tackle the menace. These include enactment of the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, amendment of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, setting up of a special committee to examine measures to strengthen laws to curb black money generation in the country, and commissioning of studies by independent agencies to assess the quantum of black money both inside and outside the country.
"The framing of the General Anti-Avoidance Rules and Controlled Foreign Company Rules has been taken up under the proposed Direct Taxes Code. Efforts are underway to build political consensus on the Goods and Services Tax, which will give a major boost to the economy by rationalising indirect taxes and giving full input credit," she said.
The President said the government was taking many steps to contain the generation and outflow of illicit funds from the country and for opening channels for getting wider information on black money from other countries.
These include the operationalisation of new Income Tax Overseas Units, signing of new Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements and new Tax Information Exchange Agreements and better implementation of Transfer Pricing and International Taxation provisions.
To underline inclusive growth, President Patil said that tge government will work for the early enactment of Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill which provides for a liberal regime of compensation along with a mandatory rehabilitation and resettlement package, not only for land owners but also for those dependent on land for livelihood.
In the area of internal security, Patil said, government has launched a number of measures towards development of areas affected by left wing extremism.
Asserting that situation in the north-east and Jammu and Kashmir has shown considerable improvement during the last year, she said the government has shown that acts of violence can be contained with a firm but humane approach.
"My Government has always been willing to enter into dialogue with any group willing to abjure the path of violence. It is encouraging that a number of organisations have come forward seeking resolution of their grievances in a peaceful manner," she said.
She also said the government has signed a tripartite agreement for setting up of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.
"Another tripartite Memorandum of Settlement has been signed with United People's Democratic Solidarity in Assam. A non-lapsable central pool of resources has been created to cover the gaps in funding requirements of central Government projects in the north-east," she said.
She also mentioned the Protocol on the Land Boundary Agreement between India and Bangladesh which paves the way for settlement of long standing issues and a mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation.
"My Government also initiated steps for resettlement and rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons in Sri Lanka," the President said.
Noting that India has a vital stake in peace, stability and progress of the countries of West Asia and North Africa, she said, "we would like the people of the region to chart their own pathways to nation building and development at this historic time of transition and change. We are unwavering in our support to the Palestinian cause."