Tackling prices is priority: Prez to Parliament

New Delhi: President Pratibha Patil while addressing a joint sitting of Parliament to open the Budget session said that the Government promises to tackle problem of rising food prices.

Admitting that there has been an "unhappy pressure" on the prices of food grains and products, Government today promised to tackle the problem even as it expressed confidence that it will aim at a growth rate of 8 per cent in the coming fiscal and 9 per cent in the next.

Declaring that the common man is at the core of government's promise of faster growth, President Pratibha Patil said on Monday that highest importance was being given to ensuring relief to the common man on food prices.

In her customary address to joint sitting of Parliament marking the beginning of the Budget Session, she said the 'aam aadmi' had to be protected against the ravages of the worst ever global economic crisis since the Great Depression and against the failure of the monsoon in large parts of the country.

The President, who spoke at length on a variety of issues, made it clear that India was ready to explore a meaningful relationship with Pakistan if it "seriously addresses the threat of terrorism and takes effective steps to prevent terrorist activities against India".

Recalling Jawaharlal Nehru's words that 'the service of India means...ending poverty and ignorance...and inequality of opportunity', she said, "Our country stands at a historic turning point. Never before were we so close as we are today to realizing our national aspirations..."


Other points that the President made were:

• Pakistan must take effective steps to prevent terror acts against India
• Government to target 8% growth in next fiscal and 9% in 2011-12
• Relief to 'aam admi' from high food prices to be Government's top priority
• Government is committed to a paradigm shift in education infrastructure
• Government has been alert in dealing with security 
• Government has made the common man the focus of policies
• India's growth continued at a time when other nations fell behind
• Government's policies have raised rural incomes
• Government taking steps to unearth unaccounted money
• Government re-negotiating tax treaty with Switzerland
• We are committed to modernising the armed forces
• Government concerned about increasing Naxal activity
• Infiltration in J&K is on the rise
• 'Government committed to bringing forth legislation to ensure food security'
• My government has asked Maoists to give up violence and come for talks
• Women's reservation Bill will be passed in this session
• 'Government proposes to move Communal Violence Bill in this session'
• Economy likely to grow by 7.5 per cent in current fiscal
• India ready to explore meaningful relationship with Pakistan