President Ram Nath Kovind has appreciated special campaigns of the Centre such as the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi for its role in keeping the rural growth. In his brief address to the nation on the eve of Independence Day here on Saturday, he said that the series of reforms brought by the Centre in agriculture marketing would empower the farmers.

He said it is heartening to note that rural India, particularly the agriculture sector has kept growing against all odds. "In a recent visit to my ancestral village Paraunkh in Kanpur Dehat district, I was quite pleased to find that better infrastructure is being developed to make life better for people in rural areas. The psychological distance between the urban and the rural is now much less as compared to the past. After all, India lives in its villages which cannot be allowed to lag behind in development. That is why special campaigns, including the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, are being implemented for the welfare of our farmers," the President said.

Opening up of economy

Kovind said the Centre, with an abiding faith in the inherent capacity of the economy, has further opened up the defence, health, civil aviation, power and other sectors. "The government’s new initiatives to promote eco-friendly, renewable sources of energy, particularly solar power, have won praise around the world. If there is an improvement in the ease of doing business, it has a positive impact on the ease of living for all. In addition to these, special emphasis is being given to public welfare. For example, the dream of having a home of one’s own is being realised, thanks to the Rupees 70,000 crore credit-linked subsidy scheme," he said and added that the series of agricultural marketing reforms will empower our ‘annadata’ farmers and help them get better price for their produce. "These are some of the measures the government has taken to unleash the potential of every Indian," the President added.

On Jammu and Kashmir

He said new dawn is rising in Jammu and Kashmir. "The government has initiated the process of consultation with all stakeholders who have faith in democracy and the rule of law. I urge the people, especially the youth, of Jammu and Kashmir to utilise this opportunity and work on realising their aspirations through democratic institutions," he added.

Covid second wave

On the Covid pandemic, he said the country can take solace because more lives have been saved than the lives lost. "It was our collective determination to overcome the challenge that helped us see the weakening of the second wave. Once again, our corona warriors, the doctors, nurses and health workers, the administrators, and others, risked everything to contain the impact of the second wave," he said.

Kovind said the second wave brought the public healthcare infrastructure under stress. "The reality is that no infrastructure, even of advanced economies, could withstand a crisis of such enormous proportions. Efforts were made on war-footing to plug the gaps. The leadership rose to the challenge, and the government’s endeavours were supplemented by initiatives of the states, private sector healthcare facilities, the civil society and others," he added.

"Due to these efforts, the nation breathes a sigh of relief with the return of a semblance of normalcy. If we have learned our lessons well, we know that this is the time of extra care and caution. We shall not let our guard down," he warned and urged citizens to get vaccinated at the earliest.

Kovind said the economic impact of the pandemic is as disastrous as its health impact. "The government has been concerned about the lower middle classes and the poor, as well as about the small and medium industries. It has been sensitive to the needs of the labourers and of employers who have been facing hardships due to the lockdowns and movement restrictions. Sensitive to their needs, the government had taken a series of relief measures last year," he said.

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