Sansad TV Perspective: Discussion on President's Address

In the series Sansad TV Perspective, we bring you an analysis of the discussion featured on the insightful programme ‘Perspective’ on Sansad TV, on various important topics affecting India and also the world. This analysis will help you immensely for the IAS exam, especially the mains exam, where a well-rounded understanding of topics is a prerequisite for writing answers that fetch good marks.

In this article, we feature the discussion on the topic: Discussion on President’s Address

Anchor: Vishal Dahiya

Participants:

1. Mukesh Kaushik, Senior Journalist
2. Sanjay Singh, Senior Journalist
3. Akhilesh Kumar Singh, Political Editor, Times of India

Context: Discussion in Rajya Sabha on Motion of Thanks to President’s Address.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction
• President’s Address
• Background
• Adoption
• Procedure
• Prime Minister’s reply

Introduction:

• The President of India, Ms Droupadi Murmu, addressed a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament on January 31, 2023. 
• She outlined the major policy achievements and objectives of the government in her address. 
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 09, 2023 replied to the discussion in Rajya Sabha on the Motion of Thanks to President’s Address. 
• PM Modi highlighted the achievements of the Union government in various sectors. 
• Highlighting the developmental measures undertaken by his government, especially in providing tap water connections to households and creation of Jan Dhan accounts.
• PM Modi also underscored the use of digital technology in various fields and its benefits for the people of the country.

President’s Address:

Background:

• In the United Kingdom, the tradition of the monarch addressing the Parliament began in the 16th century. 
• In India, the practice of the President addressing Parliament was established after the promulgation of the Government of India Act in 1919. 
  • This law gave the Governor-General the right of addressing the Legislative Assembly and the Council of State. The law did not have a provision for a joint address but the Governor-General did address the Assembly and the Council together on multiple occasions. 
• Between 1947 and 1950, there was no address to the Constituent Assembly (Legislative).

Adoption:

• The Constitution gives the President and the Governor the power to address a sitting of the legislature. Article 87 provides two special occasions on which the President addresses a joint sitting. 
  • The first is to address the opening session of a new legislature after a general election. 
  • The second is to address the first sitting of Parliament each year. A session of a new or continuing legislature cannot begin without fulfilling this requirement.
• After the Constitution came into force, President Rajendra Prasad addressed members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for the first time on January 31, 1950. 
  • During the provisional Parliament in 1950, President Prasad gave an address before every session. In 1951, the First Amendment to the Constitution changed this and made the President’s address an annual affair.

Procedure:

• The address of the President follows a general structure in which he/she highlights the government’s accomplishments from the previous year and sets the broad governance agenda for the coming year.
• The President or Governor cannot refuse to perform the constitutional duty of delivering an address to the legislature. But there can be situations when they deviate from the text of the speech prepared by the government. 
  • So far, there have been no instances of a President doing so. But there have been occasions when a Governor skipped or changed a portion of the address to the Assembly.
    • Most recently, Tamil Nadu’s Governor R N Ravi made changes to the prepared speech he read out in the Assembly.
• After the President’s address, the two Houses move a motion to thank the President for her speech. During this, MPs in the two Houses have a broad debate on governance in the country.
• The issues raised by MPs are then addressed by the Prime Minister, who also replies to the motion of thanks. 
• The motion is then put to vote and MPs can express their disagreement by moving amendments to the motion.
• Opposition MPs have been successful in getting amendments passed to the motion of thanks in Rajya Sabha on five occasions.

Prime Minister’s Reply:

• Replying to the debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s address in the Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister remarked that President Draupadi Murmu’s address inspired the ‘Nari Shakti’ of India and gave a boost to the self-confidence of India’s tribal communities while instilling a feeling of pride among them. 
  • Programmes such as Dr. Ambedkar Utsav Dham Yojana, Amrit Jaldhara, and Yuva Udyami Yojana are being run for the socio-economic empowerment of Scheduled Castes. 
  • Under the PM Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana, more than 36,000 tribal-dominated villages are being developed. 
  • More than 3,000 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras have been opened to provide livelihood opportunities to tribal communities. 
• Noting that India is the mother of democracy, the Prime Minister underlined that constructive criticism is vital for a strong democracy and said that criticism is like a ‘shuddhi yagya’ (purification ritual). 
• The Prime Minister noted positivity and hope towards India at a global level and credited it to the growing capability of India and new emerging possibilities in India. 
  • India has assumed the presidency of G-20 and seeks to find collective solutions to global challenges. 
  • India is chairing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in 2023, and working for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific as a member of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. 
  • For the first time in India, a UNSC-Counter Terrorism Committee meeting was organised in October 2022. 
• The Prime Minister reiterated the commitment towards those who are deprived and neglected and asserted that the biggest benefit of the government’s scheme has gone to Dalits, Adivasis, women and vulnerable sections. 
• The Prime Minister highlighted the government’s efforts towards a holistic integrated approach to creating water infrastructure, water governance, quality control, water conservation, and irrigation innovation.
• He also mentioned similar measures that have created permanent solutions in financial inclusion, DBT via Jan Dhan – Aadhar – Mobile, infrastructure planning and implementation via PM Gatishakti Masterplan.
• The Prime Minister highlighted the government’s efforts to fulfil the needs and creation of opportunities for small farmers along with small vendors and artisans. 
  • Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, Rs 3.5 lakh crore has been spent to provide free food grains to the poor. 
  • 11 crore small farmers are on the priority list of the government. Financial assistance of more than Rs 2.25 lakh crore has been provided to them under PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi.
  • About three crore women farmers have been provided Rs 54,000 crore under the scheme.
  • Kisan Credit Cards have been extended to cattle bearers and fishermen. 
• The Prime Minister also elaborated on the steps taken for women’s empowerment and talked about the government’s initiative to empower, ensure dignity and create ease of living at every stage of a woman’s life in India. 
  • About 50% of beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Yojana are women.
  • Maternity leave has been increased from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. 
  • About nine crore women are associated with 80 lakh self-help groups. 
  • 70% of the beneficiaries under the Mudra scheme are women entrepreneurs.
  • The government has taken several initiatives such as constructing separate toilets and providing sanitary pads in government schools. This has led to a sharp reduction in the dropout rate.
• The Prime Minister also talked about inculcating scientific temper through measures like Atal Innovation Mission and Tinkering Labs. He complimented the youth and scientists for fully harnessing the opportunities created by the government and launching private satellites. 
• “It is our resolve that India becomes ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047”, the Prime Minister remarked and reiterated that the government has taken many significant steps to grab the opportunities that we have been looking out for. 

Read all the previous Sansad TV Perspective articles in the link.

Sansad TV Perspective: Discussion on President’s Address:- Download PDF Here