PM Modi hints at new initiatives for women, poor, middle class

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday outlined his government’s vision a day before the Union Budget presentation, hinting at new initiatives for the poor, middle class, and women. He began his customary pre-session remarks by invoking Lakshmi, the goddess associated with wealth and prosperity, and expressed his hope for special blessings for the poor and middle class.

Emphasising the importance of equal rights for women beyond religious and sectarian differences, Modi stated that significant decisions towards this objective would be taken during the Budget Session. He reiterated the commitment to Modi lauded President Droupadi Murmu’s speech as a resonant outline of the nation’s path toward a ‘Viksit Bharat’ and said that her address encapsulated the vision for an India where youth had the best opportunities to flourish. He remarked that the speech beautifully summarised the achievements of the past decade and outlined aspirations for the future, covering economic reforms, infrastructure development, healthcare, education, renewable energy, rural growth, entrepreneurship, and space exploration.

Modi noted that it was perhaps the first time since 2014 that there had been no foreign attempt to create unrest before the start of a Parliament session. He said that before every session since 2014, there had been efforts from abroad to stoke tensions in India and that there had been no shortage of people within the country who would amplify such attempts. He remarked that this was the first session in a decade without any such foreign interference.