"Govt committed to fair investigation of recent paper leaks, guilty will be punished": President Murmu

New Delhi, June 27: Referring to the irregularities in the NEET-UG examination, President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday said that the government is committed to a fair investigation of the recent incidents of paper leaks as well as stringent punishment for the guilty.

While addressing the joint sitting of both Houses, the President said, "It is a continuous effort of the government to ensure that the youth of the country gets adequate opportunity to display their talent. My government is committed to a fair investigation of the recent incidents of paper leaks as well as stringent punishment for the guilty. Even before this, we have seen paper leaks in different states. Rising above partisan politics, a nationwide concrete solution is needed for this. Parliament has formed a strict law against irregularities in examinations."

The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducted the NEET-UG exams, is facing criticism over alleged irregularities in the exams. This resulted in several protests across the country, with protestors and political parties demanding to disband the NTA.

The President highlighted the Citizenship Amendment Act and said that the government is re-establishing the heritage and culture of India along with efforts to build the future.

"My Government has started giving citizenship to refugees under the CAA law. I wish a better future for the families who have received citizenship under CAA. My Government is re-establishing the heritage and culture of India along with efforts to build the future," she said.

"Recently, a new chapter has been added to it in the form of the Vocational Campus of Nalanda University. Nalanda was not just a university, it was proof of India's glorious past as a centre of basic knowledge. I am confident that the new Nalanda University will prove helpful in making India a global knowledge hub," President Murmu added.

Criticising the implementation of 'Emergency' under the leadership of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975, the President said, "Emergency was the biggest and darkest chapter of the direct attack on the Constitution. The entire country plunged into chaos during the Emergency, but the nation was victorious against such unconstitutional powers."

She also said that now India is changing its agriculture system keeping in mind its current needs.

"My government has provided Rs 3.20 lakh crores to the farmers of the country under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. Since the beginning of the new term of my government, an amount of more than Rs 20,000 crores has been transferred to the farmers. The government has also made a record increase in the MSP for Kharif crops. Today's India is changing its agriculture system keeping in mind its current needs," the President said.

"Nowadays, the demand for organic products is increasing rapidly in the world. Indian farmers have the full capacity to meet this demand. Therefore, the government is integrating the supply chain of natural farming and related products. On India's initiative, the whole world has celebrated International Millet Day in the year 2023. You have seen that recently the whole world has also celebrated International Yoga Day," she added.

She said that the process of reforms in the Armed Forces should continue to keep it combat-ready.

"For a capable India, modernity in our armed forces is essential. We should be the best in the face of war - to ensure this, the process of reforms should go on continuously in the armed forces. With this mindset, my government took several important steps in the last 10 years. With reforms, India is indulging in defence manufacturing of more than Rs 1 Lakh Crores. In the last 1 decade, our defence exports have increased by 18 times and touched Rs 21,000 crores," President Murmu said.

She said that the government aims to provide the benefits of every government scheme to the poor, youth, women and farmers to build a developed India.

"It is possible to build a developed India only when the poor, youth, women and farmers of the country are empowered. Therefore they are being given top priority by my government. We aim to provide the benefits of every government scheme to them. India is working with the willpower that not even a single person should be left out of the government schemes. It is because of the government schemes that 25 crore Indians have come out of poverty in the last 10 years," she said.

Highlighting the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the President that due to this campaign, the dignity of the life of the poor and their health have been made a matter of national importance.

"My Government is developing affordable and indigenous assistive devices for Divyang brothers and sisters. My Government is integrating social security schemes for workers. Work is being done to increase the coverage of accident and life insurance by using Digital India and the network of post offices. In the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the dignity of the life of the poor and their health have been made a matter of national importance. For the first time, toilets have been built for crores of poor people in the country. These efforts make us regret that today the country is following the orders of Mahatma Gandhi in the true sense," she said.

President Murmu said that despite facing opposition, various reforms that have been done in the last 10 years are benefiting the country and have stood the test of time.

"My government is going to take one more decision, all the elderly above 70 years of age will get the benefit of free treatment under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Due to frequent opposition, prejudice, mentality and narrow selfishness, the basic spirit of democracy has been greatly harmed. This affects the Parliament as well as the country's development journey," she said.

"In the last 10 years, many such reforms have been done, which are benefiting the country today. When these reforms were being done, they were opposed but all these reforms have stood the test of time. Today GST is creating a medium to formalize India's economy, to make trade and business easier. For the first time in April, GST collection has crossed the level of Rs 2 lakh crore. This has increased the profit of the states," the President added.