One Nation One Election to Waqf Bill: President Murmu lauds Modi govt that's working at 'thrice the speed'

In her address to Parliament ahead of the Budget session, President Droupadi Murmu asserted that the current Modi-led administration is operating at "thrice the speed" of its predecessors, emphasizing the government's commitment to rapid development and progress during its third term.

The President's remarks follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address which laid focus on women, middle class and youth and the government's ultimate goal of 'Viksit Bharat 2047'. Before beginning to address both the Houses, the President also paid homage to former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who passed away last month. She also condoled the demise of those who lost their lives at the Maha Kumbh stampede on January 29.

During her speech, President Murmu outlined key achievements in various sectors, including infrastructure, healthcare, and education, further stressing that her government is working to make India the third-largest economy in the world.


"The third term of the government is witnessing work at thrice the speed of previous administrations. Government has taken big decisions on issues such as Waqf boards and One Nation, One Election," she said.

"Today the country is witnessing big decisions being taken in a swift manner. In these decisions, women, youths, middle class and farmers are getting primary attention," she added. "Reform, perform and transform have become strong pillars of India's governance model."

Also Read: Key highlights from President Murmu's address to joint Parliament session

"Under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, government decided to provide health insurance to six crore citizens aged 70 years and above. The government has placed special focus on education of youth and creating new employment opportunities for them," Murmu added.

The government has decided to expand the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to provide new homes to three crore additional families, she noted. "My government is committed to fulfilling the dream of the middle class of having their own house."

Budget session 2025

Following the President's address, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Economic Survey on Saturday, ahead of the Union Budget announcement.

The Economic Survey will be introduced in the Lok Sabha at 12 noon and subsequently in the Rajya Sabha at 2 PM. Prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs under the guidance of the chief economic adviser, the document provides an analysis of the economy and various indicators for the fiscal year 2024-25 (April-March), along with projections for the upcoming fiscal year.

It may also offer insights into the anticipated direction of the 2025-26 budget, which will be unveiled on February 1.

On budget day, the Finance Minister will present the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha at 11 AM, detailing the government's fiscal strategies, revenue and expenditure plans, taxation reforms, and other key announcements.

The budget session of Parliament is set to commence on January 31 and is expected to conclude on April 4.