Congress hails President's address to Joint session of Parliament, Opposition disappointed

New Delhi, Feb 21 (ANI): Congress on Monday hailed Pratibha Devisingh Patil's address to the Joint sitting of Parliament, saying she outlined the five priority areas of the government including controlling inflation, probity in life and polity and inclusive growth.

"The President outlined the five priority areas of the government including controlling inflation, probity in life and polity and inclusive growth," said Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said President Patil's speech was directionless and has belied national inspiration.

"The address has failed to provide answers to major issues confronting the country," said BJP spokesperson S.S. Ahluwalia.

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karatlleged that the President's address shows that the government is obliviousness of its promises made by it earlier.

"Last year, the President gave a series of assurances, including a 100-day Charter. One year later, she has repeated all of them, reflecting the utter failure of the government to implement these measures," said Karat.

President Patil earlier today said that the Government is deeply concerned over the adverse impact of inflation on the aam aadmi.

"My government is deeply concerned over the adverse impact of inflation on the aam aadmi and the threat it poses to the growth momentum. It has taken a number of pro-active measures to counteract the ill-effects of inflation," President Patil said in her joint address to both houses of Parliament.

She said the Indian economy continues to be on a trajectory of high growth despite an adverse global environment. The policies we followed to handle the global financial meltdown stand vindicated. However, there is no room for complacency.

" We have to strive to make the domestic environment more conducive to investment, encouraging public as well as private investment, and domestic as well as foreign investment, particularly foreign direct investment. We have to maintain the momentum for reforms on a wide front," she added.

She further said the government has already taken a number of proactive measures to counteract the adverse effects of inflation.

"The import regime has been liberalized to ease supply constraints of critical items. Exports of commodities like edible oils and pulses have been banned. Pulses are being supplied at subsidized prices through the public distribution system,'' she added. She said the public sector units have been directed to open more retail outlets for selling vegetables to individual consumers.

"The issue prices for rice and wheat for the public distribution system have not been changed for the last eight years," she said.

Emphasising that the long term solution lies in increasing productivity and production, President Patil said: "My Government has provided huge incentives to our farmers to produce more.

"We have continued to give incentives through the supply of fertilizers at subsidized prices. The new nutrient based system is likely to enhance the rational use of fertilizers," she added. President Patil further said the private sector will have to join the government in the mammoth funding of US dollar one trillion (over Rs 40 lakh crore) for infrastructure development in the 12th Plan staring next fiscal.

" This huge quantum of investment cannot be funded by government alone. It needs to be supplemented by private participation, " President Patil said.

"My government has put in place the required framework for a transparent public-private partnership. The contribution of the private sector has reached 34 per cent of the total investment in infrastructure last year, " she added. (ANI)