NEW DELHI: On his address over the commencement of budget session 2018 President Ram Nath Kovind said today that empowerment, not appeasement of minorities, is the Modi-led government's mantra and the interests of farmers its utmost main concern.
In his address to both houses of Parliament, the President further put emphasis that 2018 is an important year for realizing the dream of a new India.
Focusing farmers' issues –Prez said, “they are a priority for the Centre” - the President said that the government is working actively to lift up farmers' standard of living by helping reduce expenditures and enhance crop yields.
"As a result of the government's policies and the hard work of farmers, a record production of more than 275 million tonnes of food grain and about 300 million tonnes of horticultural produce has been achieved in the country," said President Kovind.
He added that special consideration to farmers' needs is a part of the government's broader guidelines of socio-economic upliftment of all in the nation.
"The architect of our Constitution, Dr. Ambedkar, used to say that political democracy cannot survive without social and economic democracy," said the President.
Ease of living and lift up the standards of living is, therefore, the keystone of the Modi-led-government, said Kovind.
