Govt working to support agri, focus on overall development: Prez Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said that the government is making efforts to increase the profitability of agriculture and is focusing on people-centric development.

Addressing the joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in the new Parliament building, President Murmu said the government believes that the magnificent building of New India will be built on pillars of youth power, women, farmers and the poor.

She said Rs 2.80 lakh crore has been given to farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.

"In the past 10 years, there has been a three-fold increase in easy loans for farmers from banks," the President said.

She said that welfare schemes are not mere facilities for citizens but have positively influenced the lives of people.

"The achievements that we see today are the extension of the practices of the last 10 years. We heard the slogan of 'Gareebi Hatao' since our childhood. Today, for the first time in our lives, we see poverty being alleviated on a large scale," she said.

Noting that 'Make in India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' have become India's strengths, the President lauded defence production crossing the Rs 1 lakh crore mark.

She said that the past year has been of historic achievements for the country.

It was the first address by the President to the joint sitting of the two Houses in Parliament.

She said the new Parliament building has been constructed at the beginning of Amirt Kaal - the period to make India a developed country by 2047.

"It (the new Parliament building) has the fragrance of Shresth Bharat and reflects the glory of India's culture and civilisation. This has the pledge to respect our democratic and parliamentary traditions," the President said.

The budget session of Parliament began on Wednesday and will be the last session of the present Lok Sabha with general elections likely to take place in April-May.

Ahead of the session, suspension of opposition MPs who had been suspended for "violation of rules" during the winter session was revoked.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the interim budget on February 1.

The budget session of Parliament will continue till February 9.