Parliament witnessed high drama during President Droupadi Murmu’s joint address on Budget session’s opening day. Her endorsement of the ‘Jee Ram Jee’ scheme for rural job guarantees sparked fierce opposition backlash, leading to slogan-shouting and demands for its rollback.
Detailing the scheme under the Vikshit Bharat-Gram law, President Murmu promised 125 days of assured work in villages, alongside measures to eliminate graft and inefficiencies. Treasury benches thumped desks in approval, but opposition legislators jumped to their feet, drowning her words in protest. The disruption compelled a temporary halt to proceedings.
Undeterred, the President continued, painting a vision of empowered rural economies benefiting farmers, herders, and fisherfolk. She lauded expansions in cooperatives, with institutions like Tribhuvan Cooperative University training the next generation. The proliferation of over 10,000 FPOs signals a robust push for farmer-led growth.
The address also celebrated strides in gender equality. Government schemes place women at the core, from self-help groups in PMAY and Jal Jeevan Mission to targeted programs. Over 2 crore women have become ‘Lakhpati Didis’, inching towards the 3 crore target—a testament to inclusive development.
This clash underscores simmering tensions between ruling and opposition camps, with the ‘Jee Ram Jee’ scheme emerging as a flashpoint. As the session unfolds, expect more heated exchanges over policy priorities and implementation.