New Delhi: A day ahead of the Budget session 2022-23 in the Parliament, President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday lauded India’s effort to airlift several Indian citizens and many Afghan Hindus and Sikh minorities from Kabul, despite the challenging conditions in Afghanistan.
Addressing the joint sitting of the Parliament at Central Hall, Prez Kovind said, “We have witnessed instability and volatility in our neighbouring country, Afghanistan. Despite the prevailing situation, true to the spirit of humanity, India launched Operation Devi Shakti. Despite, the challenging situation conditions, we successfully airlifted a number of our citizens and many Afghan Hindu and Sikh minorities from Kabul”.
“We also brought back two swaroops of the Holy Guru Granth Sahib safely amidst difficult situation. From the humanitarian point of view, India is helping Afghanistan by delivering medical supplies and food grain”, he reiterated.
President Kovind in his address also mentioned India’s UNSC Presidency, adoption of the UNSC Presidential statement on Maritime Security. He noted that India has strengthened its standing in the rapidly evolving global environment through improvement in diplomatic relations.
To mention, India has supplied three tonnes of medicines to Afghanistan as part of its fourth batch of humanitarian aid. India stands committed to continuing its special relationship with the people of Afghanistan and providing humanitarian assistance. In this endeavour, India had already supplied three shipments of medical assistance, consisting of 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine and essential life-saving medicines to Afghanistan. The same was handed over to the WHO and Indira Gandhi Children Hospital, Kabul.
Meanwhile, expectations are high from the fourth budget to be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tomorrow, February 1. It is expected that the budget would focus further on boosting India’s healthcare system to fight against the pandemic. The government is also expected to spend more to aid the recovery and bring India back on a trajectory of growth and development.
Read: Made in India Covid vaccines playing vital role in making world free from pandemic: Prez
