While winding up the debate on Motion of Thanks to the President Pratibha Patil’s address to joint sitting of Parliament, Dr Singh said, Pakistan needed to take ’strong and sustained action’ to prevent the use of its territory against Indian interests and to ‘bring to justice those who have committed such crimes in the past’.
‘If the leadership of Pakistan has courage, determination and statesmanship to act against terror, I assure them we will meet them more than the half-way,’ Singh added.
Regarding the social sectors, he claimed that the UPA Government would strengthen the flagship programmes for employment, education and health.
He assured the parliament that the UPA Government was solemnly committed to social and economic development that must benefit all sections of community and all states.
Projecting a glowing picture of the economy, Dr. Singh said that India could achieve eight to nine per cent economic growth despite global slowdown.
‘Since our savings rate is as high as 35 per cent…if all work together, we can achieve a growth rate of eight to nine per cent, even if the world economy does not improve,’ he said added.
He said the global crisis had affected India’s economic growth that slipped from nine percent to around seven percent in the previous fiscal.
Manmohan Singh thanked the electorate and officials involved in conducting the massive exercise of Lok Sabha elections.
‘The successful conduct of elections and formation of government is a pride. We have proved all prophets of doom and gloom wrong. The nation is moving forward which has earned our country deep admirations. It’s our bounden duty to strengthen the foundations of our magnificent country,’ he said.