Kangana Ranaut, recently elected as the Member of Parliament from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi constituency, made her debut address in the Lok Sabha on Friday. Her speech underscored the progress of the Indian economy, which, having been ranked 11th a decade ago, has now ascended to 5th place.
In her opening remarks, Ranaut extended her congratulations to Narendra Modi for securing a third term as Prime Minister. She stated, “I have been elected as the MP from Himachal’s Mandi seat for the first time. I realize that the 18th Lok Sabha is no ordinary Lok Sabha. Narendra Modi has broken a 60-year record by becoming Prime Minister for the third consecutive time, and I congratulate him.”
Ranaut praised the stability and efficiency of the current government, saying, “People of India have chosen a stable and smooth government. They are also worthy of congratulations. Ten years ago, India’s economy was at the 11th position, and it has now moved to 5th position. It is rapidly moving towards the 3rd position.”
Regarding Budget 2024, she voiced her support, noting, “I welcome this budget. It will empower all sections of society and accelerate our economy. This budget will bring us closer to the vision of a developed India by 2047.”
Ranaut was critical of the Congress-led government in Himachal Pradesh, remarking, “Last year, Himachal faced a major natural disaster that caused significant economic losses to the people. The state has not yet recovered from that disaster, primarily due to the corrupt policies of the Congress government. The people have not been able to recover from the impact of the disaster.”
She expressed gratitude to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the relief package for Himachal Pradesh and highlighted the achievements in the region: “The work done in Himachal in the last 10 years is more than what was accomplished in the 60 years of India’s independence. During former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure, rural roads were constructed under the Prime Minister’s Rural Roads Scheme. PM Modi-led government has provided our region with global institutions like AIIMS, IIIT, and IIM. The region now has the Vande Bharat train.”
Ranaut further acknowledged the development infrastructure provided by the Central government: “The Central government has provided Himachal Pradesh with a highway costing over Rs 3,300 crore, including more than 5 tunnels and over 37 bridges. The state has received world-class infrastructure. The Atal Tunnel, at 9 km, is the world’s longest tunnel. Himachal has been allocated Rs 11,000 crore for hydel projects, and schemes like free rations, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Ujjwala, and Ayushman Bharat are directly benefiting millions.”
In closing her 6-minute, 44-second speech, Kangana touched upon the Women’s Reservation Act: “When I came into the Lok Sabha, the Women’s Reservation Bill was passed, which will empower women by providing them with 33 per cent reservation. I also requested the central government to establish an international airport in the Mandi region of Himachal. An airport would benefit Himachal from a tourism perspective.”
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