Recalling the position of girls freedom fighters, Murmu named Matangini Hazra, Kanaklata Baruah, Kasturba Gandhi, Sarojini Naidu, Ammu Swaminathan, Rama Devi, Aruna Asaf Ali and Sucheta Kriplani.

“Today, women are contributing extensively in every field of development and service to the country and are enhancing the nation’s pride. Today, our women have made their special place in many such fields in which their participation was unimaginable a few decades ago. I am happy to note that the economic empowerment of women is being given special focus in our country,” she stated, including that “development of women was among the ideals of our freedom struggle”.

Speaking on India’s G20 presidency, Murmu stated: “As the G20 represents two-thirds of the world population, this is a unique opportunity to help shape global discourse in the right direction. With the G20 presidency, India can nudge decision-making in trade and finance towards equitable progress. Beyond trade and finance, matters of human development too are on the agenda.”

What is notable in India’s presidency of G20 is the way in which this diplomatic exercise has been taken to the grassroots, she stated.

Murmu stated India’s economic system has confirmed to be “resilient during turbulent times”, and is a “beacon of hope” for others. “The world economy is passing through a delicate stage, as the pandemic has been followed by international events that have added to the air of uncertainty. Yet, the government has been able to navigate the stormy waters very well,” she stated. In this connection, she hailed the contribution of farmers as “annadatas”, saying they’d contributed considerably to the nation’s progress.

“Inflation at the global level remains a cause for worry. But in India, the government and the Reserve Bank have managed to contain it. The government has succeeded in protecting the common people from high inflation while also providing a more extensive security cover to the poor. The world looks up to India for global economic growth,” she stated.

Murmu stated the financial progress was pushed by a “two-pronged strategy” — a sustained push to enterprise and proactive welfare initiatives for the needy. “Giving priority to the deprived remains the focus of our policies and actions that have lifted a large number of people out of poverty in the last decade. Similarly, there are specific programmes to improve the conditions of tribals and encourage them to join the journey of progress. I appeal to our tribal brothers and sisters to enrich their traditions while embracing modernity,” she stated.

Saying that “human development concerns” have additionally been given precedence, she hailed the National Education Policy and stated it will “bring in unprecedented changes in the education sector”.

“The aspirations of the new India have infinite dimensions. The Indian Space Research Organisation keeps scaling new heights and setting higher benchmarks of excellence,” she stated, as she referred to Chandrayaan-3.