People of Rajasthan share a deep bond with human values: Ram Nath Kovind
It is Kovind’s first visit to Rajasthan after becoming the president
Praising the people of Rajasthan, President Ram Nath Kovind, who is on a two-day visit to the state, said that people here share a deep bond with their mother tongue and human values.
Kovind, at a welcome ceremony at the Birla Auditorium here on Sunday, said that he has an old connection with the state and has visited several of its districts in the past. “I have got the opportunity to see this state’s culture, its natural beauty, the languages, folk songs, plays, local art, cuisines, dressing styles, and colours,” said the President.
It is his first visit to Rajasthan after becoming the president. Earlier on Sunday, he met the judges of the high court and on Monday the president will leave for Ajmer by a helicopter, where he will visit Pushkar and dargah of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti.
The President lauded the state for overcoming natural challenges and continuing on the path of development. He also recounted the valour of medieval kings such as Prithviraj Chauhan, Rana Sanga and Maharana Pratap in his address. “The state has also given India several martyrs who died defending the country,” said Kovind.
Kovind also launched three welfare schemes at the auditorium. The first scheme was Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Antyodaya Swarozgar Yojana, under which 50,000 families from scheduled castes (SC), scheduled tribes (ST), other backward classes (OBC) and economically backward classes (EBC) can avail loans up to ₹2.5 lakh without mortgage and at an interest rate of 4%.
In addition, the Sunder Singh Bhandari EBC Swarozgar Yojana was launched which cover 50,000 families and they can avail loans up to ₹2.5 lakh without a mortgage and at 4% rate of interest. Besides presenting cheques of ₹50,000 to a few beneficiaries of the scheme, Kovind also launched the state government’s loan waiver scheme and presented the loan waiver certificates to some.
The President also narrated an anecdote about when the Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. “While hosting him, we served him olive tea which he really liked. He asked me where it’s grown. I told him it’s grown in India and specifically in the state of Rajasthan,” said Kovind.
Tight security arrangements have been made for his visit.
He was received at the airport by Governor Kalyan Singh and chief minister Vasundhara Raje.
The president, who came by a special Indian Air Force aircraft, was given a guard of honour at the state hanger in the presence of senior officers.
With PTI inputs
