The government, in its Economic Survey for 2020-’21, tabled in the Parliament on Friday, said that India’s Gross Domestic Product growth rate will contract by 7.7% in this fiscal, while it is expected to grow by 11% in 2021-’22. Earlier, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the survey in Lok Sabha. Usually, the survey is tabled a day before the finance minister delivers the annual Budget speech. But this year, it has been tabled in Parliament three days before the presentation of the Union Budget on February 1.
The first day of the Budget session of Parliament began with President Ram Nath Kovind addressing a joint sitting of both the Houses. In his speech, Kovind said the insult to the tricolour and the violence on Republic Day during the farmer protest was unfortunate. He added that the rights and facilities of farmers will not be cut under the new laws.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, boycotted the president’s address in solidarity with the farmers…