The Budget session of Parliament begins on Monday as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) readies to present its last full budget on 1 February before its five-year term ends.
President Ram Nath Kovind's address to a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabhamarked the beginning of the Budget Session 2018. The Economic Survey of India will be tabled later in the day.
The upcoming budget is significant because the ruling NDA will go into the poll mode in 14 months as general elections are scheduled for early next year.
Also, the parliamentary party executive of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold a meeting on Monday, followed by another meeting of NDA allies to discuss the strategy for the session.
Here are the highlights President Kovind's speech:
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