I rise to thank you and the Honourable Deputy Chairman at conclusion of the 206th session of the Rajya Sabha. Sir, today, we come to the end of an important session, in the last days of an eventful year. On reflection, given the legislative work we have been able to conduct, despite disruptions of the proceedings, perhaps we can take encouragement that our democratic system still successfully delivers development. This session, and the last 19 months have been a period of intensive work. I think it would be fair to say that we have put in place landmark measures to transform the lives of our brethren. The passage of the Constitution (one Hundred and Fourth) Amendment Bill (2005) earlier this week will certainly be remembered as a momentous occasion in our quest for social justice and in the effort to create an inclusive society, throught the medium of universalised access to education. This, and other legislative work has paralled our Government's consistent for focus to empower to aam aadmi, improve governance and generate rapid economic growth on a foundation of inclusiveness and equity. Our hope and expectation is that newly launched programmes such as Bharat Nirman, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, and the revamping programme for co-operative credit institutions will heighten the nation-wide impact anticipated from the National Rural Employment Gurantee Act and the National Rural Health Mission. We are also working to eliminate inadequancies of infrastructure, which hinder the economic development of our country. At the same time, we are working to buttress our developmental programmes by enhancing the nation's security, internally and externally. In foreign policy, we have made consistent efforts to further expand relations with all major powers and to improve our ties in our own.
