ADDRESS BY THE HON’BLE PRESIDENT OF INDIA SMT. DROUPADI MURMU TO PARLIAMENT

1. At a Glance

• Constitutional address by the President of India to a joint sitting of both Houses at the commencement of the Budget Session 2026 on 28 January 2026 [S1][S2].
• Mandated under Article 87(1) of the Constitution — "Special Address" by the President at the start of the first session each year; the speech is drafted by the Union Cabinet and signals the government's policy agenda.
• Frames Viksit Bharat @2047 as the overarching governance vision and inventories flagship-scheme outcomes — directly examinable for both Prelims (factual hooks) and Mains (GS-II governance, GS-III economy) [S2][S3].

2. Why in the News

• Delivered on 28 January 2026 to a joint sitting marking the start of the Budget Session 2026 — first major political-policy statement of the calendar year preceding the Union Budget [S1][S2].
• The address coincided with 150 years of Vande Mataram, 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, and the 150th birth anniversary year of Bhagwan Birsa Munda [S1].

3. Background & Evolution

• Article 87 of the Constitution requires the President to address both Houses assembled together (a) after each general election to Lok Sabha and (b) at the commencement of the first session of each year.
• The "Motion of Thanks" on the Address is debated under Rule 17 of the Rajya Sabha and Rule 18 of the Lok Sabha Rules of Procedure; passage is treated as a vote of confidence in the government.
• President Murmu (sworn in 25 July 2022) has now delivered Parliament addresses in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 [S1][S3].

4. Core Static Facts

• Speaker: Smt. Droupadi Murmu, 15th President of India [S1].
• Forum: Joint sitting of Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha, Central Hall / new Parliament building.
• Date: 28 January 2026, 12:57 PM (PIB time-stamp) [S1].
• Constitutional basis: Article 87(1).
• Cultural anchors invoked:
• Vande Mataram — 150 years (composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, 1875–76); special discussion held in Parliament [S1].
• Guru Tegh Bahadur — 350th martyrdom anniversary (martyred 1675) [S1].
• Bhagwan Birsa Munda — 150th birth anniversary (born 15 Nov 1875); commemorated as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas [S1].
• Headline policy frame: Viksit Bharat @2047; government to "accelerate the momentum of the Reforms Express" [S2].

Scheme achievements cited (key examinable numbers)

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Constitutional / Procedural - The Address is the Cabinet's policy statement, not the President's personal views — by convention the text is approved by the Union Cabinet (Article 74) [S1]. - Followed by the Motion of Thanks; any amendment carried against the government is constitutionally seen as loss of confidence (rare — happened in 1980, 1989, 2001).

Economic - Signals continuity of capex-led growth, DBT plumbing, and supply-side reforms ("Reforms Express") ahead of the Union Budget [S2]. - Foodgrains 350 MT + rice 150 MT positions India as a global food-security anchor, relevant to WTO peace-clause and PSH negotiations [S2].

Social - Welfare scorecard: 25 crore out of poverty, 4.10 crore PMAY houses, 10 crore Ujjwala, 11 crore JJM tap connections — frames the regime's social-justice narrative [S2]. - Tribal focus through Birsa Munda 150 dovetails with PM-JANMAN and Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan [S1].

Cultural / Historical - Triple commemoration — Vande Mataram, Guru Tegh Bahadur, Birsa Munda — links the freedom movement, Sikh martyrdom tradition, and tribal resistance into a single civilisational narrative [S1].

Governance / Federalism - "Transforming the potential of under-developed regions and marginalised populations into the driving force for Viksit Bharat" — echoes the Aspirational Districts / Aspirational Blocks approach [S2].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 28 Jan 2026: Budget Session 2026 convened; Presidential Address delivered [S1].
• 25 Jan 2026: Address to the Nation on the eve of Republic Day 2026 [S4].
• 2025–26: Year-long Vande Mataram@150 observance; special Parliamentary discussion [S1].
• 2024–25: Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh — 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda culminated 15 Nov 2025 [S1].
• 2024–25: 350th martyrdom year of Guru Tegh Bahadur observed nationally [S1].

7. Prelims Hooks

• President Murmu addressed Parliament on 28 January 2026, opening the Budget Session 2026 [S1].
• The Address is delivered under Article 87(1) of the Constitution.
• Vande Mataram completed 150 years in 2025–26; composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay [S1].
• Guru Tegh Bahadur — 9th Sikh Guru; 350th martyrdom anniversary observed [S1].
• Bhagwan Birsa Munda — born 15 Nov 1875; 150th birth anniversary year [S1].
• Janjatiya Gaurav Divas marks Birsa Munda's birth anniversary (instituted 2021).
• India's foodgrain output exceeded 350 million tonnes (record) [S2].
• India is the world's largest rice producer with 150 million tonnes output [S2].
• PM-Kisan: cumulative DBT transfers exceed ₹4 lakh crore [S2].
• PMAY: 4.10 crore pucca houses built; ~₹6 lakh crore outlay cited [S2].
• Jal Jeevan Mission: tap connections to ~11 crore rural households [S2].
• PM Ujjwala Yojana: 10 crore LPG connections released [S2].
• 25 crore Indians lifted out of poverty in the last decade (govt figure citing NITI Aayog MPI) [S2].
• The Motion of Thanks on the President's Address is governed by Rule 18 of Lok Sabha Rules / Rule 17 of Rajya Sabha Rules.

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-II — Polity & Governance: Functions of the President; Article 87 Special Address; Cabinet-President relationship under Article 74.
• GS-I — Modern History / Culture: Vande Mataram and the freedom movement; Guru Tegh Bahadur and Sikh-Mughal relations; tribal resistance led by Birsa Munda.
• GS-III — Economy: Performance of flagship welfare schemes; food security; reforms trajectory.

Plausible question stems - "The President's Address is essentially the policy statement of the Union Cabinet, not of the President. Discuss in light of Articles 74 and 87." (GS-II, 15 marks) - "Examine the role of cultural commemorations like Vande Mataram@150 and Birsa Munda@150 in shaping contemporary nation-building." (GS-I, 10 marks) - "Assess the welfare-scheme scorecard presented in the 2026 Presidential Address against independent multidimensional poverty data." (GS-III, 15 marks)

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• Article 86 vs Article 87 — distinction between right to address and the Special Address.
• Motion of Thanks — procedure, amendments, historical defeats.
• PM-JANMAN & Dharti Aaba Abhiyan — flagships for PVTGs, tied to Birsa Munda commemoration.
• NITI Aayog Multidimensional Poverty Index — basis for "25 crore out of poverty" claim.
• Jal Jeevan Mission progress — sectoral deep-dive.
• WTO Public Stockholding — backdrop to record foodgrain output.
• Vande Mataram controversy (1937 Congress Working Committee) — modern history hook.
• Sikh Gurus chronology — common Prelims trap.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Article confusion: Address of the President is Article 87, not Article 86 (which lets the President address either House at any time).
• Authorship: The speech is drafted by the Cabinet, not personally composed by the President — frequently misstated.
• Guru Tegh Bahadur is the 9th Sikh Guru (martyred 1675); aspirants confuse him with Guru Gobind Singh (10th) or Guru Arjan Dev (5th, also martyred).
• Vande Mataram was first published in Anandamath (1882) but composed 1875 — the 150-year mark refers to composition, not publication.
• Birsa Munda's birth year (1875) vs death year (1900) — both commemorated; ensure correct anniversary.
• "25 crore out of poverty" is a NITI Aayog MPI estimate (2013-14 to 2022-23), not a World Bank or NSO consumption-poverty figure.

11. Sources

• [S1] ADDRESS BY THE HON'BLE PRESIDENT OF INDIA SMT. DROUPADI MURMU TO PARLIAMENT (28 Jan 2026) — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2219510 — (tier: 1)
• [S2] Address by the Hon'ble President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu to Parliament (English rendering, PIB) — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2219510&reg=3&lang=2 — (tier: 1)
• [S3] Speeches — President of India — https://www.presidentofindia.gov.in/speeches — (tier: 1)
• [S4] Address to the Nation by the President on the eve of Republic Day 2026 — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=2218579 — (tier: 1)