President Ram Nath Kovind completes 3 years in office; shares key highlights of presidency

President Ram Nath Kovind completed three years in office on Saturday with the Rashtrapati Bhavan noting that he guided the country in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and met nearly 7,000 people, including soldiers and scientists, during the year. Kovind succeeded Pranab Mukherjee in 2017 to become India's 14th President.

"The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, completes three years in office today," it said in a tweet.

President Kovind, along with the First Lady and other members of the family, joined the fellow citizens and expressed their gratitude towards all those who are safeguarding the health of the nation in spite of the grave risk to them and their families, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a series of infographics highlighting various initiatives and work done during the third year of his presidency.

President Kovind also donated a one-month salary to PM-CARES fund and has decided to forego 30% of his salary for a year, it said. "The Rashtrapati Bhavan has rationalized its expenditure for optimal use of resources," the president's office said.

Kovind hosted heads from the United States of America, Sri Lanka, Zambia, Brazil, Sweden, Mongolia, Netherlands, Portugal, and Myanmar between July 2019 and July 2020. He received 15 global leaders from five continents and Ambassadors/High Commissioners of 28 countries presented credentials at six different ceremonies, it said in an infographic, titled Diplomacy-Busy year.

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It is the first time in the history of Rashtrapati Bhavan that credentials were also presented through video conference due to COVID-19 pandemic, it said. Kovind hosted the 50th conference of Governors and Lieutenant Governors at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The president's office said that Governors have a very important role in our Constitutional system. President Kovind along with the Vice President held two video-conferences with Governors and Lieutenant Governors of all states and Union Territories to bolster the efforts at the central and state levels to contain and manage COVID-19,  it said. As many as 6,991 people met the president at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and during his visits to different states.

"On an average, President Kovind has met 20 persons per day, from soldiers to scientists, farmers to firefighters," the infographic said.

In a slide, titled 'Focus on Campus', the Rashtrapati Bhavan said that the president addressed nine convocations across India --- IIT Roorkee, Pondicherry University, Sikkim University, Jamia Millia Islamia and Visva Bharti.

It said the president gave assent to 48 bills of the Union government and 22 bills of the state governments, promulgated 13 ordinances and appointed 11 governors, Chief Justice of India, Chief Information Commissioner, and Central Vigilance Commissioner.

The president visited 19 states and four Union territories in the third year of his presidency, said the slide on Taking Rashtrapati Bhavan to the states. Kovind made seven state visits in the third year of the presidency and addressed the Indian community in all the countries.

(With PTI inputs)

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