The second year of Pranab Mukherjee's presidency was a period marked by new and innovative schemes, institutionalization of initiatives launched in the first year and renewed focus on key themes and thrust areas. Many projects commenced in the first year were completed in this period.
Elections were held to the 16th Lok Sabha and a grand swearing in ceremony was organized in the Forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan with around 5000 guests, including leaders from all SAARC countries and the PM of Mauritius.
The President hosted the 45th Conference of Governors which witnessed focussed discussion on reports submitted by various Groups of Governors.
These reports were on important issues like external and internal security environment, role of Governors as a bridge between States and the Centre, development issues, improving quality of higher education and disaster management. The Conference was attended by the Vice President, Prime Minister, senior Ministers and twenty-six Governors and three Lt. Governors.
The President described incidents of violence involving people from the North East as extremely distressing and called upon the Governors to take expeditious measures to assuage feelings of the people of North East. He asked the Ministry of HRD to examine issues related to the role of Governors as Chancellors/Rectors of State Universities in consultation with UGC and to keep Governors fully informed of various schemes launched by it. The President also asked concerned authorities to take necessary measures to speed up building of border infrastructure, including through establishment of coordination mechanisms.
During the second year in office, the President made 33 visits within the country, including to states of the North East and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This brought the total number of visits within the country made by the President since assumption of office to 82 or an average of over three per month. The President used his visits to the North East to highlight the strategic importance of the region and the role it can play in the 'Look East' policy as well as building of a strong and powerful India.
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The President addressed the Legislatures of Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal. He called for an end to disruptions and for greater time in Legislature to be devoted to discussions on legislative issues, particularly financial matters.
The President travelled to Belgium and Turkey on bilateral visits and led an all party delegation to South Africa to attend the memorial service in honour of late President Nelson Mandela. He also received 33 foreign dignitaries in Delhi, bringing the total number of foreign dignitaries received over two years to 75.
Over six lakh sixty two thousand people visited the Rashtrapati Bhavan during the second year of the Presidency including around half a million visitors during the opening of the Mughal Gardens in February-March 2014. The President maintained an active online presence and the official website received 171 million hits since its creation on August 3, 2012. Over 500,000 people have visited the YouTube channel of Rashtrapati Bhavan and a similar number have 'liked' the Rashtrapati Bhavan Facebook page since it's establishment. The Rashtrapati Bhavan's Twitter account was launched on July 1, 2014 and used effectively to connect with the public and disseminate information on the President's activities. The account has gained over 1,02,000 followers in 20 days.
In keeping with the President's belief that the Rashtrapati Bhavan belongs to the nation and its people, he continued to seek participation of ordinary Indians in the activities of Rashtrapati Bhavan. An innovative programme was launched to provide residency in the Rashtrapati Bhavan for periods upto a month to innovators, writers and artists selected through a national level screening process. The first batch of five innovation scholars included a serial inventor, an entrepreneur who was earlier a rickshaw puller, a research scholar and two students, the youngest of whom was 16 years old. Each one of them conveyed how honoured and inspired they felt to be given an opportunity to be guests of the President in Rashtrapati Bhavan.
A series of measures have been undertaken to implement the Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan and restore, upgrade as well as create new facilities within the Rashtrapati Bhavan Estate. A new Museum has been opened for the public while a second museum of 10,000 sq. mts. size will open in 2015. A new Ceremonial Hall is to open by October, 2014 while a Sewage Treatment Plant will be commissioned by November, 2014.
The need for improving the quality of our higher education and promoting grass roots innovations within the country remained an important theme of the President's speeches and travels within the country. The President visited 44 institutions of higher learning in the second year bringing to 91 the total number of institutions visited since he assumed office.
The President used his visits to interact with students, inspired teachers and grass root innovators. In his speeches, the President emphasized the need for consistent efforts to improve the quality of higher education, ranking of institutions in international ratings, research, and use of ICT tools and involvement of alumni.
The Conference of Vice-Chancellors of Central Universities was held for the second time and the President convened for the first time two conferences of Directors of NITs and IISERs at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. It was announced that the conferences of Directors of NITs and IISERs/IISc would be held henceforth every year. The second conference of Directors of NITs and the first ever conference of Director of IITs will be held later this year.
The Guest Wing of the Rashtrapati Bhavan was extensively renovated, refurbished and restored to its past glory for hosting foreign Heads of States/Government. The Emperor and Empress of Japan were the first foreign guests to use the facilities after its renovation while the King and Queen of Bhutan were the first visitors to stay in the Guest Wing. The Ministry of External Affairs has been asked to offer the use of the Wing to visiting foreign dignitaries. Governors of States have also been invited to use the facilities during their visits to Delhi.
A large number of welfare measures were initiated for the Rashtrapati Bhavan community including a "Respite Care Centre" for special children and a Digital Literacy Programme for women.