New Delhi, Jan 31: President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday addressed the joint session of Parliament ahead of a historic budget session where for the first time in the history of Independent India railway budget will be merged as a part of the main budget session. President Mukherjee lauded the fasttracking of budget by commending the government for its efforts to put all reforms on a speedtrack. 

"This is a historic session heralding the advancement of the budget cycle and merger of the railway budget with general budget for the first time in independent India," said Mukherjee addressing members of both the houses.
  
"We gather once again to celebrate democracy and cherished value and culture that has prospered through out the long history of our country. A culture that guides my governmnet towards 'sabka saath sabka vikas'," he added. 
 
The budget will be presented on Wednesday. The first half of the budget will end on February 9th and the second sessioon will meet on March 9th uptil April 12th. The President went on to highlight the numerous acheivments of the government one of which being that 11000 villages have been electrified in the last two and half years and close to a million people have volunteered to give up their LPG subsidy. 

Adding to the acheivements of the nation the President took note of the recent accolades won by the women atheletes of the country at the Olympic games and took note of the growing women power in the country. 

The Presdent hoped that all parties despite their political differences would cooperate in bringing forth the budget in a condusive way and not let the session be a wash out as was the case with the Winter session where the whole session was called a washout. 

MAjor focus of the budget will be to create a balance between populist and realistic budget and explaining the nature of effect of demonitisation has had on the larger economy.