New Delhi, March 7 (IANS): As the opposition accused the UPA regime of suffering from a "credibility crisis", alliance partner NCP Thursday strongly defended the government, saying it is making efforts to ensure the country's progress.

"The development, which the opposition members are talking about, cannot come without making efforts, and the (United Progressive Alliance) government is making all efforts for it," Nationalist Congress party (NCP) member D.P. Tripathi told the Rajya Sabha.

He was participating in a debate on the motion of thanks to President Pranab Mukherjee for his address to a joint sitting of both houses of parliament.

Tripathi also asked the opposition to cooperate in the effort. "We will need your cooperation for it as well."

Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley, during the debate on the motion of thanks had Wednesday said there was a "credibility crisis" in the government, and slammed the "dual power centres" in the Congress-led UPA government for it.

"The president's speech starts with the aspirational India, and ends with the inspirational India. He asks us all to help India march forward. Since we all love our motherland, let us take up the task together," Tripathi said.

Speaking earlier, Bahujan Samaj Party member Brajesh Pathak said equal education opportunities should be provided to all to achieve socially equitable growth.