By IANS
New Delhi : President Pratibha Patil Friday said the underprivileged and the disadvantaged of society should get the benefits of country’s economic growth, and called for accountability and transparency in delivering social welfare schemes.
In her address to the nation, her first since assuming office, on the eve of India’s 59th Republic Day, Patil lauded the country’s “impressive” economic growth but said the benefits of the upsurge in the economy have not reached all sections of India’s population.
“In all good faith, we cannot look at the future without first addressing the needs of the underprivileged and the disadvantaged sections of our society, with special emphasis on the empowerment of the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections of society,” the president said.
“We must ensure that they too should find a place to enjoy the sunshine of the country’s growth and development. Our efforts and our commitment, while pursuing the goal of high growth rates, should be to ensure that all people of our country benefit from it,” Patil said.
Expressing her concern over the increasing number of farmers’ suicide, Patil said: “I hope that steps taken by the government to ameliorate their problems will rectify this situation. The slow growth in the agriculture sector is a matter of concern but I am very hopeful of its potential.”
Pointing out that the government has launched several welfare schemes for the rural and the under-privileged, the president called upon all the concerned to “deliver on social welfare schemes in a time bound manner as well as work with accountability and in a transparent manner”
“When you work for the development of a country, it is not merely a job that has to be done but it is a mission that has to be achieved. This should be the spirit in which development work is undertaken,” Patil urged.
The president also said lack of awareness among the beneficiaries about the schemes has also been a hurdle in implementing the programmes effectively. “This situation needs to be rectified through awareness programmes. We need a band of committed social workers and civil society members to spread awareness and to share the onus of implementation by joining hands with the government”
She added that corruption in the system should also be eliminated for reaching the benefits to the deserved ones.
The president pointed out that the Maoists – a menace Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has often referred to as the biggest threat to the country’s internal security – exploit the discontentment of the underdeveloped areas. But she added: “At the same time growth of Naxalism should be handled firmly.”
In her 2,353 words speech, the president also expressed concern over social evils like child marriage, female foeticide, female infanticide, dowry and the debilitating effect on individuals, families and societies of alcoholism and drug addiction.
“As development takes place we should not forget that the objective is not merely to create wealth. It should be to build a humane society.”