India’s President Pratibha Patil yesterday advocated reforms to ensure that the benefits of economic liberalization reach all people so that the dream of freedom fighters of all-round prosperity is achieved.
In her first address to the nation on the eve of Independence Day, Patil said: “We have to take special care to bring in egalitarian reforms to ensure that the full benefit of economic liberalization reaches people at all levels.”
“Growth, when unevenly spread, dwarfs overall prosperity. Only through socially inclusive growth can there be sustained consistency in our growth rates,” she said in her maiden address after assuming office in July.
She said that the country has “to ensure equitable growth for all. The fruits of economic development must necessarily touch, especially, the living and working conditions of our toiling masses and people below the poverty line.”
With this, she said, the dream of the freedom fighters of transforming political freedom into a vehicle for attaining the goal of equality and prosperity for all would be achieved. She pointed out that the “empowerment of our economically deprived section of the society still remains unaccomplished”.
“Progress must relate to the lives of the people and we have to conscientiously discharge our responsibilities toward uplifting the socially and economically disadvantaged and weaker sections of society,” she said.
She called for protecting democracy. “Fostering equilibrium in diversity is the hallmark of democracy. What sets our nation apart is that in spite of criss-crossing of a plethora of culture, languages, religions, customs, faith and traditions, our people are bound together in unison by a deep-rooted secular Indian identity,” the president said.
“Evolution through synthesis and inherent respect for pluralism has been the golden thread which has run through our millennia old civilization. Nonviolence, tolerance, acceptance of all religions and different ways of life, search for truth and fearlessness are cherished values that have become the cornerstone of our heritage. We must recapture the spirit of unity that marked our freedom struggle, linking the people of all parts of our country in a common endeavor of ultimate loyalty to the nation,” she said.
Extending her warmest greetings, she said: “This is also the 150th year of our historic War of Independence in 1857. The saga of our Independence involved the sacrificial struggle of many freedom fighters — whose names are etched in history as stalwarts and the countless, relatively less-known souls — whose silent contribution conjointly helped to realize the dream of an Independent India under the charismatic leadership of the Father of our Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. Let us solemnly remember them with gratitude and reverence and pay homage to their sacrifice for the liberation of our motherland from the colonial yoke. I am happy that the two events are being celebrated in a befitting manner to inspire our younger generation, remind them about glorious past and inculcate in them a spirit of sacrifice, dedication and patriotism.”
Democracy in India has taken deep roots. But it cannot be appreciated in its fullest glory if we construe it merely as a political arrangement.
The real test lies in internalizing the spirit of democracy and making it a habit of our minds. “We have ably demonstrated to the world, how India — a developing nation of more than a billion people — can give its people a better quality of life within the framework of a secular democracy,” Patil said.
What is of still greater significance is that the framework of democratic governance and the reach of representative institutions have percolated down to the common man. The wisdom of the founding fathers of our constitution has been vindicated in that the process of democratic decentralization has acquired healthy roots intimately encompassing village panchayats and urban local bodies.
“Our endeavor should be to stamp out the imperfections and entrench democratic decentralization to ensure participative decision making of the people in the planning process at the grass-root level to build a more vibrant India. Along with such decentralization it is equally important to provide a morally superior and clean administration,” the president added. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Salvation of India lies in the elevation of her women.” It is indeed encouraging that assured representation has been provided to nearly one million women in our local bodies. History bears sufficient proof that our womenfolk have excelled themselves not only as able homemakers but in devoting themselves to the noble task of nation building. Let us resolve that they are not left marginalized in our society,” she said.
“We must strive to maximize our collective performance so as to build a nation of equal opportunities,” she added.
“Working within the canons of parliamentary democracy and through the mechanism of planned economic development, we have made commendable economic progress. India’s stature as an economic entity has gone up manifold. We are fortunate to live in the times of a buoyant and upswing economy. Steady industrial growth, growing exports and sound foreign exchange reserves are all signs of growing economic strength and resilience. A surplus current account and sizable capital inflows are other indicators of the strong fundamentals of our country’s economy. World over, there is a growing realization that India’s business environment is changing. We have to take special care to bring in egalitarian reforms to ensure that the full benefit of economic liberalization reaches people at all levels,” Patil said.
As Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru said, democracy means equality, and democracy can only flourish in an equal society. Empowerment of our economically deprived section of the society still remains unaccomplished, the president said.
Agriculture has a critical role to play for balanced development and especially a better life for our farmers. Apart from overall contribution to the national income and helping in the attainment of the goal of food security for all, a strong and robust growth in agriculture can help reduce rural poverty. A vibrant agriculture sector will create a dynamic rural economy which will further drive our economic growth. “In the coming years we need to ensure that agriculture becomes more rewarding with formulation of appropriate policies, measures and technologies.” she said. “This year, as in previous years, we have seen floods in some parts of the country resulting in loss of lives and damage to property. My heartfelt sympathies to the people in the flood ravaged areas of the country. The seriousness of the matter makes it imperative to take necessary steps to prevent this recurring phenomenon.
There is a new climate of growth and competitiveness in our industrial economy. A youthful India is taking its place on the world stage surely and steadily,” the president said.
“We are fast emerging as a major economic power of the world and our entrepreneurs are surging ahead with fresh self-confidence. The achievements in knowledge economy, IT and IT enabled services, pharmaceuticals and other sunrise industries have been spectacular.”
She added: “A significant feature of our changing society is the transformation taking place in the country’s demographic profile. As a people, we are growing younger. Youth in India constitute a sizable, vibrant and resourceful segment of our society who are fired with the desire to scale greater heights. Children and youth are our hope for tomorrow. While the prime concern of our educational institutions is and should be studies, it should not stagnate into a medium which merely facilitates mechanical acquisition of information. Knowledge imparted should have an organic and living relationship with the societal needs and help in mediating the strands of overwhelming challenges of a rapidly changing modern-day world.”
It is also vital that we recognize the importance of health while planning our social infrastructure. Affordable health care has to reach the rural and urban poor and be supplemented by other inter-sectoral interventions like provision of safe drinking water, better sanitation facilities, coordinated slums management, nutritional programs and family welfare measures.
“We cannot forget that we live in a world and in a neighborhood. We stand for friendship with all nations and will continue to work for international peace and security. We should also continue to intensify cooperation to fight the global challenges of terrorism, poverty, ignorance, disease and climate change.”
This is the occasion to express our gratitude to the brave personnel of our Armed Forces whose eternal vigil and protection of our borders, seas and skies under challenging circumstances have ushered in a climate of peace enabling us to plan the path of future progress and development of the nation.
As we watch the tricolor unfurl, let us all hold our heads high with pride and confidence and look ahead with optimism toward a better and brighter future for our great nation.
Today. India is poised to take flight into this open sky of success and perfection, and as loyal citizens of this country, it is our duty, as individuals, and as a nation to ensure that we do not let this unprecedented moment in time go unutilized for the dream of a strong, robust and prosperous India. It is a vision, a dream, a goal; as success must be the anthem of every nation’s awakening. For our nation to rise and claim its glorious destiny, we must realize that it is us, and our billion hands that can shape it, and in the immortal clarion call of Swami Vivekanada, I ask my fellow-citizens to “Arise, Awake and Stop not till the goal is reached.”
Jai Hind!
