NATION-BUILDING INVOLVES PARTICIPATORY EFFORTS

Jaipur: Calling for dedicated and participatory efforts for nation-building, experts working in various spheres of public life said here today that empathy in governance would resolve people’s grievances and check the decline of values which often results in injustice, discrimination and harassment of the common man. The occasion was the sixth national convention on “Good Governance and Nation Building”, which started at Hotel Clarks Amer here, while generating new ideas and conclusions which will throw up new policy paradigms in the realm of governance in various facets of nation building.  The Management Development Academy (MDA), Jaipur, is organizing the two-day convention, in collaboration with UNFPA, Rajasthan State Real Estate Development Corporation, India Tourism Development Corporation, Rajasthan Knowledge Corporation and Jyoti Maheshwari Education Society. The former Judge of Rajasthan High Court, Mr. Justice V. S. Dave, delivered the inaugural address and former Director of Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie, B. S. Baswan, delivered the keynote address. Mr. Baswan said all citizens of the country must work together for the task of nation-building. He pointed out though corruption and moral degradation existed earlier too, they are highlighted much nowadays because of mass awareness.

He said people should come forward and take action to curb the corrupt practices in the government machinery. Many times, honest officers are not able to perform their duties due to the system discouraging them, he added. Mr. Baswan cited the examples of Tulsidas and Manu, who he said had given the secondary status to women. “Since the times have changed, we must reject such outdated notions and work for women’s empowerment,” he said. Referring to the recent controversy over Mr. Ashis Nandy’s remarks, he said the public utterances of important persons must be judged in the context in which they were made. Mr. Justive Dave, who is also Chairman of the Empowered Committee appointed by the Supreme Court for making Jaipur a world class city, the balance between the government and people could be evolved through proper coordination, which in turn would help in realizing the dream of good governance.

“Why is the judiciary become proactive and dominating over the executive? We need to ponder and find the answers,” said Mr. Justice Dave. Public participation must also be ensured for making Jaipur a world class city. He also called upon the mediapersons to highlight positive developments in the society and not merely sensationalize the events. The former SEBI Chairman, Mr. D.R. Mehta, who is also chief patron of MDA, said the values of life must be upheld in all circumstances. He emphasized the need for evolving a regulatory mechanism to control corruption and said empathy, rather than sympathy, must govern the government authorities’ dealings with public. Making a presentation on health management, the Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation’s Managing Director, Dr. Samit Sharma, said the Chief Minister’s free medicine supply scheme had so far benefited about 8.50 crore people. The number of patients visiting the government hospitals had increased by one-and-a-half times from the previous 44 lakhs every month to 62 lakhs every month.

Medicines worth Rs. 270 crores have so far been supplied to the patients under the scheme and their market value is Rs. 1,591 crores. Dr. Sharma pointed out that 95 per cent of diseases could be treated  through 250 to 300 essential drugs  and there  was a difference of up to 40 per cent n the prices of several branded and generic medicines, he said. He also said that several other states were replicating the Rajasthan model of medicine supply. The session was presided over by the UNFPA Assistant Country Representative, Mr. Venkatesh Srinivasan. Another session on “National Security and Nation Building” was addressed by the former Director of Intelligence Burea, Mr. Ajit Doval, and presided over by the former Director General of Police, Mr. Devendra Singh. Mr. Doval analysed various aspects of security and highlighted the role of intelligence agencies in strengthening internal security.

The last session of the day was devoted to “Transforming Jaipur into World Class City: Challenges and Opportunities.” The Jaipur Development Authority’s Commissioner, Mr. Kuldeep Ranka, discussed the challenges and opportunities for developing Jaipur as a world class city. Mr. Baswan presided over the session. The MDA Chairman, Prof. Ramesh K. Arora, said all the participants in different sessions would discuss the crucial aspects of good governance and their multifarious dimensions. The issues identified for analysis in the convention include efficacy of the health system, national security and nation building, innovation and creativity in governance, reaching the unreached in the process of development, compassion in governance, governance, ethics and work culture, media and nation building, higher education and nation building, expanding horizons of tourism and transforming Jaipur into a world class city. Mr. T N Chaturvedi, former Comptroller and Auditor General of India and former Governor of Karnataka, will deliver the valedictory address in the final session of the convention tomorrow.

Kalyan Singh Kothari, Media Consultant

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