Mangalore: Margaret Alva speaks on issues and challenges in the next decade

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (VM)

Mangalore, Sep 23: The fruits of development should reach every citizen, only then can the goals outlined in the Constitution become a reality. The more we move forward, the more are the challenges and hence, organizations and associations should think on influencing the next decade by bringing about changes, and be in touch with lawmakers, said Margaret Alva, honorable governor of Rajasthan.

She addressed the gathering during a talk on ‘Issues and challenges in the next decade and the way ahead’ held at the Gateway Hotel on Monday September 23.

Speaking further, she said, "There are two sets of issues influencing the decade ahead, which are economic impulses including role of government and socio-economic impulses."

"Challenges for India need to be viewed against the background of nationally accepted goals. There is a concensus that India should try to end poverty, reduce economic disparity and secure life and liberty for all its citizens to enable them to achieve their full potentials. These are national commitments, some of which are enshrined as legally enforced in the Constitution.

"It implies that we the people in giving ourselves the Constitution commit ourselves to respect its governance including equality before the law," she added.

Challenges - Poverty and corruption

"One of the challenges that would persist India for the next decade is poverty, both absolute and relative. As per the Planning Commission report, over 22 percent of Indians live below the poverty line, and despite India achieving a spectacular double digit growth rate, poverty increased," she pointed out.

Secondly, she said that corruption, a subject of animated debate will continue to pose a huge challenge to public life in India. "The challenge to my mind is not just allegations of corruption but our collective failure to initiate credible steps to prevent corruption. There is evidence of corruption affecting politics, bureaucracy and other sectors, and sometimes even sections of judiciary. While there are bodies entrusted with vigilance and anti-corruption measures, there is little doubt that one fountain of corruption is the electoral funding. India’s political leadership has done well in introducing the right to information, but it needs to do more about the electoral fund.

"The Indian National Congress of the freedom movement had set very strict standards, and drew sustenance from the country’s masses. It maintained detailed accounts of all donations including every small change it received. Things seemed to have changed now. Government institutions and private business houses are turning a blind eye to this problem, I am afraid it will weaken the foundations of democracy. If we have to improve our system of governance, then we have to walk towards transparency in public life across the globe," Alva said.

'Unemployment hindering economic growth'

"Unemployment despite education has affected economic growth the most. Studies show that students of class 3 cannot read and the students of class 6 cannot do simple arithmetic. Educationalists will tell you, the persons appointed as lecturers in colleges often need special coaching and orientation before they can commence teaching. We speak about the numbers we are educating but there are very few who lay emphasis on quality and skill development of those they are educating," she said.

Communal divide and challenges for youth

The communal, religious, sectarian divide has regretably worsened which is a great threat for the social harmony that can delay years and decades of our developmental works, said governor Alva adding, "Ideal governance is one where government works in partnership with the public."

"The challenges of the next decade are challenges for the youth as they could be the force behind development. Not only the future, even the present belongs to them and if we lose them, we will not achieve success and hence they should be guided in the right direction," she said.

Tourism

Replying to a query from the audience regarding challenges posed by the city's tourism sector, Margaret Alva said, "Gone are the days when people used to like star hotels, they now look for cheaper budget hotels. Even on a highway, a tourist looks for service and for tourism to develop, the entire chain of tourism should fall in place."

Terming Mangalore an ideal destination for tourism, she said domestic tourism has outshined foreign tourism. "The trend we see at  present is that people want to learn, see and experience. There has to be tourism development with public-private partnership. Tourism should be a popular sector among the young people."

KCCI president Mohammed Ameen, office-bearers Latha R Kini, Ganesh Bhat, Rammohan Pai, Jeevan Saldanha, Nigam B Vasani among others were present.