PM's Independence Day Speech, 2011

My dear countrymen,

I heartily greet 120 crore Indians on the 64th anniversary of our independence.

I have been addressing you from the historic Red Fort for the last seven years. In these seven years, our country has achieved much. During this period, we have travelled rapidly on the path of development and have seen success in many areas. However, I am also well aware that a lot remains to be done. We have to banish poverty and illiteracy from our country. We have to provide the common man with access to improved health services. We have to provide employment opportunities to each one of our youth.

The road ahead is long and arduous. Particularly, the prevailing situation both inside and outside the country is such that if we do not act with understanding and restraint, our security and prosperity can get adversely affected. The world economy is slowing down. The developed countries especially America and countries of Western Europe are facing economic problems. There is unrest in many Arab countries of the Middle East. There are some people who want to create disturbances in the country so that our progress gets stalled. All this can have a negative impact on us. But we will not let this happen. I know that if we work together, we can face any challenge. However, it is necessary that we rise above personal or political interests and build consensus on issues of vital national importance.

Brothers and sisters,

We are building the edifice of modern India on the foundation of the hard work and sacrifices of our soldiers, our farmers and our workers. We will not let their hard work and sacrifices go waste. We will convert the dreams of our freedom fighters into reality.

Brothers and sisters,

In the last seven years, our government has strived for political stability and social and economic progress. We have established an environment of communal harmony in the country.

In these seven years, the pace of our economic development has been rapid. We have achieved this success despite the global economic slow-down of 2008 and rising prices of energy and commodities in world markets.

We have strived for reducing inequalities in the country. In the last seven years, we have taken special care of the needs of our brothers and sisters from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, minorities, women and children.

We have enacted laws which would guarantee our people their basic entitlements. After the rights to education, employment and information, we will soon enact a legislation for providing food security to the people.

In the last seven years, our relations with various countries of the world have strengthened and deepened. It is only the result of our hard work that today we have much more self respect and self-confidence in ourselves.

Brothers and sisters,

These successes are not ordinary. Today the world recognizes our potential to be one of the major economic powers globally. But the problem of corruption is a big obstacle in such a transformation.

In the last few months many instances of corruption have come to light. In some cases, functionaries of the Central government face allegations of corruption. In other cases, it is the functionaries of various State governments.

We are taking the strictest possible action in cases of corruption that have surfaced. These cases are sub-judice and hence I will say nothing more on this subject.

It is essential that when we consider these issues, we do not create an atmosphere in which the country's progress comes into question. Any debate on these matters should reflect the confidence that we can overcome these challenges.

Corruption manifests itself in many forms. In some instances, funds meant for schemes for the welfare of the common man end up in the pocket of government officials. In some other instances government discretion is used to favour a selected few. There are also cases where government contracts are wrongfully awarded to the wrong people. We cannot let such activities continue unchecked.

I believe that there is no single big step which we can take to eradicate corruption. In fact, we will have to act simultaneously on many fronts.

We will have to improve our justice delivery system. Everyone should know that quick action will be taken against the corrupt and punishment meted out to them. If our system delivers justice in an effective manner, government officials would think twice before committing a wrong act out of greed or under political pressure.

We want a strong Lokpal to prevent corruption in high places. We have recently introduced a Bill in Parliament to achieve this. Now only Parliament can decide what type of Lokpal legislation should be enacted. I am aware of the differences of opinion on some aspects of the Bill. Those who don't agree with this Bill can put forward their views to Parliament, political parties and even the press. However, I also believe that they should not resort to hunger strikes and fasts unto death.

It is not appropriate to bring the judiciary under the ambit of Lokpal. We believe that any such provision would go against the independence of the judiciary. However, we do need a framework in which the judiciary becomes more accountable. It is with this aim that we have introduced the Judicial Accountability Bill in Parliament. I am confident that this Bill will be passed soon.

An alert press and an aware citizenry can be very helpful in the fight against corruption. The Indian press is known for its independence and activism throughout the world. The Right to Information legislation that we have enacted has enabled our press and people to keep a strict watch on the work of the government.

Today many government decisions, which in the absence of this Act would escape public scrutiny, are coming to light. I believe that this is a big step forward in eradicating corruption.

Brothers and Sisters,

Many times, government discretion is misused in allocation of scarce resources and in the grant of clearances. We have examined this issue. We will put an end to such discretionary powers wherever possible.

Any government awards contracts worth thousands of crores every year. There are frequent complaints of corruption in these decisions. We had constituted a committee to suggest measures to reduce corruption in government purchases. The committee has recommended that, like many other countries, we should also have a public procurement legislation which lays down the principles and practice with regard to government purchases. We will introduce a Bill in Parliament by the end of this year to enact such a law.

In recent years, we have established independent regulatory authorities in many areas. These authorities discharge many responsibilities which were earlier in the domain of the government itself. We have no legislation which would enable monitoring of the work of these regulatory authorities and make them more accountable, without, however, compromising their independence. We are also considering enactment of such a law.

Brothers and sisters,

I have said so much on corruption because I know that this problem is a matter of deep concern for all of us. However, this is a difficulty for which no government has a magic wand. We are taking simultaneous action on many fronts in our fight against corruption. We want all political parties to stand shoulder to shoulder with us in this fight. To eradicate corruption, we have introduced, and will introduce, many Bills in Parliament. I hope that all political parties will cooperate in the process of converting these Bills into statutes. On the issue of corruption, I would like to say in the end that we can win the fight against corruption only when each and every citizen of India cooperates in it.

Brothers and sisters,

I congratulate the country's farmers for their achievements this year. The production of foodgrains has been at a record level. Wheat, maize, pulses and oilseeds have all seen record levels of production. It is because of the hard work of our farmers that today there are proposals for export of foodgrains, sugar and cotton.

We need a second Green Revolution in agriculture. We can tackle the problem of rising food prices only by increasing agricultural production and productivity. We also need to increase agricultural production to implement a food security law. We will accelerate our efforts in this direction in the 12th Plan.

Today, I wish to assure our farmer brothers and sisters, particularly those who are small and marginal, that we will continue to take care of their special needs. It will be our endeavour to ensure that our farmers have easy access to fertilizers, seeds and credit. We also want to provide the best possible irrigation facilities to the farmers so that their dependence on rains is reduced.

Brothers and sisters,

Our country is passing through a phase of sustained high inflation. Controlling rising prices is a primary responsibility of any government. Our government fully understands this responsibility. We have continuously taken steps to rein in prices. Some time we have been confronted with a situation in which the reasons for rising prices lay outside the country. The prices of petroleum products, foodgrains and edible oil have risen steeply in international markets in recent times. Since we import these products in large quantities, any rise in their prices adds to inflationary pressure in our country. Sometimes we have been successful too in controlling inflation. But this success has not proved lasting. A few days back, the people's concern at rising prices was also reflected in a discussion in Parliament. I wish to assure you today that we are continuously monitoring the situation to find out what new steps can be taken to arrest rising prices. Finding a solution to this problem will be our top-most priority in the coming months.

Brothers and sisters,

I am fully aware of the tensions caused in some parts of the country because of acquisition of land for industry, infrastructure and urbanization. Our farmers have been especially affected by such acquisition. Land acquisition is no doubt necessary for projects of public interest. But it should take place in a transparent and fair manner. The interests of those whose livelihoods are dependent on the land being acquired should be fully protected. We will ensure that no injustice is done to anyone in the process of land acquisition. Our government wants to replace the 117 year old land acquisition law by a new Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation law which is forward looking and balanced. We have already prepared a draft legislation and have initiated steps to build consensus on it. We will soon introduce a Bill in Parliament to this end.

Brothers and sisters,

We are satisfied with our achievements in the last seven years in the areas of education and health. Whether it is elementary education, secondary education or higher education we have taken concrete steps for improvements at all levels. This has shown good results. In the last few years, fundamental changes have taken place in the area of education. Today every citizen has a right to elementary education. We are now considering universalization of secondary education. Vocational education and skill development have acquired a new importance. In view of these major changes, it is necessary that we consider all aspects of education in a comprehensive manner. Therefore we have decided to appoint an education commission to make recommendations for improvements at all levels of education.

I have often referred to the 11th Five Year Plan as an education plan. We will lay the same emphasis on health in the 12th plan as we laid on education in the 11th plan. I will propose to the National Development Council that the 12th plan should be specially focused on health. I also promise that funds will not be a constraint in the important areas of education and health.

For a long time our country had no facility for health insurance for workers in the unorganized sector. In 2008, we began the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana for workers in the unorganized sector who are below the poverty line. In the last year we have covered those getting employment under Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Act and also domestic workers, street vendors and beedi workers under this scheme. Today the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana covers about 2 crore 50 lakh workers. Our government will endeavour to cover as many unorganized sector workers as possible under this scheme.

Brothers and sisters,

We are continuously strengthening the physical infrastructure in our country. This is an area which requires very large investments. It is for this reason that in the last seven years we have pursued policies which encourage investment in infrastructure. As a percentage of GDP, investment in this area has grown more than one and a half times in the last seven years. There have been improvements in our capacities in the petroleum sector and power generation, and in our airports, roads, especially rural road, and ports. As an illustration, the capacity in power generation that we are going to add in the 11th plan will be twice that of the 10th plan. In the 12th Plan, we will further accelerate investment in infrastructure. We will pay special attention to the remote areas of our country and to rural areas. Connecting such areas by rail and road will get the top most priority.

Brothers and sisters,

We have taken a major step this year for our poor brothers and sisters living in cities. Recently we have approved the Rajiv Awas Yojana. We want to make India slum free through this scheme. We want the slum dwellers to get ownership of clean houses and have access to basic amenities like water and electricity. We will implement the Rajiv Awas Yojana as a national mission together with the States.

Brothers and sisters,

Malnutrition in our women and children is a matter of concern for all of us. We have taken a number of steps to tackle this problem, including two new schemes. We have also decided that we will start implementing an improved Integrated Child Development Services scheme within the next six months so that the problem of malnutrition in children can be effectively addressed.

The figures of census 2011 show improvements in most areas. But it is a matter of deep regret for us that the sex ratio has shown a decline from the level of the last census. For an improvement in this state of affairs, it is not only necessary to implement the existing laws effectively but it is also essential to change the approach with which our society views girls and women. I would especially appeal to the State governments and social service organizations to take steps for empowerment of women and for improving their status in society.

Brothers and sisters,

Last month's terrorists attacks in Mumbai warn us that there cannot be any slip up in our vigilance as far as the fight against terrorism is concerned. This is a long battle to be fought jointly by the Central Government, the State Governments and the common man. We have been steadily strengthening our intelligence and security agencies and will continue to do so in the future also.

We are also taking all possible steps to overcome the challenge of naxalism. We want to eradicate the very reasons which give rise to this problem. Therefore we have started a new scheme for the accelerated development of 60 backward and tribal dominated districts. An amount of Rs. 3300 crore will be spent on this scheme in a period of two years.

Brothers and sisters,

Preserving our environment even as we develop rapidly is a huge challenge for us. Climate change poses a threat to both our development processes and our natural resources. We have established eight missions on climate change and are working hard to implement these missions. We have set up the National Ganga River Basin Authority for the protection and cleaning of river Ganga. We have also established the National Green Tribunal for quick disposal of cases involving environmental issues. In the coming months, we will constitute an environmental assessment and monitoring authority to streamline the process of environmental clearances.

Brothers and sisters,

Our society and country are changing rapidly because of our fast economic growth. Today our people look towards the future with new hope. They have higher aspirations. Our young men and women strive for path breaking achievements. We should all build an environment in the country in which the energy and enthusiasm of the people are channelised into activities of nation building. Our institutions should encourage constructive utilization of the potential of our people. Our entrepreneurs and businessmen should not feel constrained in their activities. Our industrialists should have the opportunity to set up new industries so that our youth can get additional avenues for productive employment. We should all stay away from politics that create suspicion or apprehension amongst those connected with industry, business and investment.

Brothers and sisters,

It is not an ordinary achievement for our democracy with a population of 120 crore and so many religions, languages and cultures to march rapidly ahead on the path of development. I congratulate the people of India on this achievement. But we must ensure that inequalities do not increase even as we develop rapidly.

We have embarked on a journey to transform our huge and diverse country through rapid development. A development which benefits every citizen of the country. It is natural that tensions would sometimes arise in this process of change. In a democracy, such tensions also become issues of political polarization. We should endeavour that even as political parties oppose and engage in debate against each other, the pace of our progress does not get affected.

We should also have faith that our democracy, our institutions and our social ideals and values have the capacity to deal with any difficulty. We should all have faith in ourselves. The faith that we can build a promising future for ourselves. The faith, that united we can do the most difficult of tasks. Let us all resolve to build a bright future for our country.

Dear Children, join me in saying

Jai Hind

Jai Hind

Jai Hind.

Politics in UP more about caste, less about development, says Rahul

Continuing his political campaign through Uttar Pradesh's hinterland, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Friday called on the youth of the state to unite to "topple the state government", citing the example of farmers in Bhatta-Parsaul who "fought for their rights" and won. .

"It was not 50,000 farmers. Merely 100-200 farmers fought for their rights in Bhatta-Parsaul and Tappal, and they changed the national land acquisition policy. Similarly, you all need to get united and fight for your rights. It would be only then your state will witness progress and development," Gandhi told a gathering of Youth Congress activists in Ballia, some 300 km from Lucknow.

"If only 5-10 youth inside this room join hands, they can achieve big targets, and can even topple the state government," he added.

Expressing concern over the "poor development" of Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi said, "Despite representing the most populous state, you are lagging behind.There is no one to look after you."

"The onus is on the people of Uttar Pradesh, particularly youth, who should start looking after themselves and the state. Irrespective of their caste and creed, youths need to come forward if they want to see all-round development of the state," Gandhi said.

"States like Maharashtra, Punjab and Haryana are ahead of Uttar Pradesh. Schools and colleges are being set up in such states, but where will the children of the poor people of Uttar Pradesh go?...What will happen to the poor people of the state?...Until the youths do not think about the state, Uttar Pradesh will continue to lag behind," he added.

Hitting out at the Mayawati-led government over the "lawlessness" in the state, Gandhi said, "It's surprising and shocking that chief medical Officers (CMOs) are being killed. People are being eliminated inside the jail.It's happening just because the youth of Uttar Pradesh are still to get united for fighting for their rights and development of the state."

Earlier in the day, Gandhi interacted with the weavers community in Azamgarh, some 300 km from Lucknow, to know about their problems, the party said.

Assuring the weavers all possible help, Gandhi invited their delegation to Delhi to give suggestions for improving their living conditions, Congress spokesperson Akhilesh Pratap Singh told reporters in Azamgarh.

"Rahul Gandhi gave the invitation while holding a `chaupal' (informal meeting) of weavers in the Neweda village. He will now arrange a meeting of weavers with those involved in finalising the draft of the Rs3,000 crore special package earmarked for the weavers in the last union budget," Akhilesh Pratap Singh said.

The informal meeting continued for over an hour, he added.

Gandhi reached Azamgarh on an unscheduled visit while he was on his way to Ballia to address Youth Congress activists. Gandhi Thursday started his two-day tour to eastern Uttar Pradesh to promote the Youth Congress membership drive as part of a sustained campaign to swing the political fortunes of the party in India's most politically consequential state.

On second day of his visit to Eastern UP, AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi again criticised the state government for “misappropriation” of Central funds and political parties in the state for promoting caste politics in the past two decades.

The youth of UP should stand up and question the government

"It is an open fact that there have been irregularities.


If such a thing would have happened in Maharashtra or Delhi or Haryana or Punjab, the government there would have resigned the same day," he said.

"The Centre provides funds worth thousands of crores of rupees for medical facilities to the rural poor under NRHM but the money has been misused by the state government," he alleged, accusing the BSP government of overlooking the rights of farmers and rural people.

 
Gandhi also lashed out at the UP government for carrying out forced land acquisition. "There have been financial irregularities in Noida where land of the poor has been acquired and given to builders for the Yamuna Expressway. Why is this happening?" he posed.

 He said this was because the youth of the state were not standing up and questioning the government."It is the youth's responsibility," Gandhi pointed out, asking young Congress workers to revive the party and in the process rid the state of Mayawati's "misrule".

With Congress trying to regain its lost moorings in the state, he said the youth leaders must expose the "anti-people and anti-farmer policies" of the BSP government and fan out among the masses to propagate the Centre's people-oriented policies and programmes.

He was addressing the party's youth brigade at Syed Modi stadium here. "Work at grass root level and be sensitive towards the problems of common man," was Gandhi's refrain during his interaction with the Youth Congress workers here and later in Mau district.

After his Kisan Sandesh Yatra in western UP earlier this month where he undertook foot march from villages in Gautam Buddha Nagar to Aligarh, this is his second mass contact programme in the state.

In Orissa, I had fought for the rights of tribals in Niyamgiri and I am happy we won the battle

Rahul Gandhi accused the Naveen government of siphoning of funds meant for Centrally sponsored schemes under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and mid-day programme of Sarva Sikshya Abhiyaan (SSA). The benefits have not reached the beneficiaries under these schemes in the state, he said and referred to the CBI probe into MGNREGA irregularities in six districts and dal scam to make his point in this regard.


Stating that Orissa is not a poor state as it is endowed with huge mineral resources like iron ore and bauxite, Gandhi said, people of the state are poor as they have not benefited from the mining activities. Minerals are directly exported, which is wrong, he observed.

Comparing the land acquisition problems of the Posco project in Orissa with Bhatta-Parsaul in the UP, Gandhi said, he is not against any development or project if the rights of poor people hit by the project are protected. “We do not have problem with any project. But there is problem with the end issue, compensation and rehabilitation of tribal and poor people. The poor should get benefit of the project, the locals should get employment and tribals should be comfortably rehabilitated”. He said, his party has prepared 30-point agenda for the Posco project and if these are complied, there will be no problem in implementation of the project.

Referring to his just concluded padayatra in Uttar Pradesh following allegation of forcible land acquisition there, he said, the new land acquisition bill, which will be tabled in the Parliament will benefit the poor and backward people who have a stake in the development. “In Orissa, I had fought for the rights of tribals in Niyamgiri and I am happy we won the battle”.

Addressing the media earlier in the day, Gandhi had described the state government as corrupt, but added the problem was more with implementation. He, however, said, the level of corruption here is not at par with the Uttar Pradesh government, which is the most corrupt state in the country.

Giving instances of Congress-ruled states, Gandhi pointed out that poor people in Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh were getting direct benefits from the developmental programmes while they were denied such facilities in state like Orissa. "MGNREGA, MDM and other schemes are working in full swing in Andhra Pradesh while CBI is probing rural job scam in Orissa," he said asking people to oust the "corrupt" BJD government in order to help the poor to come out of poverty. UPA governemnt was planning to bring Right to Food Bill, Rahul Gandhi said and wondered if it could be properly implemented in Orissa. "I fear whether the Orissa government can implement the food rights perfectly," he said. Dubbing the ruling BJD as a government for rich people', Rahul Gandhi asked the gathering to spread the Congress message in villages in order to oust the state government for a better tomorrow. Earlier in the day Gandhi participated in two youth interaction programmes at Khurda and Bhadrak where he asked young men and women to join Youth Congress to change the fate of the state. "Congress means development of poor, tribals, dalits, backward and minorities," Gandhi said.

He who calls himself a yogi should always be positive.

Some people watch positive side of thing and some negative. Those who watch the negative side are good for nothing and only complain. So we should not care of their opinion and go ahead. He who calls himself a yogi should be always positive. And if there is positivity, he must appreciate and give suggestion to improve. He must have tremendous patience. If he says there is corruption in the government, he must also appreciate all the action the government has taken against corruption. He will do it if he is impartial. And a Yogi must be impartial. If he is not he is not a yogi, he is simply a member of a Political Party, and opposes the other Party, and must not have a mask of a yogi. If he criticizes, he must welcome criticism. If he says some one is in possession of black-money, he is suposed to come clean and declare his incomes, as well said by Congress leader Digvijay Singh Ji. If he is asked to do it, how can it be wrong! A yogi tolerates anything and everything and never talks about negative things in public, whether he is called a dog or whatever.

If we have a bad traffic on roads, who is responsible for that; if a mothers son dies in road accident who is responsible for that; it's corruption, corrupt police department, corrupt system which is responsible for that. If there is no speed control who is responsible for that; what the state government is doing in this regard. If the police department is corrupt and do not investigate a case properly, who is responsible for that. If there is heavy encroachment on national highways and public roads which is also the cause of death in road accident who is responsible for that. If there is big holes on roads who is responsible for that. Are the state governments there to make our life safe or they are there to enjoy the evil power. Who is responsible for the deaths of police men in so-called naxal attacks. Why the hell the state government is not providing them with enough ammunition. Why the state government is not adhering to all the recommendation to lessen the deaths of police men and also to minimize the violation of human rights. Why our government is so weak. Do they think they have purchased the votes with hundred rupee notes.

Violence against our women should be severely punished.

As per our Constitution, the responsibility for maintenance of public order and peace rests with the states. But, in view of the complex and ever changing nature of problems we face, states often need Central assistance in these areas. It is only through a process of continuous and meaningful interaction between the Centre and the states that problems of left-wing extremism, cross-border terrorism and religious fundamentalism can be tackled and tackled effectively. Let me reaffirm today that the Central government stands committed to assisting states in all possible ways in these areas. But, while the Centre can provide resources, guidance and information, the basic task of modernizing state police forces, inducting better equipment, improving the quality of police personnel and strengthening the infrastructure available to them requires the attention of the State Governments. Funds are not a constraint, as the thirteenth Finance Commission has recommended substantial grants and the Central government continues making its contribution to augment the resources of the states. What is needed is a recognition of this problem, focused attention on these issues and a commitment to improving the professionalism and the quality of our police forces. Ultimately, it is a police man on the ground who will deliver results and he has to be equipped and treated well to have the morale and the capacity to deal with the problems of internal security. I hope to see some useful recommendations emerging out of your deliberations on these issues.


Corruption strikes at the roots of good governance. It is an impediment to faster growth. It dilutes, if not negates, our efforts at social inclusion. It dents our international image and it demeans us before our own people. This is a challenge which has to be faced frontally, boldly and quickly. As you might be aware, we have set up a Group of Ministers to look into all measures, legal or administrative, to tackle this menace. Two bills have already been introduced in Parliament relating to judicial accountability and the protection of whistle blowers. Along with legislation, the necessary revamp of administrative practices and procedures needs to be fast-tracked. A systemic response that reduces opportunities for corruption needs to be put in place. It is now well documented that the introduction of competition, greater choice and modern technology can cut down the opportunities for corruption in a very meaningful manner. Delays, another major cause, can be addressed to a large extent by effective decentralization and delegation of power and responsibility. All these issues require your wholehearted attention and I have no doubt that if all of us work together we can bring about vast improvements in governance.

We should also make full use of technology to improve the delivery of our schemes. Technological advances, including broadband connectivity and mobile phones, provide opportunities and tools for better monitoring, improved communication and greater transparency. Unique identification numbers and the extension of the business correspondence model of commercial banks to remote areas should help in prevention of leakages and promote financial inclusion. These are tools and options at your disposal and it is up to you to use them effectively and imaginatively.

The other area is the administration’s response to the special needs and problems of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities, women and other vulnerable groups of our society. Speaking to Chief Ministers three days ago, I had said that it is a shame that atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes still continue in our country. I expect all Chief Secretaries to lead their administration in preventing such atrocities and ensuring punishment to the perpetrators when they do occur. I expect a similar sensitive and responsive attitude towards the issue of violence against our women.

We should not do anything that will denigrate the institution of the Prime Minister.

“It is a painful fact that corruption seems to be widespread and I feel strongly that it is our responsibility as well as that of each and every political party to together, seriously, device a way - a mechanism to curb this growing menace,” Ms. Gandhi said.

Ms. Gandhi said “Congress has always stood for transparency and probity. And we have made it clear that there will be absolutely no tolerance for corruption or misconduct.

Even when no charge has been established or no misconduct has been proved, we have asked ministers and chief ministers to step down, pending enquiry.”

“We should not do anything that will denigrate the institution of the Prime Minister. We cannot sacrifice institutions at the altar of political expediency”, Ms. Gandhi said.

Stepping up the attack on the BJP on the issue of corruption, Gandhi said, “Can the BJP make the same claim in Karnataka where corruption is rampant? Let us not forget that it was during the BJP-led NDA that a senior minister resigned after the defence scam was exposed but was re-instated even as the inquiry was underway.

“And what about some of the leaders in the same party caught in camera taking money and later rehabilitated? The list is endless,” she said in reference to former BJP President Bangaru Laxman.

Together with development, what UP and Bihar need desperately is large scale improvement in the law and order, without which the overall picture cannot change

"It is an important issue and we need to be very strict on corruption... the government is in the process of taking strong action," he told reporters here.




"Development in UP is low as compared to what could have been done, but there are certain constraints. You can see the state of roads even outside the auditorium," he said. 


"If the UP government's focus is in the right direction, the state could be developed... there are no shortcomings in the people here," he said.

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Monday said that Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are very important states for the entire nation and their development was necessary for nation building.

'Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are extremely important for the entire nation and unless these two states were developed, all talk about nation building would be meaningless,' Gandhi said here.

'Together with development, what UP and Bihar need desperately is large scale improvement in the law and order, without which the overall picture cannot change,' he pointed out.

Rahul Gandhi also expressed concern over rising corruption and emphasised the need for strict action against the menace.

'Corruption is a serious issue and we have already initiated certain tough measures to deal with it,' he said in reply to a pointed query by a journalist just as he rose to leave the venue.

Reacting to his emphasis on the need for development of a backward Uttar Pradesh, when a scribe pointed out his own focus was on Amethi and Rae Bareli (his mother Sonia Gandhi's constituency), Rahul Gandhi shot back, 'Well, even Amethi and Rae Bareli still require much more development.'

He blamed the state government for not focusing its attention on the need for development of the entire state.

Earlier, speaking at the function, he exhorted the youth to realise that they were the 'nation builders of tomorrow', and the future of the nation depended on them.

Significantly, this was one of the rare occasions during his Rae Bareli or Amethi visits when he interacted with the media, which is usually keeps at an arm's length from him.

Corrupt Mayavati is misutilising central fund

"For the youth today, as I hear often, Ayodhya and such issues are not important but for them education and jobs are more relevant. If we do not transform our educational system then we will have to struggle in future," warned Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi.

To a query on packages from the Centre for backward regions, he said, "I had visited Bundelkhand in the region some years ago and found many serious problems facing the region on its way to development. There is a central problem that packages by the Centre for development of backward regions, are not being utilized properly and the need is to improve the situation."

Use information technology (IT) to fight corruption

"It is incumbent upon us to ensure that no area of our country is denied the benefits of our ambitious developmental programmes," Manmohan Singh said, addressing a function here on the occasion of Civil Services Day.

"It is up to you to devise innovative ways and means, to harness the tools of IT and to involve the intended beneficiaries in implementation so that complaints of corruption and complaints of lack of transparency get addressed.

"Every effort must be made to make full use of the potentialities of the Panchayati Raj System for effective decentralized and socially just development," the Prime Minister said. 

The sooner Mayawati goes from power the better it is for Uttar Pradesh people

“The BSP government was turning its back on pro-poor schemes and still claims to be a pro-poor government. How can this be possible?” Mr. Gandhi, who was allegedly denied permission to garland Ambedkar’s statue here, asked.

“Money for development projects reaches Lucknow but Ambedkar Nagar and other districts of the state (are not developed)... Money has been given to the UP government for schemes like MGNREGA, RTE and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan, but no one knows what happens to this money,” he said.

Mr. Gandhi alleged that he had got a Central package worth crores of rupees for Bundelkhand but nobody in the region has seen its benefits.

Mr. Gandhi also attacked Ms. Mayawati for criticising his visits to Dalit homes, saying it does not go down well with her as she feels threatened by it.

The Congress General Secretary said that the politics of religion and caste have failed in UP and there was a need to usher in a new way of politics targeted at the youth.

“In the times to come, UP has to answer how to tackle unemployment and poverty in the state. Politics in the state will now revolve around this question,” he said.

‘Daulat ki beti’ Mayawati extorting money: Congress

Attacking Mayawati, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh said that she is no more a “Dalit ki beti but is daulat ki beti” and alleged that BSP is extracting money through illegal means in the name of party fund. 

Digvijay said, “It is brazen show of wealth, a brazen show of corruption. A brazen show of how money is being collected through an organized network of criminals centralized at the Chief Minister’s residence.”

“BSP is extracting money from miners, public works department (PWD), Noida and the public distribution system (PDS) in the name of party fund,” he added.

Questioning the source of such huge sums of money, Singh said that a thorough probe is required into all the aspect of the matter.

He also suggested that initial investigation into the matter suggest the first garland used for felicitating Mayawati was worth Rs 22.50 crores.”

Reacting to the latest garland controversy, Congress party spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan said, “Repeated felicitation of Mayawati with currency notes is an unrepentant act and can not be justified. The entire show ‘violates the basic tenants of democracy’.

Think big and think out of the box

Expressing the hope that the State's youth would show the way forward in doing things differently, he said, “We need more educated people, more efficient economy, more equitable society. We also need creative people, innovative people, people who don't just try to cross hurdles but know how to avoid them.”

Emphasising that all power should be regarded as societal trust and is to be used for public good, the Prime Minister said legislators were also watchdogs of public finances and they should ensure that there was no wasteful use of public money. Collectively, they needed to deal sternly with corruption and inefficiency in governance processes.

“On these new premises, we will witness new heights of legislative competence and legislative propriety, with discussions being guided by the spirit of tolerance, accommodation and deep and abiding concern for the well-being of the common people.”

Ms. Gandhi, who released a souvenir, said the State had been a model of “inclusive growth and development” in many respects. Right from the 1950s, the State had pioneered and shown the way in different ways — education, health, nutrition, family welfare, social security and rural development. “Through the decades, its political leadership has combined a profound commitment to social justice and empowerment of the weaker sections of society with a continuing emphasis on industrialisation, development and growth.” 

Commitment, dedication and honesty should be the hallmark of the work of administrators

An enlightened citizenry conscious of its civic duties and social responsibilities, maintaining discipline, following good habits particularly about hygiene and cleanliness, respectful towards nature's bounty and sensitive to environmental concerns is the greatest asset of a nation.

Peaceful co-existence is inherent in our culture.Terrorism, which targets innocent people, is the very anti-thesis of peaceful co-existence. It is condemnable because it is against the tenets of every religion and faith. It must be defeated in the interest of collective goal of human kind to build peaceful societies and a peaceful world.

Let us prove that we can be united as human beings and not divided. Let fight against violence and extremism be an important part of promoting peace and harmony," she said adding if the people were to be bound by feelings of hatred, mistrust and apathy, the country would never move forward.