Calling for an equitable spread of the fruits of growth, President Pratibha Patil on Tuesday said that dream of alround prosperity as envisaged by freedom fighters would not be achieved unless benefits of economic liberalisation reached the last person of our society.
In her maiden speech to the nation on the eve of the Independence Day on Tuesday, Patil argued that economic reforms would have meaning only when it ensured an egalitarian society and so any liberalisation efforts should be directed to achieve this goal.
?We have to take special care to bring in egalitarian reforms to ensure that the full benefit of economic liberalisation reaches people at all levels,? she said adding that growth, when unevenly spread, dwarfs overall prosperity as a nation. Arguing in favour of a socially inclusive growth, Patil said, ?The country can achieve a sustainable consistent growth rates only if we try to reach out to the last person of the society and with this the dream of the freedom fighters of transforming political freedom into a vehicle for attaining the goal of equality and prosperity for all will be achieved.?
Claiming that the ?empowerment of our economically deprived section of the society still remains unaccomplished?, Patil said, ?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 poverty line.?
Urging the more developed among the citizens to inspire and enthuse the lesser ones to race ahead on the path of prosperity, Patil spoke in favour of a need ?to weld? the entire nation into a strong, unassailable entity in which there does not exist an iota of distrust.
As the country?s first woman President, Patil did not forget to mention the contribution of the women. While quoting Mahatma Gandhi that ?salvation of a nation lies in the elevation of women?, she said, ?history bears sufficient proof that our womenfolk have excelled themselves not only as able home-makers but in devoting themselves to the noble task of nation building.? ?Let us resolve that they are not left marginalised in our society,? she said and stressed that women should be made harbingers of sustainable development.