Bhopal:Friday, August 29, 2008:Former Vice-President Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat has said that poverty eradication programmes should be chalked out with the participation of the poor so that they can derive maximum benefits from such schemes. Shri Shekhawat expressed these views while inaugurating two-day national seminar focusing on poverty here today.
Former Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha and member of Parliament Smt. Najma Heptullah presided over the function, which was organised under the joint aegis of Rajya Samanya Nirdhan Varg Kalyan Ayog and Social Justice Department. Those who also shared the dais included Social Justice Minister Sushri Kusum Mehdele and commission’s chairman Shri Babulal Jain.
Stressing the need for employment-oriented programmes for poverty alleviation, Shri Shekhawat said that the option of choosing the work for employment should be left to the poor beneficiaries themselves. He underlined the need for exercising caution in identifying poor people adding that only through this process only eligible beneficiaries would be covered by these schemes. He called for making a list of those works which can be done manually instead of machines so that employment can be provided to poor people on a large scale.
Shri Shekhawat cautioned that those poor people who are outside the periphery of reservation should be given the same fringe benefits being extended to the reserved categories and not more than that. The former Vice-President said that at present such conditions do not prevail under which poor people can be served in the right perspective. Therefore, a system should be evolved which can ensure all round services to the poor.
In the presidential address, Member of Parliament Smt. Najma Heptullah said that poverty knows no bounds of caste or religion. The expanding gambit of poverty is dangerous for democracy. People must be helped to overcome the curse of poverty in order to save democracy. She said that poverty can be eradicated only through provision of basic requirements of one and all.
Social Justice Minister Sushri Kusum Mehdele said that poverty is a curse. Its removal does not lie only in helping the poor occasionally but in undertaking such programmes which can ensure uprooting of this curse forever.
In his welcome address, Commission’s chairman Shri Babulal Jain said that there is need to protect those people belonging to general category who are still poor and deprived even 60 years after independence. Efforts should be undertaken to ensure that everyone gets the opportunity to lead a dignified life with availability of all the basic amenities. He said that the commission would carry out the tasks entrusted to it within the deadline.
Commission’s consultant Shri Nitin Nandgaonkar threw light in detail on the commission’s activities. At the outset, guest lighted a lamp to inaugurate the function which opened with rendition of Rashtra Vandana. Commission’s chairman and secretary welcomed the guests. Secretary Shri A.N. Tiwari proposed a vote of thanks.