"Our foremost priority is the removal of poverty, hunger and malnutrition, disease and illiteracy. All social welfare programmes must be implemented efficiently. Agencies involved in the delivery of services should have a strong sense of duty and work in a transparent, corruption-free, time-bound and accountable manner," she said in her address to the nation on the eve of 63rd Republic Day.
The
President said all issues, therefore, must be resolved through dialogue
and there can be no place for violence. Negativity and rejection cannot
be the path for a vibrant country that is moving to seek its destiny.
She said the Constitution has been and should be the compass guiding in nation-building.
"It
is the charter of our democracy. It is the document guaranteeing
individual freedoms to its citizens. It is the basis on which
institutions of the State have been created and have derived their
powers and functions," she said.
She said one has to be cautious in bringing about reforms so that the tree of democratic institutions does not come down.
"While
bringing about reforms and improving institutions, we have to be
cautious that while shaking the tree to remove the bad fruit, we do not
bring down the tree itself", she said.
She said India can take pride in its democratic record but as in any functional democracy, it faces pressures and challenges.
Patil
said there would be short term pressures, but in this process the long
term goals must not be lost sight of, and everyone must work together on
core national agenda.
Emphasising
that those who believe in democracy must try to see the rationale in
the others' point of view, she said concord and not discord is the way
forward for a country as large as India.
"All
issues, therefore, must be resolved through dialogue and there can be
no place for violence. Negativity and rejection cannot be the path for a
vibrant country that is moving to seek its destiny," she said.
Patil
said Indian institutions may not be flawless but they have coped with
many challenges. Indian Parliament, she noted, has enacted path-breaking
laws and Government has put together schemes for the progress and
welfare of the people.
Patil
said,"our judiciary has a reputable standing. Our media too has played
an important role. With all institutions working together for the same
national purpose it will create a stream of positive energy."
She
expressed the hope that in the spirit of national interest, matters of
national importance, are discussed and solutions found between different
stakeholders. This would strengthen the roots of our democracy and the
foundations of our nation.
"Often,
we are quick to find blame with others; but, yet are unable to give
constructive responses. There seems to be a tendency to doubt almost
everything. Do we not have faith in our own people's strengths and in
our institutions? Can we afford distrust amongst ourselves?," she said.
The
President said India's foreign policy was aimed at the promotion of an
environment that is conducive to its socio-economic transformation.
"We
seek to build bridges of cooperation and friendship with all countries
of the world. We constructively engage with the international community
to find responses to global challenges," she said.
Patil
said the role and stature of India, has been growing and the nation has
been scaling up in the ladder of the comity of nations.
"India
seeks an architecture for global institutions that is more reflective
of contemporary realities. We are also proud of the contributions of the
Indian Diaspora, spread over many countries and across continents, to
the economic, professional and political fields of the countries where
they live," she said.
The
President said, "we are living in a world that is complex and
challenging. Forces of globalisation have created an interlinked and
interdependent world. No country exists in isolation; it is continuously
being influenced by external developments".
She
said all nations, developed and developing, are facing the impact of
global economic instability, as well as problems of unemployment and
inflation, in varying degrees.
"There
are growing aspirations of the people, coupled with their expectations
of immediate solutions. We are observing, an information explosion and
ever-newer technological inventions.”
"These
have altered lifestyles and there is also a growing quest for
materialism. There are persistent questions about how growth and
resources will be shared in a more equitable manner," she said.
The President said education must reach every section of the society, as must access to health.
"We
need to expand health services, particularly in rural areas. We need
quality medical facilities for our population, which are affordable. In
today's era of ICT, technology can be very useful in our mission of
health and education," she said.
Patil said science and technology was a critical input for the growth of the nation and all sectors of the economy.
"Focus
on research and development is an investment in our future. Our
agriculture, industry and service sectors need to be working more
efficiently, with greater scientific inputs and more inter-linkages with
each other," she said.
The President said agriculture is one sector whose integration with other sectors of the economy remains inadequate.
"We
need to look at models of partnership, of farmers with industry and
with Research and Development institutions in various activities, so
that, not only does agricultural productivity increase, but farmers
benefit as well," she said.
Patil
said special focus is necessary on dryland farming, given its potential
and, the fact that, a large proportion of farm labour and poor farmers
are dependent on it.
"At
the same time, it is very important to build our physical
infrastructure - such as roads, ports and airports, to overcome
constraints to rapid growth," she said.
On
the issue of women empowerment, the President said it would have a very
big impact on creating social structures that are stable.
"An
important component of women's development is their economic and social
security. Social prejudices prevalent in our society which have led to
gender discrimination need to be corrected. Social evils like female
foeticide, child marriage and dowry must be eradicated. Status of women
is an important indicator of progress in a society," she said.
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