The benefits of post-independence progress must reach one and all and civil society has a important role to play in this, Union Minister of Law and Justice M Veerappa Moily said on Sunday.
“We have to care and share, only then democracy can be successful”, he said inaugurating a three-day ‘Civil Society Summit: The state of the Indian Republic @ 60’ here.
An important programme undertaken by the UPA government in the 11th five-year plan is “fastest growth, inclusive growth” which aims to ensure that fruits of progress percolate to all sections of the society, Mr. Moily said.
He said in the second Administrative Reforms Commission, he has talked about a public order “justice for all, peace for all” and also presented a report on “conflict resolution” which aims to ensure equal opportunity and social justice for all sections of society without giving rise to any conflicts.
“Mutual trust and love, truth and reconciliation among the people are the important tenets of a democracy”, Mr. Moily said, emphasising the important responsibility that civil society has in ensuring that deficit areas are looked into and improved upon for development which includes all.
NGOs can contribute to a great extent by acting as interface between the society and government, he said, highlighting various initiatives taken by the UPA government including the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and RTI to give equal right to citizens.
“We have already passed the Right to Education Act and Food Security Act is coming shortly”, Mr. Moily said, calling upon the NGOs to come up with “feasible programmes to ensure greater participation of the people” which, he assured, will be implemented.
Observing that a number of laws were genderbiased, he said “they (laws) should become gender neutral and I assure you in the next four years this will be done”, he said.
However, unswerving faith in democracy and democratic institutions is essential for strengthening it (democracy) and taking it to greater heights, Mr. Moily said.
