Even as he contended that online transactions were the future, Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu said on Tuesday that the Aadhaar system would rein in middlemen and corruption and help citizens avail of various government schemes.
Speaking at the 90th anniversary celebration of the Andhra Chamber of Commerce here, Mr. Naidu referred to the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme launched by the Centre and said: “Aadhaar is very much required to eliminate middlemen. It will eliminate corruption. We should really strengthen this. [I] am happy [that] more than 100 crore people have already enrolled.”
Stating that industries and agriculture were “the two eyes” of the country, the Vice-President emphasised that growth should be inclusive.
Expressing his disapproval of the concept of the government investing in business, he said that the government should instead focus on infrastructure, roads, electricity, drinking water, drainage and food.
Though the government was initially into business soon after independence, it was gradually easing out of business since it was incurring losses, he said, adding, “The government has no business to be in business.”
Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar, the President of the Andhra Chamber of Commerce, V.L. Indira Dutt and the Chairman of the Apollo Hospitals, Pratap C. Reddy, were present on the occasion.
The Vice-President handed over the ‘Excellence in Business Award’ to chartered financial analyst Vanitha Datla and the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ to music director and singer Vande Mataram Srinivas, besides releasing a souvenir to mark the 90th anniversary of the Andhra Chamber of Commerce.
Emphasising the importance of one’s mother tongue, Mr. Naidu said, “Everybody should master their mother tongue. Make your children also speak in their mother tongue.”
‘Help the needy’
Speaking at the birth anniversary celebration of social activist Nirmala Deshpande at the Thakkar Bapa Vidyalaya Samithi, Mr. Naidu said that the public should come forward to help those in need.
The people should be broad-minded, should develop social consciousness and care about their country, he said.
Mr. Naidu participated in the re-dedication of the renovated statue of Thakkar Bapa and laid the foundation stone for the Didi Nirmala Deshpande Nilayam Ladies Hostel, built under the Harijan Sevak Sangh and sponsored by the Shree Geeta Bhavan Trust.
Humanitarian awards were distributed to over 30 recipients, who had helped the Thakkar Bapa Vidyalaya Samithi rebuild its facilities, which were affected by the floods in 2015 and the cyclone in 2016, as well as expand the facilities.
