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| Speech by
MOS(PP), Sh. Suresh Pachauri at
7th DP Kohli Memorial Lecture on 01.06.2006 |
Padma Vibhushan Dr. C. Rangarajan, Chairman Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister; Shri P. Shankar, Central Vigilance Commissioner; Shri Pratyush Sinha, Secretary Personnel; Shri Vijay Shankar, Director-CBI; Former – Directors of CBI; Members of family of Shri DP Kohli; ladies and gentlemen.
I am happy to join you for the second consecutive time on the occasion of DP Kolhi Memorial Lecture. The leadership and direction provided by Shri DP Kohli to the CBI in its formative years helped this agency to grow. It is a befitting rememberance of the contribution made by its first Director, Shri D.P. Kohli, that CBI organises a lecture in his honour every year.
Today, CBI prides itself, and rightly so, as an apex investigating agency of the country capable of investigating and making breakthroughs in highly sophisticated and challenging cases of crimes. The credit of bringing this glory to the agency goes, and it goes in full measure, to the collective efforts made by its officers at various levels from the Director to the Constable. Their dedicated, sincere and honest work over a long period of time coupled with passion to solve complicated cases of crimes is the secret behind the present reputation of CBI. Three awards of Best Head Constable, Best Investigating Officer and Best Prosecuting Officer that I have given only minutes ago, is an appropriate recongnition of importance of their work. Such recognition of merit and excellence, I am sure, would go a long way in motivating the functionaries of the agency to perform even better. I congratulate and compliment the recepients of the awards for their good work. I hope they would emerge as role models for their colleagues to emulate.
The theme of this year’s lecture “Economic Growth and Issues of Governance” is extremely relevant in present context and we are privileged to have a leading Economist of the stature of Dr. C. Rangarajan to deliver it. My compliments to CBI both for choosing a topic of great relevance and for inviting an eminently suitable scholar to speak on this theme.
“How best to govern” has engaged the attention of political thinkers for last many centuries. In ancient Greek, Aristotle focused on how to facilitate peoples’ ability to lead a flourishing life. Governance, as is understood today, is essentially the process of decision making and the process by which the decisions are implemented. However, Government remains one of several actors in Governance. Our own Kautilya’s treaties of ‘Arthashastra’ remains a classic on good governance.
Taking a comparative inter-regional perspective may clarify the elaboration. The per capita income of East Asian Countries which were only marginally better off than the Sub Saharan Africa in 1960 became 5 times theirs by the year 1995. Good Governance in East Asian countries was identified as the prime factor responsible for their superior performance and since then the link between economic development and governance is being increasingly realised. There are other instances, as well of developing countries which are quite comparable in terms of their natural resources and social structures showing strikingly differing records of economic and social progress in last 30 years. It is now widely agreed that nature of Governance has been responsible for their varied performances. Direct linkage between good Governance and economic and social progress is now indeed a key building block of national development.
Today, Indian economy has achieved a robust growth of about 8 per cent and is expected to achieve a target growth of 10 per cent in near future. This makes us as one of the fastest growing economies in the world. We are increasingly recognised as a global power. This country of one billion plus has already become knowledge hub of the world economy. New India is more confident, more enterprising and more competitive and feel that it is second to none. India of 21st Century that our beloved leader Rajivji dreamt of and worked for is fast becoming a reality.
There are, however, a number of issues which the governance of this country has to address and address quickly. The issue of ensuring that the benefits of growth trickles down to all sections of the society particularly the marginalised one’s is the pressing need of the time. Poverty, unemployment, low growth rate in agriculture sector, provision for safe drinking water and sanitation, education and health care facilities for all are other vital issues that have to be tackled urgently.
UPA government has launched ambitious schemes and programes such as Bharat Nirman, National Rural Health Mission, National Horticulture Mission, Indira Awas Yojna, Urban Renewal Mission, Serva Shiksha Abhiyan, Mid Day Meal Scheme, etc. and have enacted path breaking legislation like Employment Guarantee Act,2005 and Right to Information Act,2005 to tackle the problems facing the country.
Government led by Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singhji is determined to ensure that steps taken by it yield the desired results and the benefits reach the targeted people. It is with this aim that we are taking steps to create an environment in which public officials function efficiently and in a transparent manner and are made accountable for their actions. We are adopting a policy of zero tolerance towards corruption and have taken steps to make corruption a high risk venture. It is here that we expect anti-corruption agencies like CBI to work professionally, objectively and honestly and remain vigilant.
I am aware that no agency can perform at an optimum level and produce the desired results unless its work force is highly motivated and necessary infrastructure is in place. I am also aware that crime in today’s world is becoming increasingly complex and to crack such cases a new set of skills is needed. New threats, new challenges, infact call for continuous upgradation of investigating methods, tools and technologies. I am happy to mention that the desired steps have been taken by the Government in all these areas.
Last year, while addressing you on the occasion of DP Kohli lecture, I had assured you that the government would ensure that the CBI had a headquarters building of its own. The foundation stone of the headquarters building of CBI has already been laid by the Prime Minister himself. The Headquarters building of CBI is expected to be a ‘State of Art’ construction costing about Rs. 140 crores. As announced by the Hon’ble PM, the proposal for increasing the allowance for the CBI officers of various ranks is under active consideration of the Government. In addition, funds to the tune of Rs. 1 crore per annum are being made available for the modernization and technical upgradation of CBI. A number of CBI officials are being trained every year in various areas. We have also taken a number of steps to improve housing facilities for CBI personnel. I am confident that the steps taken by the Government will lead to better and improved performance of CBI. I have, no doubt, that the CBI under the guidance of the present Director Shri Vijay Shankarji will set new standards in combating corruption. I assure the agency of my full co-operation in its fight against corruption in public life.
Thank You.
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