Govt. can't ignore electoral compulsions: PM

"In a democracy, we have to balance various interests," Manmohan tells NGOs and social activists Special Correspondent The Hindu Saturday, Jul 22, 2006

JAIPUR: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday called upon the non-Government organisations across the country to appreciate the relevance of electoral compulsions in the process of decision-making in a democracy, saying the choices before the people's elected representatives were shaped considerably by these factors. Speaking at the diamond jubilee celebrations of Vidya Bhawan Society in Udaipur, Dr. Singh pointed out that while the NGOs and social activists might not have to worry about electoral compulsions, the Government in a democracy had to take into account the views of all sections.

"We have to balance various interests. Hence it is often possible that civil society groups disagree with the Government. There is nothing wrong in that. But they must come to accept that in the management of social change there can be different routes to the same goal,'' said Dr. Singh, who was on a brief visit to the City of Lakes to attend the function. While underlining the need for social accountability in the non-Government sector, the Prime Minister said idealism alone was not a sufficient condition for success in social change and NGOs should evolve their own norms of transparency. "The issues of governance, including financial management, are as relevant in the voluntary sector as they are elsewhere.''

"There must be a proper appreciation of social, economic, environmental and other trade-offs.... There are benefits and costs. There are beneficiaries and losers. There are advantages and disadvantages. Every political leader, every administrator, every social activist is required to make choices in the course of their work,'' Dr. Singh said while applauding the work of Vidya Bhawan as one of Rajasthan's oldest educational institutions.

Asking the voluntary sector to play a meaningful role in the spread of education, Dr. Singh said the private organisations should contribute "more than investment'' in the field. "While the Government must play its due role -- providing basic education to all -- private organisations must also have the freedom to play their due role,'' he said.

He said he felt encouraged by the fact that voluntarism had emerged as a significant element in the development process, and added that fulfilment of the objectives such as welfare of weaker sections of society could not be the sole responsibility of the State. "Rural uplift and empowerment require a strong civil society and an active voluntary sector.'' Dr. Singh said he would like to see more and more of the youth take a pro-active role in the development process and called for inculcating the spirit of community service among the youth and offering them "practical opportunities through which they can contribute to the welfare of the needy and the deprived''.