Media must fight poverty: Vice President

Raipur, Oct 13 (UNI) Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat today exhorted the media to raise voice against the causes of poverty to ensure that the fruits of development initiatives percolated down to the poor.

Speaking at a function after launching the Chhattisgarh editon of Hindi daily 'Naidunia' here, he said more than 26 crore people were still living below the poverty line.

''It's not that the government was not making any efforts to eradicate poverty but it appears that its benefits are not reaching the needy'', he said, adding that the media has to play a vital role in creating awareness among the masses about the schemes, its implementation and to ensure that the poor were benefitted from them.

Mr Shekhawat said it was a fact that the country had made tremendous economic progress and development initiatives were still on progress. ''What is the use of such progress, if the poor are not getting its benefits? '', he asked adding that it was the duty of the media to make the people aware so that they could scrutinise whether the funds meant for development were properly utilised.

The Vice President said the media must take up this issue in the same spirit by which it had played an important role during the freedom movement.

Referring to the vast natural resources available in Chhattisgarh, Mr Shekhawat said there was no reason that the state should lag behind in development if these resources were judiciously exploited for development and welfare of the people.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh expressed confidence that 'Naidunia', which had already set high standards and values in journalism in undivided Madhya Pradesh, would reflect the voice of poor and weaker sections of the state.

State Governor Lt.Gen (Retd) Krishna Mohan Seth , former Chief Minister and Congress MP Ajit Jogi, former Union Minister Vidya Charan Shukla, Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) President Charan Das Mahant and 'Naidunia' Chief Editor Abhay Chhajlani spoke.

UNI JJ SP SB RK1415