'Govt building architechture of inclusive growth'

New Delhi, Feb 23: President A P J Abdul Kalam today said the government is building a ''new architecture of inclusive growth'' consisting of Bharat Nirman, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the National Rural Health Mission and strengthening and expanding the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission.

In his address to the Joint Session of Parliament, the President said considerable progress has been made in all these schemes.

Targets have been met for projects undertaken through Bharat Nirman, except in a few states.

Programmes for rural roads, rural electrification, rural telephony, rural housing and rural drinking water supply were on track, he said and urged the states, which are lagging behind to pay greater attention to the implementation issues.

Pointing out that generating additional employment was the focus area of the government, the President said the sustained increase in rate of investment has touched a record 34 per cent of GDP and would generate additional employment.

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) has benefitted 1.4 crore households in 200 districts. Over 5 lakh works are underway under NREGA of which half is in the area of water conservation and drought proofing contributing to rebuilding of the natural resource base.

Asserting the commitment of the government to expand NREGA to whole of the country in five years of its coming into force, he said many more districts would be covered in the next year. It has not only provided social safety net to poor but also developed rural infrastructure.

Dr Kalam said under the National Rural Health Mission, focusing on improving public health indicators through decentralised district level planning, about 3.2 lakh village based accredited women social health activists (ASHA) have been appointed in 18 demographically weaker states. Asserting that the government attaches highest importance to education, the President said there has been a quantum leap in the funds allocated for primary and secondary education during the past three years. The strengthened Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and Mid Day Meal Programme reaffirmed the government's commitment to the empowerment of children through education.

He said over 2000 new residential schools have been sanctioned in the past three years for girls belonging to SC/ST, OBC and minority communities and similar efforts are being made to increase their access to higher education.

In the field of higher education, the government is committed to revitalising vocational and technical education, expand access and build new institutions. Several new Indian Institute of Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology and Indian Institute of Inforamtion Technology have been proposed to be set up in various parts of the country. New Central Universities are being set up in the North Eastern Region.

The President said rights and aspirations of women were of paramount importance for inclusive and equitable society. Landmark legislations to ensure safety of women like the Domestic Violence Act have been implemented and children's protection was high on the government's agenda.

He said eradication of malnutrition was receiving topmost priority and the number of anganwadis have been increased to about one million.

Stressing the need for reform of urban governance and improved democratic functioning of municipalities, he said that City Development Plans have been prepared for 61 cities under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. A new draft law to facilitate street vendors is being finalised in consulation with all stakeholders.

UNI