Rural population need empowerment: Somnath

Anand, Apr 3 (UNI) Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today said need of the hour is to find out ways to empower the rural population socially, politically and economically.

Addressing the 26th Annual convocation of Institute of Rural Management Anand(IRMA) here on ''Rural India: Developmental challenges'', Mr Chatterjee said,''I believe that we all are stakeholders of the country and we need to focus on comprehensive rural development which will take into account our rural economy, culture and also local level institutions like panchayats, the self-helped groups formed by women and farmers.

We are required to play the lead role and treat our large rural population as asset rather than liability for whom we have perpetually provided subsidy and adopted welfare measures. Therefore we need to think ways to empower them socially, economically and politically so that they become pro-active partners in the country's overall development,he said.

''No challenge comes without opportunity. I strongly believe that today we have unparalled opportunity to harness the maturity in our economic system,''he said.

Chairman of IRMA YK Alagh and acting Director Neelima Khaitan also spoke.

UNI