PM,Sonia assert commitment to eradicate corruption

He said the government will also take a number of measures to make governance “more effective,transparent and accountable.”

These include “legislations for Lokpal,Citizen’s Grievance Redressal and Public Procurement”,he said.

“In the coming months we will redouble our efforts for ensuring that the fruits of development reach all citizens of our country,and especially those who have been left behind,” the Prime Minister said.

Addressing the convention,Gandhi said corruption plagues all sections of the society and together with the Lokpal bill,the government is working on a variety of legislations “which will systematically fight corruption.”

Gandhi,who addressed her first public function since undergoing surgery abroad for an undisclosed ailment,hoped the Opposition will support the government in passing these important measures.

The assertion to fight corruption came on a day Hazare threatened to go on an indefinite fast in Delhi from December 27 while terming that the draft report by Parliamentary Standing Committee as a “betrayal” of countrymen.

“Corruption is indeed a plague of public life…. We are committed to eradicating it,” Gandhi said.

The political system “needs administrative,judicial and electoral reforms including state funding of elections and fast tracking of corruption cases,” the Congress President said.

“Our actions have more than showed our resolve. The RTI which our government brought in has placed in the hands of the people,in the hands of you all,a powerful weapon against corruption,” she said.

Singh said the UPA Government has provided relief from debt to farmers and initiated a number of schemes to increase agricultural productivity and production.

“The Right to Education has ensured that every child in the country now has access to elementary education. The National Rural Health Mission strives to extend the reach of health services to all villages in our country,” he said.

He said the Government has also launched a number of schemes for the development of SC,ST and minorities.

She said the UPA government is all set to introduce the Right to Food Bill in the current session of Parliament.

“It is our government that has brought in the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA,the Right to Information,the Forest Rights Act and the Right to Education. The right to food bill is to be introduced in the current session of Parliament,” Gandhi said referring to a variety of legislations brought by the UPA government.

Gandhi asserted that the government has taken a number of measures to empower the citizens.

The Congress president said the UPA government’s measures like UID scheme or Aadhar will give all citizens the right to identity.

“But we all know the true empowerment can only come from participation,” Gandhi said.