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Journalism of Courage
HYDERABAD, APRIL 3: India can prosper only when people stop depending on the state and contribute their mite at individual level, said Union Minister of State for Planning & Programme Implementation Arun Shourie here today.
Delivering the 16th Sri Ramakrishna Dhooth Memorial Lecture on `Making India to Face the Future’ organised by the Rajasthani Graduates Association, Arun Shourie said: “The state can act only as a facilitator and individuals have to give something to the country instead of expecting everything from it.”
He said that the country, which had immense potential to top the world in various fields, had been lagging behind due to cynicism. When computers first entered the country way back in 1970s, the Left parties opposed it and as a result a whole generation remained illiterate.
Similarly, Indira Gandhi’s “misconceived socialism” pushed India backward in many fields, he pointed out. While China, a Communist country, went ahead and signed the WTO and set up training institutes to impart knowledge about patent rights, Indian leaders were busy discussing whether or not to sign the WTO, he said.
Earlier, Arun Shourie called on Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and discussed issues such as employment, service conditions and training for government employees.
The chief minister apprised the union minister of the various steps initiated by the State in different sectors. The State planning department will make a video presentation to Shourie on development monitoring systems tomorrow, according to an official press release.
