CP's Speech

Building A Better Future

UPA Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi's speech at Hindustan Times Leadership Summit on 15 November 2005 at New Delhi

Mrs. Shobana Bharatiya, Mr. Vir Sanghvi, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me begin by congratulating Shobanaji and her colleagues, for bringing together yet again, so many eminent personalities.

You have just heard the Prime Minister who in his own direct and self-effacing style, has articulated a road map for us to follow towards "building a better future".

For "Building a Better Future", without any doubt faster economic growth is essential.

Clearly, enhanced investment in economic, social and physical infrastructure is crucial.

To be sure, increased engagement with the rest of the world is necessary.

Beyond question, a new political culture, based on caring and concern for the larger public good, is critical.

But in addition to all this, I believe we need to give a whole new momentum to public action.

This will call for the government to be even more purposeful and effective.

It will also call for a new compact between the government and civil society.

And it is this partnership that I want to speak on today.

India's entrepreneurs are justly celebrated these days. They are doing the country proud. I for one believe that they must be given every opportunity to realize their full potential.

Indian scientists and technologists have made major contributions to nation-building. Now our colleges, universities, institutes of higher learning and laboratories need a renewed vitality coupled with creative energy.

But if our concern is with people at large and their day-to-day lives, particularly of the weaker sections, then we need a new paradigm for sustained cooperation between the government and civil society.

What do I mean by "civil society"?

To me, civil society embraces the very large number of social action groups, voluntary agencies, NGOs, peoples' movements, citizens' associations, community organizations and, as a mirror of society, the media.

India's democracy has flowered and that is really our most remarkable achievement.

And one key reason for this has been the existence of a vigourous civil society in which discussion, argument and mobilization thrive.

It is the arena in which alternative visions of the future have been articulated, in which alternative paths to attain that future have been debated.

It is also the arena in which we, who are in a position of power, are being held accountable to our promises and pledges.

In many parts of the country, civil society is making a real difference in education, health, nutrition, credit, rural development and the environment. Civil society associations have provided a forum for lakhs of workers in the unorganized sector.

In some regions, civil society has taken the lead in promoting social peace and harmony. At times of natural calamities, we have seen how quickly and how sensitively it has stepped in to assist the government's efforts in providing relief and rehabilitation.

All this has happened spontaneously, almost entirely because of individual drive, dedication and determination. We have in our country a tradition of social service - of sewa - exemplified most vividly by the Gandhian legacy.

The government has to create an institutional framework for the involvement of a diverse array of civil society groups and organizations in both the democratic and developmental process. The challenge is to make space for them and encourage the proliferation of their success stories.

The corporate sector too-and I see captains of industry here this morning— has a role in strengthening civil society networks. I am aware that we have some outstanding examples of corporate philanthropy and social service. I believe the corporate sector wants to and can do more.

But let me be clear. Just as economic reforms do not mean the abdication of the role of the state, the involvement of civil society also does not imply the abandonment of the role of the state.

There are many areas where such a collective effort can be mounted.

I can immediately think of the implementation of social legislation as one example so that the progressive laws we have passed for the welfare of women and children particularly do not remain confined to paper.

We now have a far-reaching Right to Information Act. Civil society has contributed much to the passage of this legislation. It is a historic opportunity to help enforcing a new culture of transparency and accountability in administration, starting at the panchayat level itself.

Or take the historic Rural Employment Guarantee Act that Parliament passed in its last session. Here again, the involvement of NGOs will be essential not only for mobilizing the people but also for social audit and monitoring.

In recent years, another remarkable segment has emerged and these are women's' self-help groups. I see panchayats and these self-help groups as two sides of the same coin.

Panchayats are institutions of democratic representation. Self-help groups are institutions of voluntary participation. Working together, they can transform rural India.

Incidentally, is it really a surprise that the most successful self-help groups are those run and managed by women?

[I know that some of the men in the audience may not agree,] but isn't it true that the natural instinct of women is to save. And isn't it true that the spirit of cooperative action is instinctively nurtured by women? It is not a coincidence that some of the most prominent names in civil society happen to be those of women.

It is because of the centrality of women's' movements in civil society that we need to push harder for gender justice. While major initiatives have been taken like, for example, the reservation for women in panchayats and nagarpalikas, the struggle for complete gender equality must continue unabated.

I hope you will not misunderstand my emphasis on women. I know there are many men whose contribution to civil society is second to none. But it is a fact that in our society women have to strive much harder for recognition and results.

I have spoken of cooperation between the government and civil society. But I do recognize that at times there may well be an elements of conflict in this relationship. That is because the status quo may be threatened, that is because vested interests may come under scrutiny. That is because of fear that credit may be taken by others.

Such adversarial positions are not always wholly undesirable. Discourse is the essence of the democratic process and it is important to keep the dialogue alive, by the two sides talking to each other, rather than at each other. Still, I would say, that the onus remains both on political activists and the bureaucracy to provide expanding opportunities to civil society, to protect their autonomy and to permit them to engage in advocacy.

Having said this, let me also point out that civil society itself has to do some introspection. It has to subject itself to the same standards of audit and governance as it demands from elected representatives and the government. It has to avoid getting embroiled in partisan politics. It has to dispel the impression that sometimes it gives of being instinctively anti-growth and anti-technology.

Earlier, I spoke of the media itself as an institution of civil society. I must acknowledge the role our media is playing in highlighting the accomplishments of both individuals and groups. There is a vast army of professionals, of educated and talented young men and women whose vision of a better future is to work for the betterment of the lives of the less fortunate. Our media can play an even greater role in highlighting their contributions. This, in turn, will inspire others — I know that "good news" in the media is rarely "news" in fact it probably means "bad business" but it is good if the media forgets this basic rule once in a while.

Ladies and Gentlemen, a better future for India must mean a better future for all Indians, a future in which each and every Indian leads a life of dignity and is assured of the basic securities. Globalisation presents numerous opportunities that we must not miss. At the same time, we have a vast agenda for local transformation which we must address with a new sense of commitment. A vibrant partnership between government and civil society is the springboard for such a new resolve. Such a partnership will, I am sure, provide a durable foundation for "Building a Better Future".

Thank You