Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

PM's speech at Governors Conference

Respected Rashtrapatiji, Upa-Rashtrapatiji, Honorable Governors, My Cabinet colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am delighted to be here today to address the Conference of Governors. This is indeed a unique opportunity for me as I am of the firm opinion that the office of the Governor has been vested with great responsibility by our Constitution and I have the chance today to leave behind some thoughts with you about the evolving nature of the role and functions of this august office.

There is perhaps no other Constitutional office that enjoys the autonomy and carries the attendant responsibility as does that of the Governor. In these turbulent times we are living in, people have great expectations from this office. This places an enormous burden on your shoulders. It also gives you the opportunity to do good. The role of the Governor has varied over time and space, and has come under close public scrutiny. The greater the responsibilities attached to an office, the greater will be public scrutiny in a democracy. In our evolving polity, where political patterns have changed substantially over the last fifty years, there is bound to be some partisan controversy or the other challenging the authority and dignity of this high office. This places an added burden on your shoulders to rise above partisan politics while discharging your constitutional obligations. In doing so, you are the sole judges of what is right and wrong; of what is mandated to you as per the Constitution and what is not; what is in larger national interest and what is not; and, what do people perceive your actions to be. I am sure that each one of you has reflected on this aspect of your work and am confident that you have the wisdom, experience and sagacity to deal with these situations.

Friends,

Today, India is at a cusp in its development trajectory. After years of the so called "Hindu" rate of growth, we have broken fresh ground in the 90s and have been able to deliver growth in the range of 5% - 6%. We are now at a point in time where we can deliver growth at a rate of 7% - 8%. At this point in time, owing to the developments over the last two decades, there are no external constraints to the growth of our country. It is very much in the realm of possibility for this country to become a prosperous nation, rid of the perennial scourges of poverty, ignorance and disease. The world is today looking at India with great interest as the saga of our development and rise to prominence on the international stage unfolds. Rare are such moments in history when a nation suddenly captures the imagination of the world.

In such circumstances, if there are any constraints, these are purely internal. Our success in living up to our potential or not depends on our competence or on our ineptitude. No external force can be blamed if we do not rise up to global expectations. Therefore, I will emphasise that it is an obligation for all of us in this august gathering to reflect on our roles in ensuring that the processes of development are allowed to take place unhindered. It is this vision of a rising India that must guide our actions while discharging our duties.

Governor's have a critical role to play in our nation's progress. In a way, you are the custodians of our future. You are the representatives of the center in states and hence, you bring a national perspective to state level actions and activities. While many changes have taken place at the national level in the economic sphere over the last two decades, much more needs to be done. There is a need to make our growth processes more inclusive; to ensure that marginalized and weaker sections benefit from economic growth; and to ensure that social infrastructure, particularly in health and education, is improved. Much of this is to be done at the state level and hence, the role of Governors in ensuring that this happens.

Friends,

As I had said earlier, the environment for India's development has never been as favourable as it is now. Increased resources can flow in only if safety and security is ensured. This requires peace, tranquility and the rule of law. This conference has devoted considerable attention to the challenge of internal security. The challenges we face on the internal security front arise partly as a consequence of the unevenness of our growth processes, the inequities that remain in our social institutions and the shortcomings sometimes of our political institutions. There may be other more complex issues like language, ethnicity, caste or religion or cultural rights. In this complex world, that we live in, all these facets have to be taken into account in evolving a concerted and effective strategy to counter these challenges. Sometimes, internal security problems are outright acts of extremism and terrorism for which there can be no space in a democratic polity.

A democratic government has to distinguish between the genuine and legitimate expression of dissent and disaffection and the manifestations of anti-national, anti-social and anti-people threats to our democratic way of life. Often these challenges also arise because we are an open society and have allowed free expression to dissent of varying degrees. This is not our weakness. This is our strength. But in this also lies the challenge that we need to deal with and grapple with effectively. State governments must recognise these different facets of the security threats we face and develop effective policies designed to address them.

Indeed, Governors can play a key role in responding to this challenge. Governors must guide Chief Ministers and help them deal with the situation at hand. They can act as watchdogs and alert the state and central governments to any developments or trends which they perceive may have adverse implications in the long run. Removed from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day activities, Governors are extremely well placed to assess long term trends in many matters and utilize the wisdom at their command to aid governments in their actions. They must use the influence at their command to modernize the police and intelligence gathering machinery. Irrespective of the circumstances, the State has certain obligations that it must fulfill. Maintenance of public peace and order is one such obligation. We need to grapple with this without brutalizing our society. In our country, symbols and gestures matter. Nothing should be done which detracts from the authority of the Indian state and its primary role as an upholder of public order. Governors have a role in ensuring this.

Governors can also play a positive role in ensuring that communal harmony prevails in all corners of the country. They can be a calming influence in turbulent times, a voice of moderation, a soothing hand to those in distress. They have a role in ensuring that the interests of Scheduled castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes, women and children are protected and justice is done to them. Continuing crimes against weaker sections, particularly women and children and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are a matter of disgrace in a civilized society. Crimes against these sections of society still persist. This calls for serious introspection. We need to collaboratively work out a comprehensive plan of action along with state governments and take all necessary measures for preventing crimes against the vulnerable sections of society particularly, our women.

Friends,

An area which is causing some friction in our polity is the interface between states. At a time when the world is globalising, one can see a growth of narrow interests on certain issues at the state level. Whether it be on the sharing of waters, or on sharing minerals or on sharing electricity. There is a need for states to see these as national rather than as local problems. I am reminded of a couplet - "I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a man with no feet". There is a need for Governors to play the role of elder statesmen in ensuring that inter-state issues are handled with sagacity without spilling over as major disputes and often, as law and order problems. We must never lose sight of the fact that states are inter-dependent on each other, that their futures are inter-twined and that the potential of the common market that is India is immense and must not be frittered away by "narrow domestic walls".

One area in which I urge Governors to remain pro-active is in strengthening the foundations and the sinews of our educational system. Governors have traditionally played an important and positive role in both areas. We must improve both access and excellence in education at all levels. The "knowledge economy" is a pyramid whose base is our school system and the apex is our institutions of global excellence. Governors must play an active role both in improving literacy rates and school enrollment and in ensuring academic excellence in universities. Our university system is crying out for reform. I urge Governors, who are Chancellors of universities, to improve the quality of our universities and bring them up to world standards.

I have repeatedly emphasized the importance of good governance. There is a vast agenda of administrative reform waiting to be addressed at the state and district levels. Governors must encourage state governments to be pro-active in this regard. Further, I believe that Governors can use the influence at their command to ensure that civil services are well managed, that there is security of tenure and that their morale is kept high. In fact, it is the All India Services and the Governors who bring an all India perspective to states. Governors, I believe, can play an important role in promoting the cause of good governance.

Good governance at the grassroots is intrinsically linked with the success of Panchayati Raj institutions. While they have struck roots in some parts, there are many parts where they have yet to evolve into full fledged institutions capable of performing their tasks and functions. The Governors can have an important role in nursing Panchayati Raj institutions into genuine institutions of self governance.

Friends,

We have stood tall as a Nation because of the fact that we are the world's most successfully functioning multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious democracy. There is no precedent elsewhere, in the history of the world, where billion people are trying to realise their destiny in the framework of an open society and an open economy. It is, therefore, incumbent upon us, the custodians of our Nation, to ensure that this precious character of our Nationhood is not weakened. When I was a student in England some 50 years ago, Lord Kaldor used to say that the progress of a country depends critically on those whose ideas and motivations influence the critical decisions that guide a nation. You fall in the category of such people who can influence the flow of events. I urge you Governors to provide the intellectual and moral leadership for ensuring that India moves steadily but firmly on its path of progress, peace and prosperity.

Thank you.