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Voluntary social work exemplary, says Kalam

Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has said voluntary social work will always be remembered as exemplary and praiseworthy.

Dr. Kalam said this in an interaction with representatives of the Confederation of NGOs of Rural India who met him at Rashtrapathi Bhavan on Saturday. The activists were in New Delhi to take part in the CNRI's national conference in the capital city.

The need of the hour in the country is human-centric development. Instead of just relying on the government for that, voluntary social work should help implement development activities thereby generating employment, he said.

Though Malayalis are hard working and smart, they seem to be reluctant to work in their own State. Voluntary organisations should work to generate an awareness campaign to change this mentality, the President said.

Instead of building big institutions that provide mass employment, every household should be converted into employment-generating units that would enhance overall productivity.

There should be a line of leaders who could inspire the setting up of such units, which would bring about economic progress. Only then would India be able to achieve the kind of progress that developed nations had achieved, Dr. Kalam said.

A press note said the President also enquired about the activities that were being carried out by various voluntary organisations in Kerala.

Dr. Kalam spent about 40 minutes with the CNRI delegation from Kerala led by chairman of the Kerala chapter N. Balagopal, the press note added.

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