DEVELOPMENT AGENDA: Daniel Gustafson, representative for United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation in India, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Speaker K. R. Suresh Reddy and Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu at a seminar in Hy derabad on Thursday. — Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

HYDERABAD: The United Nations has entered into a knowledge-partnership with Andhra Pradesh Assembly's Legislators' Forum for Human Development and the Millennium Development Goals" as part of efforts to share best practices and bring collective knowledge to find solutions to development challenges.

Disclosing this at a seminar on "Strengthening democracy from the local bodies level for ethical and non-violent society -- role of public representatives" at the conclusion of the golden jubilee celebrations of the State Legislative Assembly here on Thursday, Speaker K. R. Suresh Reddy said that it would facilitate in bringing a lot of information to the MLAs.

He said that as part of the knowledge agreement, experts would be called to discuss important issues.

Broad aim

Delivering the keynote address, Daniel Gustafson, Representative for UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, India and Bhutan, said the broad aim would be to use a variety of approaches and tools to support legislators to bring a human development dimension to the State-level dialogue on policy issues.

Some mechanisms could be research support, focussed discussions, capacity development, sharing of best practices through a variety of tools such as `Solution Exchange'.

This is a UN initiative to support networks of development practitioners to bring together their collective knowledge and experience to find solutions to development challenges.

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who was the chief guest, called for curbing the influence of money power in elections.

He said that public representatives should uphold moral values and respect the rule of law.

Naidu for more powers

Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu said progress could not be achieved unless local bodies were strengthened at the grassroots level.

He called for more powers to local bodies and transferring 29 subjects to them as envisaged by a constitutional amendment.

Former chairman of Andhra Pradesh Press Academy Potturi Venkateswara Rao stressed the need to curb muscle and money power in elections.

Noted rationalist Lavanam said that western democratic model should not be aped blindly.

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