The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Revise strategies, Vittal tells industries

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Monday, Jan 14, 2008
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Revise strategies, Vittal tells industries

Special Correspondent

— Photo:S. R. Raghunathan

MAKING A POINT: N. Vittal, former Central Vigilance Commissioner (left) and T.S.Krishnamurthy, former Chief Election Commissioner, at the valedictory function of Samanvay 2008, organised by the Department of Management Studies, IIT-Madras, on Sunday.

CHENNAI: The former Central Vigilance Commissioner, N. Vittal, on Sunday said genuine inclusive growth in a liberalised era should involve diffusing the benefits of development to even the marginalised sections of society.

In his valedictory address at “Samanvay 2008” organised by Madras IIT’s Department of Management Studies, Mr. Vittal said inclusive growth in the true sense represented development across segments of people, geographies, occupations and industry sectors.

Terming the Tatas’ Rs. 1 lakh car a classic example of inclusive growth from the people’s perspective, Mr. Vittal said industries needed to revise strategies so that their products and services are accessible across population segments.

Mr. Vittal noted that there had been quite a few successful instances of reputed business houses engaging in the propagation of prosperity through corporate social responsibility initiatives ranging from employing members of disadvantaged communities to involving self- help groups in the marketing of their products.

Though the country had, post-liberalisation, started to record a growth rate of about 9 per cent, it was clear that the distribution of wealth was yet to touch the lives of people below the poverty line and other marginalised communities.

Management students, especially, needed to be clear about “inclusive growth” in a context where it had become a politically expedient catch-phrase, Mr. Vittal said.

Describing the record of poor governance and corruption as the biggest bane of Indian democracy, former Chief Election Commissioner, T.S. Krishnamurthy stressed the need for measures that would make politicians and civil servants more accountable and responsive to the needs of the people.

Pointing to the emergence of a body of literature that stated that in many Asian and African countries, democracy was turning out to be an impediment to development and discipline, Mr. Krishnamurthy advocated strengthening of democratic institutions in the country.

He called for further empowering the Election Commission, which along with the legislature, judiciary and decentralised local governance represented the pillars of a robust democracy.

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