The President Pratibha Devisingh Patil has asserted that there should be no effort consciously or otherwise to erode the authority or credibility of institutions like the Parliament. She called for channelising different shades of public opinion through elected representatives for the formulation of necessary legislation. Addressing the Nation on the eve of 65th Independence Day, President Patil pointed out that any legislation passed by Parliament is an outcome of the collective thinking of members who represent people from all parts of the country and a broad spectrum of political thought. Expressing anguish that corruption is affecting the nation’s political, economic, cultural and social life, Mrs Patil called for a transparent and accountable system at all levels to curb the menace in a sustainable manner. Expressing concern over price rise, Mrs Patil said that efforts must be made to find ways and means to soften the impact of inflation, so that the benefits of growth are not blunted. Pointing out that the majority of population in rural areas is dependent on agriculture; she regretted that agriculture sector is yet to reach full potential. She called for greater use of technology and knowledge support to enhance agricultural productivity.