President Pratibha Devisingh Patil today called upon the States to create an effective deterrence to achieve zero tolerance of terrorist activities. She said that Centre and State governments have to work hand in hand to fortify security architecture of the country.
Inaugurating a two day conference of Governors in New Delhi, Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil asserted that deliberations should be done on security concerns of the States which share international borders and also for those states which are facing Naxalism and Left Wing Extremism.
The President said, the Constitution had cast a specific and special responsibility on the Governors in the administration of Scheduled areas and scheduled tribes.
She called upon the Constitution heads of State for a sensitive and sympathetic administration in the scheduled areas affected by the Left Wing Extremism.
Stressing that the menace of corruption must be rooted out as it hurts the common man; the President said that the remedy lays in a multi pronged strategy combining preventive and punitive measures.
Mrs. Patil said that India's economic and technological prowess has been universally recognized and despite the global economic meltdown and domestic inflationary pressures, the fundamentals of country's economy continue to remain strong.
She said the plight of farmers of the country which is predominantly an agriculture country has not improved. She said that rural India should be seen as a growth engine for the prosperity of the country and people living in rural India have to be economically and socially empowered.
The President emphasized the need for speedy socio economic development and empowerment of women. She said that National Mission for empowerment of women has been already launched for the implementation of women centric programmes. Steps are also being taken for restructuring the Rashtriya Mahila Kosh.
The President said that now the Rashtriya Mahila Kosh will work as a single window facilitator for Non Government Organisations and women self help groups.
