18 Aug 2013

There is a direct relationship between a successful democracy and a successful economy, says the Indian High Commissioner to Botswana, Mr Madhav Chandra.

Delivering the speech of the President of India, Mr Pranab Mukherjee to the Indian community residing in Botswana on the eve of India’s 67th Independence Day, Mr Chandra said people served their interests best when they participated in decision making at the level of panchayat and other forms of local government. 

“As a people-driven nation, we have to rapidly empower the local bodies with functions, functionaries and finances to improve their performance.  Faster growth has given us the resources, but larger outlay have not translated into better outcomes. Without inclusive governance, we cannot achieve inclusive growth,” Mr Chandra.

For a developing country of more than 1.2 billion people, he said the debate between growth and redistribution was vital. While growth built the scope for redistribution, he said the redistribution sustained growth over time. He said both were equally important, adding that a disproportionate emphasis on any one, at the expenses of other, could have adverse consequences for the nation.

Furthermore, the High Commissioner said the last decade had seen India emerge as one of the fastest growing nations in the world. During the period, he said the country’s economy grew annually at an average rate of 7.9 per cent. 

“We are today self-suffient in food grains production. We are the largest exporter of rice and second largest exporter of wheat in the world". The record production of 18.45 million tonnes of pulses this year, he said, augured well for India’s march towards self-sufficiency in pulses.

“This was unthinkable just a few years ago. This momentum has to be sustained.  In a globalised World, with increasing economic complexities, we have to learn to cope better with adversities, both external and domestic,” he added. Member of Parliament from the Kurukshetra Lok Sabha constituency in India, Mr Naveen Jindal, said India had always offered its hand in supporting African nations both socially and economically.

He commended the efforts by Indian communities who had set up diversified companies in Botswana for having contributed to Botswana’s social development. “All of you are the ambassadors of India in the countries you live in through your hard work,” he said.

He encouraged the Indian community to always display their national brooch flags every day to express the love and faith for their country, saying “it will give you inspiration that you have to dedicate your selves to your country.”Ends