Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Monday’s speaker, stressed the importance of evidence-based policymaking in order to ensure that governance is responsive to changes and disruptions occurring. He also called for continuous rethinking and adaptation of policies and programmes based upon the emerging needs.
He spoke with participants in a management program at a local business school and called for innovative business models to solve everyday problems such as solid waste management and the monetisation or sale of crop waste to support farmers and reduce air pollution.
Naidu pointed out that India is undergoing an unprecedented transformation on all fronts and he listed various reforms like the increased use IT for transparency and ease delivery, Goods and Services Tax and Real Estate Regulatory Authority.
According to the Vice President Secretariat, Naidu stated that “These steps are leading towards a better environment for doing business in India.”
The vice president spoke out about the rapid pace at which India’s urbanization is taking place. He said that it presents its own set challenges and opportunities.
He stated that policymakers must ensure urban citizens have access affordable housing, education, and healthcare. He urged all states and the private sectors to work together to make cities vibrant, inclusive places to live.
Naidu called for the bridge between urban and rural divides and stated that ”efforts must also be made to make rural people feel included in the country’s development journey”.
He stressed the fact that the ultimate goal of any innovation, policy or institution is to make people’s daily lives more pleasant and happier. He advocated for greater participation in governance and policy formulation.
Naidu lamented the fact that farmers are most affected by weather changes. He suggested that farmers should be encouraged and incentivised towards diversifying their cropping patterns, as well as to engage in allied activities to increase the profitability of agriculture.
He also suggested that policymakers study the low crop insurance uptake in certain areas and develop solutions.
Naidu stated that the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need to be self-reliant in critical technologies, and urged everyone to work towards building an India that is self-reliant.
He said, “Let’s build a strong and stable, peaceful, prosperous India where there will not be poverty, illiteracy or gender discrimination.”
(This story is not edited by Devdiscourse staff.