New Delhi, Aug 9 : Vice President M.Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said that the culture of freebies has contributed to the decline of financial health of several states. Speaking to Indian Information Service (IIS) officers of batches of 2018 and 2019 who visited Naidu at his residence here, Naidu warned against populist strategies to win votes from different political parties.
“The government must definitely help the less fortunate and in need, but at the, it must prioritise health education, education and infrastructure improvement,” he said.
The Vice President emphasized the importance of communication in creating a bridge between citizens and governments.
“In the context of a democratic system, citizens should be empowered through timely information about government plans and policies in their native languages.
In addition, government officials must also be informed of the expectations and aspirations of citizens in an honest and promptly,” Naidu said.
He stressed the need for continuous dialogue between the citizens and the government for a an open and responsive governance that is centered on the citizens.
He stressed that policymaking and its implementation must be a two-way process with people’s involvement throughout the process.
In describing India as being the biggest democracy with a Parliament in the world, he said that the main goal of any reform process is to make the lives of people prosperous and joyful.
“Therefore the primary goal of all government policies is to bring long-lasting happiness to the lives of individuals while at the same it is imperative to deal with short-term pain for long-term gain,” he said.
Noting the fact that “the ICT revolution and spread of the internet have fundamentally altered the ways we consume information, he advised that this “ease of information comes with the risks that come with it”.
“Misinformation, disinformation , and fake news have emerged as fresh problems that must be addressed quickly by government’s communications staff around the 24/7,” he said.
The Vice President warned against the use of social media by some anti-social groups and called for a halt to these trends as soon as they are discovered.
In announcing the growing trend of “instant journalism” due to the advent of Internet and social media Naidu expressed concern about the loss of journalistic ethics and norms because of this.
He stressed the significance of impartiality and neutrality in media coverage and stated that “news must not be mixed with opinions”.
“Media is the fourth of the four pillars of democratic institutions and its neutrality, objectivity , and fairness are essential to the survival of India’s democratic ethos” Vice President Javed Abadi said.
He also asked the officers’ young men to present a variety of developmental stories from across the country.
The concept of psychological warfare and information as a key aspect of contemporary conflicts, Naidu advised IIS officers to build knowledge in these new and strategic areas.
In reference to the growing frequency of extreme climatic events as well as unstable weather patterns around the world, the Vice President requested the officers of the youth to lead a media campaign for conservation of nature as well as environmental protection.
“If you cherish nature Nature will guard you,” he told them.
In his address that ended his term as the Vice President Naidu declared: “The main reason I went from a simple father of a farmer to the highest constitutional position in the country is in the sheer effort dedicated to a single goal and continuous traveling and interactions with the citizens in every corner of the country.I’ve learned many things through speaking to and meeting people.”
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