Naidu vows to narrow urban-rural divide

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI, NOV. 25. The Union Minister for Rural Development, Mr. M. Venkaiah Naidu, has blamed successive Governments, media, political parties and the Planning Commission for the continued urban-rural divide even five decades after Independence.

He asserted that the NDA Government was committed to alter this divide and give rural India its due. He was giving a key-note address at the two-day workshop on `Empowerment of women with special reference to health' organised by the National Commission for Women and S.V. University. Claiming that the Centre had earmarked 60 per cent of its annual budget to rural development, he said this was done to upgrade the social and economic status of the less privileged class inhabiting the villages.

Mr. Naidu regretted that the urban-rural gulf had become so wide that while lakhs of women in rural parts still trek two km for a pot of water, their counterparts in the urban areas enjoy benefits such as cyber cafes, flyovers, express ways, bypass roads, etc. Thus, the Government had decided to spend additionally Rs. 2,500 crores this year on improving roads in the rural areas. This would be in addition to what the State Governments would be spending on these roads, he stated.

On women's right to property, he said the Centre would think in terms of making it a national policy if the State Governments also cooperated. It would go a long way in curbing women's exploitation and would be a step in the right direction, he felt. On the contentious women's reservation bill, he said all parties should cooperate in the passage of the bill.

Deploring the narrow mindedness of menfolk, he said it was misconstrued that male domination in society was the legacy of the Vedic age. In fact, Indian society worshipped women and held them in high esteem right from the Vedic age, he noted. But, mere election of women here and there to the local bodies would not suffice their empowerment, he commented.

The Minister later inaugurated a one-day training programme for DWCRA members organised by the District Rural Development Agency. Mrs. Vibha Partha, Chairperson, NCW, said that women's health should be addressed from a multi-dimensional plank covering their political, social and economic empowerment.

Dr. S. Aruna, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, spoke about the schemes launched by the Chandrababu Naidu Government for women's development. Prof. K. Enoch, Vice-Chancellor, S.V. University, presided. Mrs. Shantha Reddy, member, NCW, explained the objectives of the workshop.

Earlier, Dr. E. Sathyanarayana, Dean, Academic Affairs, welcomed the delegates while Dr. Gangadharam, Associate Professor, proposed a vote of thanks.

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