Centralization of power to blame For poverty: Dr. JP

If we have not been able to eradicate poverty even six decades of Independence, it is because of centralization of power, said Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan here today.

Addressing party workers after unfurling the national flag at the party headquarters, Dr. JP said that in a centralized system the growth opportunities are open only to the rich and powerful and eluded over 80 percent of the population. Unless people are made partners in governance through decentralization of power and every child is enabled to have quality education and health care, poverty will continue to persist, he said.

Dr. JP regretted that although the country had enormous natural and human resources, the rulers over successive years have miserably failed in utilizing them because of their skewed priorities. The country had merely witnessed a change of rulers – from the white to the brown – without any momentous changes in the administrative system. Corruption among officials and politicians had become widespread.

Total decentralization of administration with devolution of powers, responsibilities and resources on elected people’s committees in both urban and rural areas, provision of quality education and health care at Government cost to every citizen and institutional mechanisms to eradicate corruption should be the Government’s priorities, he said.

Dr. JP said the country could be proud of the fact that it had remained united and preserved freedom. But the people should be on eternal guard against forces, which are out to tear the country apart in the name of religion, caste, region and language.

Messrs V. Laxman Balaji, P. Bhaskara Rao, V. Vijayender Reddy, P. Rohit Kumar, Dasari Ratnam, Ravinder Reddy, Madhusudhana Rao, Kiran Kumar, Bala Ranga Reddy and Mrs. A. Subhashini were among those who took part in the function.