Electors, elected need to share responsibilities for progress: President

Nagpur: Both electors and elected representatives need to share responsibilities and do their jobs to move smoothly and unhindered the two wheels of the progress and development, President Pranab Mukherjee said here today.

He was speaking at a function to mark 151st year of the Nagpur Mahanagarpalika.

“One of the most complex problems of India’s development today is the management of organisation and we have to solve the problem on this very challenging issue in a very short span of time,” Mukherjee said.

He said if we look at the history of the urbanisation in other countries, it has taken place over the decades, sometimes over centuries.

“After 65 years of independence people have already started questioning how long we have to wait,” the President said.

If the urbanisation takes place at the current rate and if we have to stabilise it at a reasonable level then this poses very serious challenges, which will have to be addressed collectively by the people and the representatives of the people, he said.

“One of the very basic principles of the self-governance, it means the responsibility of not only the elected representatives but sharing the responsibility between the elector and the elected. Both have the responsibility, both have to share and do their job. Then the two wheels of the progress and development will move smoothly and unhindered,” Mukherjee said.

He said even in the modern India with the evolution, change of systems, attitude and approach, Nagpur city has been one of the catalyst agents of transformations in a peaceful manner.

Citing the city’s cosmopolitan culture, Mukherjee said there is no room of intolerance, non-cooperation and hostility.

“We have to live together, we have to grow together, we have to develop together and we have to work together to achieve this objectives. That is the lesson of metropolitanism,” the President said.

Nagpur Mahanagarpalika began as Nagpur Municipality on June 18, 1864 and the elections were held on September 24 the same year.

Nagpur has also been chosen as one of the smart cities by the Centre.

Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (who hails from the city and had been Mayor of the Municipality here), Union Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari and Nagpur Mayor Pravin Datke, among other dignitaries were present during the function.