Population, corruption are main hindrances to the development: NHRC chairperson -Governance Now

Population, corruption are main hindrances to the development: NHRC chairperson

A deep-seated organised political or systematic corruption can paralyse a nation, says HL Dattu

GN Bureau | August 19, 2016

#corruption #human rights #NHRC #HL Dattu #population #development

HL Dattu, chairperson, NHRC

Growing population and corruption are the two main hindrances in the way of good governance towards the development of India, said justice HL Dattu, chairperson, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Citing examples of the Right to Information Act and the Digital India campaign, he said that there has been some progress in bringing transparency in governance and fighting the simpler forms of corruption but deep-seated organised political or systematic corruption can paralyse a nation.

While inaugurating a two-day national seminar on ‘Good governance, development and human rights’, organised by the commission in collaboration with the National Law University at its campus in New Delhi, justice Dattu said that the best way to combat corruption is that the governments must strive to rid themselves of corruption and bribery. They should become accountable and transparent in order to preserve the integrity of democracy.

The NHRC chairperson said that corruption typically diverts funding from state budgets which should be dedicated to the full realisation of all human rights. We need to promote more researches for finding tenable solutions to end the menace of corruption. He said that without achieving certain optimum standards of efficiency, it would be difficult for the country to reach the 17 new sustainable developments goals set by the United Nations for overall improvements of society.

He said that the NHRC is committed to good governance towards the protection and promotion of human rights of all. A country cannot be considered having good governance, if the people of that country are corrupt and the population grows rapidly. Corruption destroys economic foundations, impedes the ability of developing countries to attract foreign investment. It also hinders the growth of democratic institutions affecting human rights.

Prof Ranbir Singh, vice chancellor, National Law University, said that with more and more people with criminal background getting elected to parliament, how could anyone expect that human rights will be protected. Citing several instances, he highlighted that right to equality, dignity, life and liberty in the country still appear to be a distant dream for many.

Prof GS Bajpai, registrar, National Law University, said that strengthening of institutional mechanism will be necessary to ensure sustainable development.

Dr Ranjit Singh, joint secretary, NHRC, said that the good governance is a feel good factor. Giving a historical perspective to the evolution of human rights and good governance, he said that the country can reap the benefits of its demographic dividend only by ensuring good governance leading to realisation of human rights for all.

The seminar, divided into various academic and thematic sessions, will be addressed by several prominent speakers to identify the areas of concerns impeding good governance and realisation of human rights for all.

Comments

Other News

How to listen to the great storytellers that the trees are

The Trees of My Country: A Natural History of India in 50 Trees By T. R. Shankar Raman, with illustrations by Manali Patil Aleph Book Company, 284 pages, Rs 1,499

This tree in Bihar turns out to be the oldest accurately dated banyan

A banyan tree in Munger, Bihar, estimated to be around 700 years old, has been identified as the oldest accurately dated banyan tree, Ficus benghalensis, using radiocarbon dating, a method that relies exclusively on scientific evidence rather than historical records or local lore. Banyan

Corporate Governance 3.0: What the boardroom of 2030 will look like

The phrase "corporate governance" often evokes images of board meetings, compliance checklists, and regulatory filings. For years, governance was viewed primarily as a mechanism to prevent fraud, protect minority shareholders, and ensure regulatory compliance. However, the events of the last deca

India, Japan open "a new chapter in special strategic and global partnership"

India and Japan are opening a new chapter in their special strategic and global partnership with the visit of prime minister Sanae Takaichi, India`s prime minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, "I had said in the G7 summit a few days ago that, in this environment of

AI studies sun images to track bright solar regions

Artificial Intelligence has been used to trace the shift in magnetically active patches on the Sun from 1916 to 2007 by scanning 100 years of hand-drawn Sun records from the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KoSO). This could give a much longer view of how solar activity changes over time.

General Dhiraj Seth takes over as Chief of Army Staff

General Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, took over as the 31st Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) from General Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM, who superannuated after more than four decades of distinguished service to the nation on Tuesday. General Dhiraj Seth is an alumnus of the N