Chief Guest Hon’ble Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari's Convocation Address
IRMA Convocation 2016
Chairman, IRMA, Director IRMA, Board of Governors of IRMA, Member of Parliament Shri Dilipbhai Patel, Member of Legislative Assembly Shri Rohitbhai Patel, faculty of IRMA, graduating PRM and FPRM students of IRMA and their parents, Representatives of media and all the guests present here.
It gives me immense pleasure to be here today in Anand, a place well known for institutions which have been impacting the livelihood of millions of our Farmers. The contribution of Dr. Verghese Kurien to dairy development in India and in creation of institutions like NDDB, AMUL, IRMA and many more is well known globally.
Most of the graduating students today will surely take up leadership roles in such organisations which catalyse equitable and sustainable growth in our country. Many of the participants may also explore taking up entrepreneurship roles which will create employment opportunities for others. The Indian economy acknowledged globally as the fastest growing in the world will offer you adequate opportunities to choose a profession of your choice.
Being a unique institution focussed on Rural Management, IRMA must not only impart knowledge to students but ground them in rural realities and impart the importance of improving livelihoods of the under-privileged. This requires a unique commitment and a deeper understanding of rural India.
One of the critical issues being faced in development initiatives is the gap between planning and implementation. Quite often the gap is resultant of planners not being adequately exposed to field realities. Young Managers passing out today having adequately exposed to academics and field realities must bridge this gap wherever they go.
Government, as the biggest development institution in the country, has the potential to create the largest impact in minimum time and is always driven by a larger public opinion.
Our Government has, in short span of two years, taken a large number of initiatives for rural prosperity. It covers financial inclusion through Jan Dhan Yojana, an improved and inclusive Crop Insurance Scheme, Swachh Bharat, Skill India, Digital India, Direct Benefit transfer, Soil Health Card, हर खेत को पानी etc. All these schemes are backed by sufficient financial outlays. We are committed to make these schemes a success.
The challenge, however, is implementation. Absence of appropriate institutions is one of the main reasons for such variability and inadequate performance. The efficiency of delivery in these programmes can be enhanced many fold if “beneficiary owned and led institutions” take the leadership in many of these programmes.
We have laid great emphasis on improving the infrastructure. Roads, railways and ports are being built and expanded at an unprecedented pace.
I was fortunate to be part of the team which proposed the rural roads programme, started by Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It was clearly understood that investment in rural roads helps significantly, in accelerating reduction in poverty. The successful implementation of the Prime Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojana has proved this concept beyond any doubt. The program has certainly helped better connectivity with Rural India creating large number of livelihood opportunities and has accelerated poverty reduction across the country.
While infrastructure can open up opportunities for rural India to gain better access to markets, efficient farmer led institutions can do the job of aggregation, village level processing and transportation transforming the lives of rural people using not only the physical connectivity provided but also the digital connectivity that is available. Wherever necessary public-private partnership and cooperation amongst collectives must be encouraged for scaling up of operations. Industries like food processing needs to be focussed with adequate investment and effective supply chain on the lines of Dairying. This will provide better value and opportunities to our farmers
I feel that this horizon of opportunities is something that IRMANs are best placed to use with their intimate knowledge of rural India and the specialized skills they acquired in organising the rural producers, workers, particularly women. You have had the benefit of living in Anand for two years and have seen closely how the models created by NDDB and AMUL have succeeded in this country and have brought prosperity to the rural milk producers. I would urge you to replicate this model for the whole of agriculture and rural services in India. You could also leverage new technologies and use the new schemes of the Government for the betterment of rural people. I think this will be a historic contribution you can make to the making of new prosperous India.
You are also aware that the challenges that the country is facing are different from what it was a few years ago. No country in the world can remain globally isolated today and India with its economic power has to play a major role in the global growth agenda. In doing so, embracing new technologies, being ready to take on new trade opportunities, building producer companies, cooperatives and institutions which can become globally competitive are all necessary. All these efforts will be relevant only if a fair share of the prosperity of the nation goes to its rural people. It is in creating this strong connect that we need aspiring and enthusiastic youngsters like you.
One of the critical areas all of us must keep focus on is effective management of projects. Effective planning and implementation must be clubbed with transparency in operations, adherence to set timelines and quick decision making. We must also keep in mind larger public good. This will not only save time and money but create the desired socio economic impact which is needed the most.
I am sure you will find plenty of opportunities to become influential players in the rural development scenario in this country. It is not important whether you work in government or NGO or in a private company. What is important is how you leverage your knowledge and position to help those people who did not have the privilege of going to prestigious institutions like yours. It is also important that the reputation of IRMA is enhanced by you by being the real champions of development for the poorer people of this country.
This phase of transition from being free as individuals to becoming a responsible citizen serving the interest of masses is very critical. Especially for IRMAns it is all the more critical as they will serve the masses who need to be made aware of their entitlements and then provided with opportunities.
IRMAns passing out today surely will rise to the occasion, fulfil their duties towards the rural masses, at the same time preserve inquisitiveness, a critique within which will make them better individuals and in turn benefit the society at large.
I am happy that there are unique institutions like IRMA in this country which continues to produce Managers specifically to address rural needs.
Government will be happy to support IRMA to take up some challenging assignments providing new approaches to rural development and in suggesting innovative ways to enhance the benefits of various Government schemes to the rural poor.
I thank the Board of Governors of IRMA for having invited me today as Chief Guest. I wish the graduating students in their future lives.
Thank you
