Visit other Raj Bhavans, share best practices, Kovind tells Governors

Governors must cut down on visits to their home and spend more time visiting Raj Bhavans of other states to ensure best practices are shared among them, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Thursday.

“It is often seen that Governors take leave and visit their home state. To discharge responsibilities of the family, one must. But we must make an effort to visit our home state as less as possible. Instead, if we can take out time to visit Raj Bhavans and historical places of other states, it can be far more beneficial. During our visit to other Raj Bhavans, we can share our best practices,” Kovind said, addressing the 51st Governors Conference at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The President said Governors had an important role in generating awareness among the people about national goals and ensuring public participation. He also asked them to play the role of the “friend, philosopher and guide” in states of their posting.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address, urged the Governors to travel to remote villages of the state and interact with counterparts in neighbouring states regularly to know about people’s problems. He said the Governor’s office should be lively and active, and live up to people’s expectations.

“He urged Governors to travel to remotest villages of the state and interact with neighbouring Governors regularly to know about people’s problems. In a particular reference to the states that share international borders or are coastal states, he requested the Governors to travel to villages along the borders or the sea coast and spend time with people. At the same time, he urged the Governors to hold regular interaction with central government officials working in their states,” a Rashtrapati Bhavan statement said about the Prime Minister’s address.

He asked the Governors to share their experiences in the state for his ‘Mann ki Baat’ address after traveling across the state even as he highlighted that the Governor’s institution was critical in maintaining the nation’s integrity. “He asked them to be cautious against any attempt to go against the spirit of the Constitution,” the Rashtrapati Bhavan statement said.

In his inaugural address, Home Minister Amit Shah urged the Governors to take initiatives to create awareness among the people about climate change so that COP 26 goals set by India can be achieved.

“In the recently concluded COP 26 meet, the Prime Minister set an ambitious goal before the world. And India has led this summit in a way that has amazed the world. To achieve these goals between 2030 and 2070, the role of our next generation will be very important. I urge you to create awareness through campaigns in schools and colleges and also among the general public,” he said. “Till a feeling to achieve these goals is generated among the general public, it will be difficult to achieve these goals. Government will do its part, but Governor Houses need to work on connecting people with it.”

He also requested the Governors to play an active role in ensuring that the new National Education Policy is implemented on the ground. “The Prime Minister has announced the National Education Policy through which an education seeped in Indian values has been imagined. Even today, about 70% of universities are under the control of state governments. More than 80% of the country’s students are in these universities. You are the Chancellors of these universities. So your role in implementing the education policy on the ground becomes very important,” he said.

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, who also attended the conference, urged the Governors to play a proactive role in monitoring various central government projects and schemes and ensure that the money intended for people’s welfare is spent for the right purpose. “He reminded the Governors to maintain high standards and win over people’s confidence in taking up issues like climate change,” the Rashtrapati Bhavan statement said.

The day-long conference was marked by a session of reporting by all participants, who spoke about the progress made in their respective states. Most of the states discussed the effective manner in which they had tackled the pandemic with the help of the Centre.