Kozhikode (Kerala), Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Tuesday said various welfare schemes and policies in the country are "not poor centric".
Chidambaram said that an egalitarian society can be built only when plans and policies are focused on the poor.
The former Union minister was speaking on the topic 'Inclusive Growth: Sustainability and Reality' at the MP Veerendrakumar Memorial Program organized by RJ here.
He said that "unless we understand the economic and social hierarchies that reflect each other, and redirect our policies towards the lower classes, especially SCs, STs and other depressed classes, our It will not be possible to call it an egalitarian society." ,The Congress leader stressed that inclusive development is possible by building an egalitarian society. He pointed out that the present society is not equal or reasonably equal, fair and just.
He said, "It is not that this can never happen. You can build an egalitarian society. Purely capitalist and rich countries have built egalitarian societies."
Chidambaram said an egalitarian society could be built by making health care and education universal and free. He said, "Unfortunately, our concept of an egalitarian society does not include universality and free health care and education. In most Western countries, especially European countries, education is free from kindergarten to post-graduation.Even major surgeries are free."
“Therefore we can build an egalitarian society by making our policies oriented towards the poor.”
Chidambaram also gave the example of gas cylinders being given under the Ujjwala scheme to provide LPG connections to women from BPL families and alleged that it was not meant for the poor. He claimed that it benefited the middle class, but not the poor.
He claimed, “This is a classic example of how our policies are not for the poor.Many more such examples can be given."
Chidambaram said that an egalitarian society can be built only when plans and policies are focused on the poor.
The former Union minister was speaking on the topic 'Inclusive Growth: Sustainability and Reality' at the MP Veerendrakumar Memorial Program organized by RJ here.
He said that "unless we understand the economic and social hierarchies that reflect each other, and redirect our policies towards the lower classes, especially SCs, STs and other depressed classes, our It will not be possible to call it an egalitarian society." ,The Congress leader stressed that inclusive development is possible by building an egalitarian society. He pointed out that the present society is not equal or reasonably equal, fair and just.
He said, "It is not that this can never happen. You can build an egalitarian society. Purely capitalist and rich countries have built egalitarian societies."
Chidambaram said an egalitarian society could be built by making health care and education universal and free. He said, "Unfortunately, our concept of an egalitarian society does not include universality and free health care and education. In most Western countries, especially European countries, education is free from kindergarten to post-graduation.Even major surgeries are free."
“Therefore we can build an egalitarian society by making our policies oriented towards the poor.”
Chidambaram also gave the example of gas cylinders being given under the Ujjwala scheme to provide LPG connections to women from BPL families and alleged that it was not meant for the poor. He claimed that it benefited the middle class, but not the poor.
He claimed, “This is a classic example of how our policies are not for the poor.Many more such examples can be given."