Governors submit reports to President on water, other issues

Five groups of Governors on Sunday submitted their reports to President Ram Nath Kovind on issues related to tribal welfare, water, agriculture, higher education and ease of living, and identified actionable points in which they can play a facilitating role.

These reports were submitted during the 50th conference of Governors which concluded at Rashtrapati Bhavan here.

The conference took keen interest in tribal welfare issue and pointed out that policies for tribal uplift had to be tailored in accordance with local requirements.

In his closing remarks, Kovind said that the discussions held by Governors and Lt. Governors proved to be a fruitful exercise. Noting that the participation of Ministries and NITI Aayog has helped in making these discussions focused and actionable, he said he was confident that many useful solutions would come out of the deliberations of this conference.

On observing November 26 as the 70th anniversary of Indian Constitution, he said a campaign will be launched to create awareness about fundamental duties on the occasion, and expressed hope that all Raj Bhavans will celebrate the day in an effective manner and Governors will play a major role in creating awareness about fundamental duties among the people.

"It is the fundamental duty of every citizen to protect the natural environment including water resources like forests, lakes and rivers. It is also a constitutional duty to continuously strive for excellence in all areas for the progress of the country. Individual and collective efforts for excellence in the areas of higher education, agriculture, inclusive growth and governance will give impetus to public welfare," Kovind said, according to a Rashtrapati Bhavan statement.

The President said that the post of Governor is the most important link in the federal system and that they have a role in ensuring better coordination between the Centre and states. He suggested Governors to make their respective Raj Bhavans more interactive and accessible to ordinary people and representatives of different organs of the state.

Citing the gubernatorial post having the colonial legacy of inaccessibility to common people, Koving urged Governors to make conscious efforts to connect with people and dispel any such perception of Raj Bhavan being beyond the masses' reach.

Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also addressed the concluding session.

( With inputs from IANS )