After 67 years of Independence, it is very unfortunate that people of the country still plead with the State and the Central Governments to provide at least basic amenities,” said experts at a meeting organised by the Wada Na Todo Abhiyan (WNTA) here on Thursday.
The WNTA, a national-level campaign for participatory governance through empowering people in the electoral process, has initiated a process of preparing a “People’s Manifesto” for the 2014 lok Sabha elections. After taking suggestions at the State-level meetings, the WNTA would present it before the political parties to include them in their election manifesto.
Senior journalists Rabi Das and Prashant Patnaik, political leaders like Mahendra Parida and social activists like Jagadananda suggested the WNTA to include the issues like violence against women, MGNREGS work, water and sanitation, child rights, education, health, poverty, corruption, farmers’ income security, problems of minorities and other issues in the People’s Manifesto.
Keeping in view the size and socioeconomic, geographic and demographic settings of Odisha, 12 out of its 21 lok Sabha constituencies have been identified for preparation of the People’s manifesto, said Pradeep Baisakh of WNTA.
Among others, representatives of different political parties and civil society organisations deliberated at the meeting.