Technology an instrument to contain human folly, temptation in governance: FM Nirmala Sitharaman at GITAM’s NTR Memorial

The FM attended the event as the chief guest at the Visakhapatnam campus of GITAM (Deemed to be University).

Technology has come as a very big instrument through which human folly and human temptation can be contained in governance, said Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman while delivering the NTR Memorial Lecture on ‘Empowerment - Road to Good Governance’, marking the centenary celebrations of NT Rama Rao — actor, politician and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister popularly known as NTR. The FM attended the event as the chief guest at the Visakhapatnam campus of GITAM (Deemed to be University).

“A former Prime Minister lamented that if I send a rupee down to the people, only 15 paisa reach them. What Prime Minister Modi has done is, by adopting technology he has contained the leaky bucket process. There are no leaks, the beneficiary who must get that money gets it. Not 15 paisa to a rupee, but one rupee to a rupee. Technology has come as a very big Instrument through which otherwise the human folly and human temptation are contained. The human tendency to take something out that probably does not belong rightfully to one, is there, one cannot bypass that. Today, the way we have adopted technology is ensuring that benefits reach common public, one of the goals of good governance has been achieved,” the minister said

“I am not saying this is fool proof. Ingenuity will have some element in which people will know to hack even this, but now it is for sure that who should get what, is going absolutely without any kind of pilferages. Good governance is about looking for instruments with which you are able to implement the objectives,” she said.

“I pay my humble respects to a leader who’d be 100 had he lived today, and to his family. I feel touched that in a yearlong celebration, I've been given a small role to play. Whether it is Rama or Krishna, until modern day there is nobody else who can bring that image so perfectly than NT Rama Rao. The films had a very good blend of authentic references to the Puranas. There were no fabrications, and the acting was just incomparable,” said the Hon’ble FM while paying her respects to NTR. She added, “Today when we talk about good governance, you have so much to speak about the time when NT Rama Rao was the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh.”

FM Nirmala Sitharaman also invoked the messaging of ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’, and said there should be adequate presence of a government where required, and no more. She added that building trust in people is crucial for good governance.

The event was presided by Daggubati Purandeswari, National General Secretary, BJP, and the daughter of NT Rama Rao. She spoke about her father NT Rama Rao and his welfare schemes. She mentioned that most of NTR's schemes were later followed by the Central government. She added that they are planning to conduct year-long programs as part of NTR centenary celebrations.

Among the dignitaries present were Mathukumilli Sri Bharat, President, GITAM (Deemed to be University) and sons, daughters, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren of NT Rama Rao K Niveditha, the granddaughter of NT Rama Rao, delivered the vote of thanks. The NTR Centenary Celebrations concluded with the felicitation of three social workers.

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