Need to ensure access to justice for all: Rajnath

There is a need to ensure access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today.
Addressing the valedictory function of the international conference on "Rule of Law for supporting the 2030 National Green Tribunal" here, Singh said very importantly the global community has noted the need to reduce the violence in all forms and promote rule of law not only at the national level but also at the international level.
The Home Minister said he was hopeful that all concerned will lend their voice to the issue of environmental justice and rule of law which are necessary for sustainable development.

"As you are aware the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September last year.
"I think we in our country indeed recognise the importance of these goals in pursuit of a world free from inequities and deprivations," he said.
The Home Minister said peace and harmony are essential for sustainable development and it is impossible to visualise the world without poverty, hunger, deprivation, gender discrimination, etc. Unless and until an atmosphere is created which allows people to use available resources for their development instead of unproductive activities.

Singh said poverty eradication is the greatest global challenge facing the world today and it is certainly one of the top most priorities for India where one third of its population lives in extreme poverty.

"The government in India has already kick started the process by empowering the poor through several of its social and economic security schemes.
"We want to instill confidence among the poor that their destiny is in their own hands and with a positive mind and strategic thinking the twin challenges of poverty and hunger can be met successfully," he said.
"The SDGs target of doubling the agricultural
productivity and incomes of farmers specially the small scale producers by 2030 is challenging.
Nevertheless, the Government of India has committed itself to double the income of all the farmers by 2022 much ahead of the time frame set by the SDGs," he said.

Singh said developing and implementing resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, and strengthening capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, and other natural calamities is an area of concern to the world.
The Home Minister said there is a need to increase investments in irrigation, rural infrastructure, and agricultural research and extension services.
"Our government has already started working on this prescription as we have decided to build roads to all rural settlements in the next three years and also allocated funds to increase the percentage of irrigated land in the country which is currently pegged around 46 per cent," he said.

Singh said as a measure to ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets and facilitate timely access to market information to the farmers, the Central government has decided to establish the United Agricultural Marketing ePlatform which aims to connect 585 agri mandis (wholesale markets) by March 2018.
"This facility will allow farmers to sell their produce at any mandi of their choice and help the farmers in realising a fair and market determined prices for their produce, thereby improving their incomes," he said.