Progressive legislations empower citizens: Pranab Mukherjee

President Pranab Mukherjee today said progressive legislations like Right to Information provide an enabling environment and empower the citizens to access entitlements.
"Progressive legislations provide an enabling environment and empower citizens to access entitlements. Some examples are Right to Information, education, food and employment," Mukherjee said while addressing faculty and students of Central University of Kashmir through video conferencing.
The President, who is the Visitor at the University, said good governance is critically dependent on pre-requisites like inviolable adherence to rule of law, existence of participatory decision-making structure, responsiveness, transparency, accountability, corruption-free society, equity and inclusiveness.
Speaking on topic 'Democracy and Governance', Mukherjee said good governance implies a framework that has well-being of the people as its focal point.

"In India, I see good governance as exercise of power within the framework of the Constitution for efficient and effective management of our economic and social resources for the well-being of the people through the institutions of state," he said.
The President said good governance is not given in any system.
"It has to be nurtured by carefully developing institutions of democracy. Distortions happen when one institution does not function in the manner expected of it, leading to overreach by others," he said.