Kolkata: Once the 'One nation one poll' proposal by the Centre becomes functional, it will galvanise the election process and will also help in the economic growth of the country, former President Ram Nath Kovind said here on Tuesday. Kovind was the chairman of the high-level committee on simultaneous elections that was constituted by the Centre in September 2023.
Speaking at a programme of a tribal organisation here, Kovind said voters are tired of meeting candidates of political parties seeking votes every year and probably do not want to face them so frequently.
"Once the proposal becomes fully functional in 2029-2030, or say at a later date, as it might take 5-10 years to have simultaneous polls, voters won't have to head to polling stations every year for one poll or another. This will also lead to economic growth as the GDP growth of the country will rise by 1.5 per cent from 7.23 per cent at present," he said.
"Think about that if 1.5 points are added to the existing GDP it won't take long to reach the 10 per cent (GDP) figure. Then our country will be among the top 3-4 economic superpowers in the world," he said. Kovind claimed that the 'one nation one poll' will galvanise the election process.
"If candidates have to ask for votes from people every year, they will have to reply why this development promise has not been implemented. Yearly elections make people averse to going to booths at times," he said. He said the 18,000-page report of the committee is in public domain and will streamline economic governance.
"If you sit in one place, you can see it with the click of a mouse or mobile and there is no need to visit different libraries. A voluminous compilation of different parliamentary committee reports have been put in one place," he said recalling his stint as chairman of the high-powered committee on 'one nation one poll' proposal when he met delegations of different parties and Election Commission officials and others.
Turning to the gathering of 'poor, Dalits and backward castes', Kovind said, "They are holding the country. They represent the beautiful mosaic of culture and play a dominant role in projecting the dignity of Bharat by preserving their indigenous culture." "We need to make them feel as stakeholders in nation-building. We need to have them inside this auditorium to listen to the proceedings and our speeches and not just present their cultural programmes in the open space before the building as the dignitaries enter,” he said.
When this inclusivity becomes a reality, the nation will truly progress. It is already progressing in that direction with proposals like 'one nation one poll', Kovind said. He called upon the members of tribal, backward-class communities to aim high and never back out from their resolve for better education.
"Education should always be your goal. Education can take you to maximum heights," the former President said. Citing his own life's journey, Kovind said, "I was from a poor family who had to walk barefoot a distance of six km even during summer to attend classes in my boyhood days.
"We had to scamper from one part of room to another during heavy rains as the roof was leaking. But these things didn't deter me. I was resolute in my mission to pursue studies and did not abandon the path ever," he recalled. "If I can become the President of the country, why can't you do better? You can become the President of the world one day," Kovind said.
Kovind, who talked about global warming and climate change in his speech, advocated shunning chemical fertilisers which may trigger crop production by multiple notches but spoil the soil. He laid stress on manure-based natural farming in his speech at the programme of the tribal organisation 'Krishi Bikash Shilpa Kendra'.
He said certain fertiliser lobbies are at work to promote chemical use but advised organisation members as well as the farming community to opt for natural farming.
