Former state president of Haryana Roadways and philosopher Roshan Lal Sharma has said that the vision of a developed India cannot be realised without corruption-free governance and an administration committed to honesty, accountability and public welfare.

Sharma said a country should not be judged as developed merely on the basis of roads, railway networks, medical colleges, universities, airports and other modern facilities. According to him, the real measure of national development lies in the conduct of its people, their standard of living, patriotism, commitment towards their work, honesty and sense of responsibility.

He said people in developing countries often display greater hard work, discipline, commitment and a sense of duty because they carry a strong responsibility towards their own progress as well as the development of their country. For a truly developed nation and state, however, the first requirement is an honest and corruption-free system of governance.

“Whether a minister or an officer, everyone entrusted with public responsibility must work with honesty and accountability,” Sharma said, adding that corruption and dishonesty ultimately place the burden on ordinary citizens.

He stressed that workers constitute the backbone of development and their welfare cannot be ignored. “As long as the worker who drives development remains hungry and insecure, genuine peace, stability and progress cannot be achieved,” he said.

Sharma also raised concerns over the implementation of minimum wages. He said governments announce minimum wage rates, but these provisions often fail to reach workers effectively because of inadequate enforcement.

He said thousands of contractual employees have been serving in government departments for decades without receiving job security or regularisation. Some employees, he pointed out, have completed the age of 58 and retired without being regularised, while others have lost their lives in accidents during service.

Sharma demanded that a three-year regularisation policy be framed for contractual employees who fulfil the prescribed educational and professional qualifications for their respective posts. He said such a policy would provide long-term security to employees who have already devoted years to government service.

He also called for restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, describing pension as an important right of employees who have spent their working lives serving the public.

Sharma said the true concept of Viksit Bharat would become meaningful only when every citizen has access to basic necessities such as education, healthcare, food, clothing and housing.

He emphasised that economic and physical infrastructure must go hand in hand with ethical governance, social security and dignity of labour for India to achieve genuine and inclusive development.

POD/DESK