Compelling need for providing livelihood security to lower rungs of socio-economic ladder: Mukherjee

President Pranab Mukherjee has said there is a compelling need to provide livelihood security to those in the lower rungs of the socio-economic ladder.

Inaugurating a Summit on 'Livelihood Security: Realizing the vision for 1.3 billion Indians organized by ASSOCHAM at Vigyan Bhawan here today, President Mukherjee said there is a compelling need to provide livelihood security to those in the lower rungs of the socio-economic ladder.

"Additionally, there is a binding obligation to realize the dreams of the aspirational generation of young Indians," he added.

"All these, when India with 2.4 percent of the world's geographical area has seventeen percent of its population, pose formidable challenge. At this Meet, he anticipated an honest appraisal of issues concerning livelihood security and expects solutions that will guide policy makers," he added.

Recognising the need for having social security along with livelihood security, the President said: "Livelihood security is incomplete without the provision of social security. To make a decisive change in the livelihood security of Indians, the challenges are many and time limited. But he was certain that with the combined efforts of all stakeholders - government, industry, non-governmental agencies and the community at large - we will be able to extend to our countrymen enormous livelihood prospects."

"The industry can create mechanisms for income opportunities and capacity building under CSR initiatives mandated by the Companies Act of 2013. He expressed the hope that the Summit would discuss issues threadbare and make recommendations in the right perspective," he added.