Kolkata: People have not been able to get true dividends of democracy -- rights, opportunities and economic solvency for all even after 60 years of independence, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today said.

Each individual should be able to involve himself or herself with the entire functioning of democracy, Chatterjee said and regretted that there were many people who want to work for the country, but they can't work because of corruption. Chatterjee was addressing a function while inaugurating the celebration of the 80 years of Shree Shwetambar Sthanakvasi Jain Sabha here.

Chatterjee wondered that 25 per cent of the country's population still were deprived of education, while women were fighting for their rights and economic empowerment. Urging social activists and philanthropists to come forward to uplift the society with their development plans, Chatterjee said "only those who have money and will power can work for the society".

Lauding various social and development works of Shree Shwetambar Sthanakvasi Jain Sabha and industrialist-cum-social activist Sundarlal Dugar, who was felicitated on the occasion, Chatterjee said a Rs five crore fund set up by Jain Sabha for extending loans to young entrepreneurs without interest would come to immense help of the under-privileged.

The programme was attended, among others, by Union Minister of State, Food Processing Industries, Subodh Kant Sahay, Left Front Chairman Biman Bose and West Bengal Transport Minister Subhas Chakraborty.

Source : PTI