New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said that human rights governance has become a priority under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
In a meeting with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member Priyank Kanungo, he spoke of the role of human rights in governance.
Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel, said that under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, human rights governance has become a priority, with the Human Rights Commission playing an active and responsive role.
As a part of this, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) seeks to integrate human rights values into its training programs for government officials, the minister was quoted as having said in a statement issued by the Personnel Ministry.
He said that sensitive officers, equipped with both emotional intelligence and intellectual capability, would be key to furthering the cause of human rights in India.
"These officers, once sensitised on human rights issues, could serve as patrons of human rights within their respective departments and communities," Singh said.
During the meeting, the minister was briefed about the human rights concerns of the terrorism affected families of Jammu and Kashmir, notably and particularly the Kashmiri Pandits.
Kanungo told the minister that the NHRC is very conscious of its responsibility to safeguard the human rights of every section of society, particularly those like the Kashmir Pandit community who suffered killings and hardship for three long decades, but were denied their due or justice by the earlier governments, the statement said.
Singh highlighted the nationalist credentials of the Kashmiri Pandit community and said that their welfare and concern have always been at the core of Prime Minister Modi's priorities.
He praised the Modi government's commitment to the welfare of these families, citing the Prime Minister's over 35 visits to J-K, which had played a significant role in implementing welfare initiatives, including the provision of separate accommodations for Pandit families and efforts to reintegrate them into the broader Kashmiri society.
In addition to these welfare measures, Singh also highlighted infrastructure developments in the region aimed at reducing physical and emotional distances.
He pointed to expanded train networks and express corridors that have enhanced all-weather connectivity to ensure smoother travel and communication.
We will ensure an institutionalised mechanism to address citizens' grievances, working in synergy with the NHRC to ensure that the citizens' rights are safeguarded," the minister said. PTI AKV NB NB