From correspondents in Maharashtra, India, 05:03 PM IST

Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat has said the poor quality of governance is responsible for the 'tardy implementation' of programmes meant for the welfare of the common man.

'The common man is desperately looking for hassle free and corruption free governance,' Shekhawat said in his keynote address at the 67th convocation of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences here Saturday evening.

He said there was need to revitalize, humanise and strengthen various institutions of public governance.

Shekhawat said that while an impressive growth rate of over nine percent had put India on the high growth trajectory, it was still grappling with poverty and wide disparities.

He said about 260 million of the population was living below the poverty line without the basic amenities of life such as education, health and sanitation.

'Poor people have to have first claim on the resources of the state,' he said.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)