By Our Reporter
Shillong: Instead of focusing too much on the economic indicator gross domestic product (GDP), the government should adopt the Gross National Happiness (GNH) to measure quality of life and social progress, said Union Minister of State for Rural Development Ms Agatha Sangma.
“The government needs to stop this and look where it is leading its people,” Ms Sangma said adding that the country should give importance to ‘Gross National Happiness’ (GNH) as adopted by countries like the UK and Bhutan.
Ms Sangma was addressing at a two-day ‘International day of Peace’ celebration organised by the Indigenous Biodiversity and Social Welfare Organization (IBSWO) at Khasi National Dorbar Hall at Mawkhar in the city on Thursday.
When it comes to material wealth, the Union Minister said, “People either have too much or have nothing at all and this has led to social imbalance”, she said adding that it was high time for the country to adopt the happiness index to bring an end to this social imbalance.
Stating that educational institutions only teach how to develop skills that will give access to good job, she said, “They (educational institutions), however, missed out an important topic “which teaches us how to find contentment in our day-to-day life”. She also spoke on the International Peace Day declaration of the United Nations
Speaking on the occasion, senior adviser of the IBSWO, Rev Dr PBM Basaiawmoit said that this year’s theme is related to June 2012 Rio Earth Summit declaration.