Events & Issues
New Delhi, 14
February 2018
Development Trends
ARE WE FOLLOWING RIGHT STRATEGY?
By
Dhurjati Mukherjee
If one goes by the
policies, programmes and statements of political leaders world over, it is
discernible that tremendous development has taken place. However, there is very
little debate about the development trend and whom it is benefitting as those
who wield power and authority are not interested in it. This is all the more
significant in populous countries like India where a significant proportion of
the population lives in rural areas and is below or slightly above the poverty
line?
The recent Oxfam
report ‘Reward Work, Not Wealth’ (2018) shockingly revealed that though development
has taken place its benefits have been cornered by the rich and powerful business
class thanks to their expanding activities and nexus with political leaders and
bureaucracy. In Third World countries this is particularly manifest as
corruption is on the rise and different manoeuvres are resorted to deprive the
poor and economically weaker sections who neither have power, authority and support
base to challenge the business community.
Scandalously, the report
pointed out that only one per cent of the wealth pyramid in India own 73% of
the wealth generated here which increased by around 21 lakh crores, equivalent
to the Central Government 2017-18 total budget. In stark contrast, wealth of 67
crores citizens comprising the poor increased by a mere one per
cent.
Obversely, India
added 17 new billionaires, totaling 101 whose wealth increased by 4.69 lakh
crores --- from Rs 15.78 lakh crores to over Rs 20.67 lakh crores. Undeniably, this
trend is expected to continue in the coming years in view of our growth model.
Surprisingly, various
programmes undertaken over decades like ‘garibi
hatao’, ‘ache din’ to the latest ‘improving the ease of living’ enunciated
by the Prime Minister at the recent World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos
are just mere slogans and will continue to remain so.
On the other hand,
Modi’s call to investors at the WEF to “come to India if you want (to
accumulate) wealth” is a clear indication of the growth model the country wants
to follow. This might increase the GDP, bring more prosperity to the rich and
middle income sections and industrialize the country but would not have any
major impact on the poor and impoverished sections.
There is no
response from those in power about the reasons for such accumulation of wealth
and prosperity in the hands of a very few industrialists and what the Government
intends to do. Obviously, our planning process has utterly failed to ensure
equitable distribution of resources to all sections of society which has
continued for decades, irrespective of the Party in power.
Over the years, the
all-pervading materialist culture which comes easily with the neo-liberal
agenda of globalization has broken the fabric of ordinary people’s lives and
marginalized the majority, this has to stop. The Government’s social
responsibility should be to implement a strategy which would involve people and
only them, their capacities and liabilities to move ahead with development which
goes against exclusion and inequality, instead reaches out to all sections of
society, specially the majority rural populace who are struggling for survival
in poverty and squalor.
Undoubtedly, the
way democracy is practiced in economically-less developed countries like India
does not promise sustainable or inclusive development, an approach needed to
uplift the masses. Nor have we developed a theory of democracy for a
multi-cultural society riddled with problems of multiple polarizations. The
need for authoritarian system of administration results in “a veiled dictatorial
form of government, a syndicated form of pseudo-democratic governance”.
All talk of lack of physical or social infrastructure conveniently shown
as over-population, lack of resources, aid decrease, heavy defence expenditure,
socio-economic backwardness etc. provided by an highly prejudiced bureaucracy and
planners “are a mere alibi by people overcome by guilt but not willing to
accept responsibility for basic injustices in the world”, observed eminent
social scientist Rajni Kothari.
The present
approach of increasing the GDP of our politicians and planners does not reflect
the extent of poverty and deprivation vis-a-vis
food, health, sanitation, education and economic security. This measure also
reveals little about the extent of unutilized or underutilized resources
available in the economy like capital and labour.
Moreover, it fails
to reveal anything about environmental degradation and resources which occur
during production and consumption. Questionably, why does a section of
economists always harp on accentuating GDP growth knowing that such an increase
might not have any effect on the population’s bottom tiers? True, good quality of
life entails certain minimum rights but the increased GDP does not necessarily
make this a reality.
Consequently, as Albert
Schweitzer observed, “our society has also ceased to allow all men . . .
. human value and human dignity; many sections of the human race have
become raw materials and property in human form”. Hence, there is need to relook
at our growth and development model followed since the last three decades.
We need an alternative
strategy whose approach lies in focussing on the rural sector where majority of
the population struggle for existence. Even our semi-urban centres need to be
improved. Think. The recent announcement for ‘smart cities’ and ‘bullet trains’
is once again aimed at pampering the middle and upper income sections which is not
needed at this juncture.
On the other hand,
we need to set up one-two smart districts and four-five sub-divisions in every State
having all urban facilities within the next one year. These areas should also
ensure at least 50% employment opportunities for the working population. Clearly
to make this a reality we need more colleges, health centres and an additional
hospital in every district. Also, more emphasis is needed on agriculture, cottage
industry and developing entrepreneurship by providing necessary
subsidies.
Alas, our planners wrong
priority has placed the country in a critical position where disparity is widening
with poorer sections struggling for economic security and sustainable
livelihood in the coming years. Indeed, it is difficult to foresee any
significant positive development in the coming years unless there is any
directional change in the country’s planning strategy. ---- INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
|