Open Forum
New Delhi, 9 January 2019
Modern Indian State
HAVE BENEFITS PERCOLATED DOWN?
By Dhurjati Mukherjee
Every alternative day
we hear talks of modern developments in social economic and scientific spheres without
understanding or assessing its effects on the major segments of the population.
Though more than seven decades have passed after attaining independence, has
this modernity changed the socio-political system and benefitted the masses?
This big question has
to be weighed not by how many airports are built or modernised or even the
number of highways built or widened, but by how the lives of the poor and the
backward sections have improved. Planners and economists who dish out data
about growth do not understand development in the true sense as for them this
indicates facilitating the lives of the middle and upper echelons of society.
The neglect of the impoverished and the backward castes remain where they were
in spite of sermons about development.
In recent years,
there have been enough studies about the state of affairs in the country and
the conditions of the backward sections. It is distressing to note that after
so long the Niti Aayog document expressed an intention to change the approach
to planning from preparations of plans and budgets to the creation of a mass
movement for development in which “every Indian recognises her role and
experiences the tangible benefits”.
The strategy affirms
that “policy making will have to be rooted in ground realities” rather than
economic abstractions. It will be worthwhile for Niti Aayog to get feedback in
the long run from stakeholders – most of whom are half educated -- on whether
it has improved the process of consultation that it has talked about.
Let us delve deep
into the conditions of the lower castes, who continue to languish in the tribal
and backward districts of the country. As has been pointed out again and again,
the state of education and health is in a pitiable condition in these areas.
One may mention a report in this connection that found a sizeable portion of
the collections under the 2 per cent cess was never transferred to the Prarambhik Shiksha Kosh (PSK)
(elementary education fund), the dedicated corpus for the purpose that is
maintained by the department of school education and literacy under the Human Resource
Development (HRD) Ministry. Nor does the pending amount seem likely to come to
the Kosh, going by the stand the Finance Ministry’s Department of Economic Affairs
recently took when the HRD Ministry sought the outstanding funds.
In the case of heath,
the same situation prevails. Statistics reveal that in the so-called modern
society, public health expenditure has remained constant over the years in most
States and is even less than the national average of 1.2 per cent of GDP,
making India one of the biggest private spenders on health among the low-income
countries. India’s expenditure on health in 2015-16 was Rs 140,054 crore. Thus,
the total expenditure on health as a percentage of GDP was 3.89 per cent,
whereas the government share stood at 1.13 per cent of GDP in 2015-16 which may
have increased slightly to around 1.2 per cent presently.
The most startling
finding is about the lower castes vis-a-vis their occupations. Even today caste
continues to be a prime factor that determines a person’s occupation going by
the latest census data on non-farm workers. Occupations traditionally
considered lowly such as sweeping and leather work continue to be dominated by Scheduled
Castes in general, more so by specific castes associated with such work. The
situation in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh is
possibly the worst where caste plays a very important factor in social and
economic life.
Among coveted jobs at
the top, in the private sectors -- corporate managers and business
professionals -- have the worst representation of SCs and STs. About 93 per
cent of corporate manager jobs are held by non-SC/ST people. In the case of
sectors with significant government presence such as teaching and health care,
the scenario is little better.
This it is amply
evident in that the link between caste and occupation remains quite strong in
spite of spread of education and awareness as also talks of equality by
politicians. However, some consolation may be derived from the fact that SCs
have come up relatively well in the category of teaching jobs and health care
professionals, though the percentage is just 8.9 and 9.3 respectively. Thus,
the upsurge of the ultra left can be explained due to exploitation of the
dalits and tribes by upper castes in this modern society.
In such a situation,
the so-called modern society has had no effect on millions of people. Plans and
programmes are evolved which have little or no bearing on the rural poor and
the impoverished sections. Take for example demonetisation which had left
untold suffering on most sections of villages, even the small traders. Added to
this, the Aadhar programme, which was announced with much fanfare and thousands
of crores were spent, has similarly proved to have affected this section.
In a recent article
by well known social scientist Jean Dreze about how the vulnerable tribal
groups have been affected by Aadhar and other modern plans and programmes of
the government, the concept of modernity has little value as the deprived and
weaker sections have not, in any way, gained from the present disturbing
trends. In this connection, studies by Oxfam bear testimony to all growth
models that have increased the disparity between the super rich and upper
sections, on the one hand, and the lowest 20-25 per cent of population, on the
other, who struggle for an existence.
In the social sector,
there is virtually no trace of modernity, specially with regressive outlook of
most communities divided on religious lines. The so-called developmental path
is totally not evident at the grass-root level where lower castes, dalits and
adivasis live in poverty and squalor, being deprived of the modern benefits of
life. Are we moving in the right developmental path with a centralised approach
and that everything is thrust from above?
In fact, the
pervading materialistic culture and the capitalist system have led to
deprivation, exploitation, economic and social imbalance that has made human
beings deformed and regressive. The so-called modernity is just a misnomer and
cannot be considered in any way progressive as basic social and economic values
remain subdued.
Should we not strive
to generate more awareness amongst the community at the grass-root level so
that they become conscious and aware of their rights and privileges? Only then
can they become aware of modern trends. Simultaneously, quality education and
health facilities have to reach the village health centres and people can live
a happy and contented life. ---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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