Concept Paper

(Statement of Issues and Concerns for Debate)
on National Dialogue on Developmental Reforms in India

Over the last five decades, India has been striving hard to ensure basic needs and equal opportunities to all and all-round efforts for a self-reliant and prosperous national economy. We have moved forward in areas of food-security, industrial infrastructure and science and technology. Still, the nation is confronted with serious problems related to poverty, unemployment, malnutrition, social and economic disparties and regional imbalances.

So far, the development process has been largely influenced by development philosophies of aid/grant agencies and relied mainly upon the models suitable for western economies. Even United Nations’ agencies have recently modified their approach and adopted better indices of development. Planning Commission is also involved in a similar exercise for India. These are sporadic instances and confined to smaller areas/sectors. During the last decade, a substantial change has taken place in the developmental initiatives, emphasising the role of market and reducing the state intervention. This has been debated vehemently on both the sides, one arguing the gains of liberalisation, and the other indicating the uncertainties.

The proposed dialogue is an attempt to evolve developmental reforms with Indian perspective, as part of the Commemoration of 50^th Anniversary of Indian Republic. The government is committed to usher in a new era of development for a proud and prosperous Bharat. In this paradigm shift, the country has to ensure peoples’ participation, including all types of institutions, organisations and the community – in true spirit of our excellent democratic tradition. The challenge is to chalk out the best possible action-plan in present global scenario keeping our national priorities in sharp focus.

The concept of development is not purely a matter of economics. It is a matter touching upon history, culture, and society. Hence, the developmental measures undertaken any particular period are time-specific and also society-specific. Any developmental strategy for an ancient society like Indian one will have to harmonies the "tradition" and the "modernity", at the ground level. The modernity is not adequate for the future, and the tradition is not complete without the modern input. That means the strategy in the main will have to be based on tradition, and the modernity has to be the additive. The strength of the traditional beliefs and lifestyle should not be minimized in any developmental strategy. The policy making on globalisation and liberalisation needs to be reviewed from this perspective and in the background of eastern values rather than merely western values.

>>>>Major Concerns<<<<

>>General Policy Issues

• Ensuring proper employment opportunities to all aspiring hands has to be the first objective of national planning for development. Involvement in sustained, meaningful productive employment is the only guarantee for meeting basic needs.
• Consolidating local experiences (people based/NGOs demonstrated) in development and institutionalise for scaling up, through suitable policy changes and administrative guidelines.
• Women in the process of development – capacity building, participation, and empowerment.
• Empowerment of the persons with disabilities, disadvantaged groups and neglected sections of society.
• Development of bypassed regions, assimilating them in the mainstream process of economic growth with locally supported developmental initiatives.
• Effective transfer of knowledge and skills from lab to land in all sectors. All research institutions/universities’ involvement in socially relevant output, and increased stress on the process of technology and knowledge transfer.
• Evolving suitable policy and legal framework conducive for development in all sectors. This should cover effective utilization of resources, good governance, strengthening of local initiatives.
• Move towards a) reducing government’s non-plan expenditure, b) dependency on external borrowing for development sector, and c) increase domestic resource mobilization for development.
• Steering the intellectuals and action groups to focus on Indian perspective of development through all research institutions, academic bodies and NGOs.
• Ensuring sustainability and credibility of NGOs’ interventions and efforts for development.
• A nationwide strong network of cottage, village, small, medium and big industries backed by a vibrant service-sector is the crying need for a self-reliant society.

>>Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development

• Strengthening of rural infrastructure with major focus on providing backward and forward linkages with appropriate technology.
• Employment supporting and employment generating activities, particularly in rural areas and skill development for non-farm employment opportunities.
• Ensuring speedy decline of poverty levels both in rural and urban areas with local initiatives, local organisations, effective micro-finance interventions and retaining the self respect of poor. Needs rethinking on methods of rural and urban poverty estimates.
• Community participation in management of natural resources, sustainable development of all natural resources, typologies including both formal and informal.
• Efficient management of food sector so as to reduce inefficient subsidies and unnecessary expenditure.
• Initiating concrete steps to double the food production in the next 20 years.

>>Governance

• Evolving efficient performance measurement systems for all sectors. This should include incentives and disincentives for implementers at all levels.
• Effective Governance at central, state, and local levels (including Panchayat Raj Institutions, urban bodies, and NGOs).
• Reorientation of resource allocation and manpower both at national and state level.
• Decision making and implementation focus on Indian perspective of development.
• Specify the role of government vis-à-vis users’ community across sectors, levels, and modalities.
• Increasing pro-active professional machinery in the government agencies.
• Restoring confidence and faith of common people during the reforms process.

 

>>Social Sector

• Strengthen social sector (including health, education, housing, social welfare and bypassed sections). Design strategies to provide total literacy and health for all in the country by 2010.
• Improvement of social indicators’ level in BIMARU states.

 

>>Science and Technology

• Strengthening National Missions in frontier areas (e.g. information technology, bio-technology and holistic environment management etc.) and other areas of science and technology.
• Initiatives for developing environmental friendly technologies with minimum negative externalities.
• Documentation of our LokVidya in area like ayurveda and holistic approach in management of natural resources.
• Strengthening indigenous solutions to local problems, emphasis on participating in long-term basic research and experimentation.

 

>>Monetary and Fiscal Policy

• Fiscal consolidation and macroeconomic stabilisation.
• Towards a more disciplined fiscal regime –Fiscal Responsibility Act.
• Control and management of public expenditure and reduction of populist measures both by the central and state governments.
• Raising resources for development, widening the tax-base.
• Abolishing black economy through strict measures.

 

>>People’s Command and De-bureaucratisation

Restore the command to community controls and management wherever possible. De-bureaucratisation and community-management has to be guiding mantra for development in the coming decade

The Debate and dialogue on developmental reforms is expected to address the above crucial issues. We anticipate the dialogue to address these concerns in a dispassionate way and provide clues to policy makers for enhancing meaningfulness and effectiveness of the reforms process based on national consensus. Needless to add that in a democratic system like ours such debates and discourses are critical from the point of sharpening the understanding of the multifaceted nature of the reform process.

A happy and prosperous life is natural aspiration of all in the society and moving towards a higher goal is the national urge today. Let us not forget that development in its true sense has to be integral and holistic encompassing physical, moral and spiritual aspects in its totality. Let us make a concerned move towards a proud and prosperous resurgent India.