Developed India – Dream or Reality?

Mihirjha

Time flies as if it has wings. Bat an eyelid and the world will change. In this ultra-modern age of science and technology where there is a cut-throat competition in each and every sector of the market as well as economy, nothing but ‘change’ is the buzzword. But then a curiosity that automatically germinates is, “What change am I talking about??” If many of you have started wondering about an outing to Goa, or a Picnic trip to Loonawala or a Pilgrimage to Mecca-Medina, I am sorry. The change that I intend to mean here is the change that our own economy is undergoing below our breath in contrast to the rest of the world.

The stats from the Masters and Doctorates of Economy, to our utter amazement predict that the world shall continue to grow in 2008 but at a lower rate than the preceding year. Yes figures predict the world economy to grow at 4. 8% compared to 5.2% in the previous year. Central banks of different countries are likely to stay away from monetary restrictions in the face of inflation. This apart, high investment is expected to continue in the years ahead. Question begets question. Yet another question, “Who is the culprit behind this slowdown”? Queer though it may look the answer is United States. Yes, the slowdown in the world economy in the recent times has been attributed to the slow growth rate of the U.S economy. Private Consumptions in the USA have lacked momentum. Lack of growth in industrial production, decline in the industrial sector, slow growth of employment and insufficient business credit are factors that would weigh heavily on the growth of US economy in coming years. The real estate sector worldwide has faced severe crisis. In the global economy, volatile oil prices, fluctuating financial markets and continued inflation are forecasted to pose major threats in the coming years. All these factors in some way or the other reflect not only on the economy of the Big Boss, US but also on several of the world’s Economic Superpowers like Russia, U. K and Japan as well. Although Middle East economies are expected to benefit from rising oil prices with an expected average growth of 5. 9% and Iran and Egypt to encash a little more, Economists forecast a mere 3% growth for the Numero Uno U. S, 2.2%, 2.3% and 6.5% against 2.4%, 2.6%, and 7% in the preceding year for Japan, U.K and Russia respectively. So what thought are you in? Figures are dismal and the horizon seems to be black if not the blackest considering the fact that the above-mentioned nations had been the pioneers of the world economy.

There it is where you might have started wondering about the very fate of our own economy which is but just six decades old. Well, ease off. The Pundits have something in store for us. Statisticians to the utter amusement of a population of 1 billion predict that economic growth in the year 2008 shall be driven by emerging economies like India Revenues and China. Heave a sigh of relief. According to IMF Chief Economist Simon Johnson, China and India are expected to make the largest country level contributions in the growth of the world economy. Awesome, isn’t it? Look at what Finmin said in his speech to the nation on the union Budget speaks, “The Indian growth story, so far has been an absorbing and inspiring tale. Beginning January 2005, the economy has recorded a growth rate of 85 in 12 successive quarters up to 31st Dec 2007. For the past 3 years the GDP has increased by 7.5%, 9.4% and 9.6% resulting in an unprecedented growth of 8.8%”. To back Mr. Chidambaram up the CSO (Central Statistical Organization) says that the growth shall be somewhere on either side of 9. Microscopic analysis say that the growth in India has been consumption induced with the drivers ofcourse being “services” and “manufacturing” are estimated to grow at 10.7% and 9.4% respectively. Revenues, the key player is buoyant for the third year in succession. The fairy tale doesn’t end here. Indian Companies are on a shopping spree. The Aditya Birla Group’s Hindalco Industries acquired the Canadian Aluminum Company Novelis for US$6 billion. To add wound to the woes of the other economic giants, even larger and much stunning acquisition was made by India’s Tata Conglomerate of Netherlands-based steel makers Corus putting India straight into the Elite group. The values of takeovers by Indian Firms has risen meteorically from less than US1$ to US$18 billion last year. Companies seeking foothold overseas range from Information Technology to Pharmaceuticals to Manufacturing to. . . and the list goes on. The Tatas for example have also bought a Hotel in New York, pharmaceutical companies have acquired small European Firms and a Bangalore firm has made a bid to Scottish Whisky distiller. Several others are still in queue with eyes set in international market. Indian Railways, worth to be mentioned in the context, the second largest in the world under single government is expected to make Rs.20, 000 crore in the coming Fiscal year against record Rs.14, 700 crores in the previous year. All these apart recent surveys say that 85% of management Post grads in India from the most elite section plan to become an Entrepreneur.

So all of you by now must have understood why I started with the “Change”. Don’t the figures say that the world in general and India in particular in the recent past has undergone a sea of changes and that too the later with plenty of positives? All these apart even the demographics change. Yes the news from the heaven is that Cosmos conspires and this time it conspires in favor of India, our own India. A study by Goldman Sachs, the world renowned economist predicts about the prospects of the leading and emerging economies taking 2050 under consideration. It says that BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) countries are likely to become a much larger force and much faster than most investors currently anticipate. The combined size of 4 BRIC economies is projected to exceed that of the G-6(US, UK, France, Germany Italy and Japan) countries in US dollars terms by 2040. Within 30 years India shall have become the third largest economy in the world. Report says that 25% of people in the world under the age of 25 are in INDIA, and a full 80% of population is under 45 years old. That spells sound with a view that the bulk of the population in the state shall be youth by 2040 or even 2050. China on the other hand is growing faster than any other economy but then the fact that it is growing older even faster than being rich can’t be overlooked. The Bar graph below might be looking wild but then the researchers have a point to back themselves up.

Euphoric period when India shall have overtaken the big and mighty U.S.A. Stars are in ascendance and constellations favors to get the much talked about coveted position but then, mind you, we are all miles and miles away to put a stamp to these forecasts. What statisticians say based on permutations and combination are all subjective and mere speculations. We do have the potentials to win the Hare-Tortoise race but then we will have to build on our positives and alleviate all those century long problems. The scenario back here on the ground is still pathetic. Look at the National dailies and the picture will be crystal clear. Loots, thefts, black-marketing, hoarding, scams, rapes, murders have moved to the front page of the Newspaper. The time right now is auspicious and people from each and every section back here in the state must know that either its now or never. Politicians are all adamant not to correct their attitude. The situation down the ground forces me to question as to who gave the rights to those leaders to consider the country or a part of it to be their ancestral properties to the likes of Thackerays and Laloos??How dare a man, doctor in profession trade for the death of n-number of persons by kidney replantations??How can a teacher in Patna, Gujarat or rather anywhere on the land rape a girl student in the institution??Why Telangana Rashtriya Samiti in Andhra can no longer live in the same state?? Why the likes Ulfas and Maoists mushrooming everywhere?? Why the Administration and Judiciary remain stone deaf and stone blind on multi-crore scams by the Leaders in greed?? No. not only that why the industries survive only in south India and why can’t they be there in Bihar, Rajasthan, Up, MP and even in Jammu?? How long shall we remain indulged in Hindu-Muslim riots?? Why none of Indian Universities rank in the top 50 of the world inspite of the fact that all prestigious Universities have ample no. of Indian students?? Why not MIT’s in India?? Why industries like Telugu-Film Industry, Transport Industry etc which form the backbone of the southern states strive even for their existence in the north?? Why many Engineering colleges in states like Bihar hardly touch a double figure and a single state like Karnataka or Maharashtra easily cross 200-marks?? Not only that, why two students of the same country belonging to different states have different fee-structure in the same institution?? Why less and less number of youth is opting for Politics?? Why not a welcome budget every time by the Finance minister rather than only at the time of elections?? And what about the public, their attitude towards the society and their fellow members?? How can we have morsels to put into the mouth when others in front of us are starving and dying?The list of these Whys and Hows is endless. The question is, “Who is responsible for all these?

I told you earlier that question begets question. Yet another question demanding a serious and matured thought, “Is it merely the leaders or legislature, or executive, or administration or vigilance responsible for all the scenario??To my mind, its not only these rather we all are equally responsible too. After all how can we have the morsels to put into the mouth when our own fellow members are starving and dying in front of our own eyes having not enough wherewith even to meet their basic requirements??I was going through a magazine recently in which i found that the software giants like Infosys have taken initiatives to educate and employ the poor and the economically weaker sections of the society in Andhra by establishing Jawahar Knowledge centers. Why can’t these be done in every nook and corner of the country?? Why every state can’t have the same literacy rates as Kerala has? The time has come to wear off all those feelings of stature, caste, creed, sex, religion, and raise ourselves on to the right occasion. Feel therefore should be for poor and downtrodden. Feel henceforth should be for the development of society as a whole and not a part of it. Someone has rightly said, “He alone lives who lives for others, rest are more dead than alive”. Look at how China having an even larger population than ours stand taller than us in every aspect. Have anyone of us ever realized, how?? No. It’s all because each and every individual there contribute their best and what happens back here in our country is completely contrast. Time has come when we should get out of those damn reservation policies. Time has come when each of the 1-billion should start looking to contribute to the society. Time has come when those lines of our resume like, “Objective: To work in a . . . . for the betterment of me as an individual and the nation as a whole”, should clearly be understood , meant and implemented. Mr. Kalam in his book, India 2020, says, ‘Ignited young minds, we feel, are a powerful resource. This resource is mightier than any resource on the earth, in the sky and under the sea. We must all work together to transform our Developing India into a Developed one and the revolution required for this effort must start in our minds. “Finally my question is, “Whether this article of mine will let even a single one of you change?? Yes, answer me. Shall you change and commit yourself for the very land which has nurtured you at its own expenses?? Shall you commit to make the air you breathe in free from all the diseases sweeping almost the whole of the nation?? Shall you use Gandhi’s Talisman in each work that you’ll do?? Will you promise to fulfill the dreams that the likes of Tagore and many others dreamt for India?? “Whether the efforts put by me shall help even a single mind if not more get that ignition and spark that Mr. Kalam dreamt off?? If the answers to even a single of them is positive and from within the heart and soul then at least I can believe that the dream to become a proud citizen of a Developed India shall no longer be a dream but a reality. So Indians! O proud Indians! Start it right now, before it is too late. Change yourself. Change your attitude. Change the society. Change the whole globe. Change before things around you change.