Development - Illusion..?? (II)

Continuing from my last post. We need not to define these parameters again, our internal system has been traditionally inward looking and the development thereto linked to its achievements. Deviation corrected, flaws amended and systematic adage of prudence passed on from generations to generations. At the village level.

The vision of "gram swarajya" where unless the bottom most person of the societal hierarchy is revitalized, the holistic development and dream of an egalitarian society would continue to meet each other at crossroads. The grass root democratic participation of decision and sustainable empowerment could add tangible inputs. By having:

• Consistent focus at grass root level to seek and develop agriculture inputs as according to the need, temperament and sustenance of ecology for the people and not on a central policy basis of subsidies and their relative interdependent plans. We still are an agrarian economy, to remember
• Land Improvement and support where the class, caste and displacement of people are ill effected and major development projects co-exist supplementing efforts of each other with each having its sphere of influence then forcing a option of for “either this or that system”
• Focus on integrated educational development which assures the right of employment then right of knowledge and its use in the developing world
• GDP measurement to include ancillary services which do not connote a commercial value yet still are a national component e.g. the labour barter which could be seen every season across the agrarian community of farmers pooling and taking turns to till fields for saving the spend on outsourced labour and retaining their cultural bonhomie, the very backbone of the system or perhaps challenge the GDP factor itself to define a new (GPF) Gross Prosperity Factor
• Developing comprehensive agenda towards maintaining the intricate balance of the fragile eco-system of people and their livelihood resources including water & irrigation, land & forests, cattle & livestock and indigenous cultural knowledge heritage
• Approach to seek active involvement and virtual democratic participation in governance and administration. Reforms should not be skewed as a secondary choice for an already defunct system, as add on. If it needs a complete transformation, the will should be able to support these actions with sole aim of efficient governance as its objective

Some would argue the thematic nature of these suggestive parameters as being basic. That’s the anomaly; the basics need to be revisited.

The present agitational reflex of continuously questioning the existence and relative outburst for demanding these basic rights at slightest provocation by mass at large somehow does not matches with the theme of cohesive development. The farmers fighting for their rights to co-exist in western part of the country, cooperatives being formed for the displaced people for gainfully seeking livelihood opportunities against integrated development of industrial zones, lack of constitutional empowerment to question these policies (never mind even if a basic right has to be made a act to “rightfully” ask what ideally should be due by itself) and continuous rupture of faith on executive, legislative and judiciary functions have all contributed negatively to not to believe there is development all around.

Singular attempts would not form a collective disposition and could not be an alibi for development. The aggression of polity with policy should match the pace at equal levels of societal execution. When we stop measuring the average rate of deaths on a per day per week basis due to hunger, starvation, displacement, incorrect policies and their long term impact (several of these) even despite of not being able to proudly acclaim the developmental fact, opt it as a plank to launch ourselves with every opportunity, we would surely be matured to fall out of this illusion and face the reality of being called as developed.

Development - Illusion..??

By Abhishek Joshi:

In today’s developmental context what stands out as a forlorn conclusion is the pace and beneficiaries of this plank. The speed of execution coupled with larger masses of people who are receiving it. Measuring in absolute terms from a GDP factor to the amount of FDI money which it attracts, governance desk of this country has this calling card for everyone to see.

We have seen rapid development. Implementation of national infrastructural schemes, flyovers, urbane development, malls with decked up global brands sitting on the shelves with high propensity of consumption from the great middle class parivars. Globalized models straight leaf out of developed economic countries linking our fate with them and feel urbane of we having been arrived.

Is this true. I do not know. I think if this actual development would have happened, we would have not seen unabated stories of 175,000 farmers committing suicide in a decade. We yet would have not had close to greater than a quarter of the country population referred by the card. The great Below the Pyramid Card (sorry, I need to take this one later) Below Poverty Line Card. Our leading developing states should have not seen being compared with Uganda, Congo, and Chad on Human Development Index. Optimism is to be corroborated with evidence and unfortunately less than 100 kms from the capital it is not to be seen. Governance and distribution system anomalies, continuous waiver of loans for the masses without any probable recourse of implementing it right with determined efficiency is what has eluded the bottom most people. Endless debates on the actual percentage of developmental policies however limitless option to sustain or to succumb at the bottom.

Accentuates this further is the glaring insensitivity to these matters in media, public discourses, policy formulation and election manifesto’s. If all but less than to eradicate the reasons but continue to support the extension of offering sops to maintain the level of poverty and ensure it remains that way. Agrarian dependent economy caught in the muddle of global trade negotiations of subsidies and self pat on back to have made noises at trade forums is yet not heard in our own backyards by virtue of yet being dependent on ensuring the fair market price of the produce is afforded as MSP for the crop. It looks upon the governance desks and legislative authorities for pre harvest and post harvest support policies supporting this mass based dependency is another spoke in the wheel. Starvation deaths and malnourished children, unfortunately getting lesser attention in public views and media than the conflicts, disasters and political opera’s are contrary to the fact of we assume to continuously moving ahead with development.

What perhaps is needed is a concerted effort to force the policy formulation through active public intervention. The question of faith has not diluted albeit we have created an illusion and happy to not look outside of it. Poverty classification has re divided itself as Rural and Urbane poverty and reasoning and rationale for each none to his own ears is what the sound is all about. Interplay of deprivation is perhaps the last of the definitions we needed. Elusive in all this is the main beneficiary for whom this interplay has been created. Development index needs to be inward looking for us to actually relate to it on certain parameters and tested to its utmost strength.

I put forward these parameters in my next post.

Charity begins at home..!!

By Abhishek Joshi :

The world seemingly now is seen divided not on the basis of the geographic differentiation or Continents or the eulogised economic consideration of GDP growth factors as “developed” or “non developed” but simply in terms of the “have’s & have not’s.” This divide is more evident than before and liking it or not, pouring over cup of coffee, having meals over the table is the most discussed consideration world over regardless of the economic indicators. An attempt to knock of the burden of truth by pitting one against the other as “fortunate” Vs “the unfortunate”. Quite ironical the statement may seem, as if the fate surprisingly simply choose to bless those who decided to do the former whilst leaving the later all on the mercy of the above. It is just such not bad to at least give it a thought since a thought is the basic inspiration to challenge this divide within the society and ensure a collective action is followed to bridge this gap with all our available resources.

There are numerous organizations working across the globe even whilst we read this to shape up policies, measures, action plans, projects to reengineer this socialistic-economic gap and lending their bit to pull both parts together.A world organization has seen itself shaping up solely to work on this theme and efforts are laudable to the extremes for the immense contribution it has provided and still continues to provide. This is a macro framework & its best to leave the statistics for a budding new aspirant of economics to decipher on whether the initiative has yet borne fruit despite the comment above or yet still a lot needs to be achieved. Lets try and relate to our everyday life’s as a individual and run a check and measure ourselves on a pluralistic platform of our little bit of making this world a better place.Yes, we all would have our lists handy to boast of the governmental agencies, preferred charities, and cause of our choosing with whom we work or have worked. Few “fortunate” one’s would better still come up with a marked “contribution” they have made to over the period of time to a particular cause or even better have floated independent entities themselves to contribute directly to rationalize their collective force of action inspired by a thought. No denying of the fact these actions would have left a indelible mark on a particular cause no matter what they would seem. However at a individualistic turf the question to be asked is whether that bit of contribution is an “actual” contribution or just a garb of charity to square off our inability of investing ourselves for furthering the cause.

A ‘contribution” loosely becomes a “donation” and then a “charity” & we all take succour to the fact that our bit has been done, managed better by others who have taken this responsibility and we are happy to support them from a distance always counting on our bit, best done. What bit is that donation for a cause or actual involvement and investment for the cause. This question would perhaps worry them the most who have the list ready and a little less who are more involved. “Donation” is a “contribution”, some would justify.

History records the valour of Maharana Pratap, who ceaselessly defended his people from the barbaric atrocities of the invaders yet the same history also pays respect to the wealthy friend and staunch nationalist “Bhamashah” who assisted Maharana in his crises by his contribution for him to yet again assemble his army and getting him back on the saddle for the battle of his life to be fought. That was not a donation it was a contribution, recorded by history.What differentiates the two analogous words above is the involvement and respect for a cause. The worthiness of the battle being fought not for own good but for good of the society and involvement at a individual level, never mind then if the responsibility of action happen to lie in someone else’ valour who is much better prepared to prudently guide the contribution to actual word of action. So donation can be a contribution so long as the above merit is justified and a simple charity if the motive is just to lease ones self of having just gone ahead & ‘contributed” to do our “bit” for the cause and for the society. This would call for a genuineness of the purpose without any self less craving for return and without the botheration of list to be kept maintained, for it to be shown next time, even if needed.

There are numerous organizations, countless people, non govt. agencies, societies, trusts, associations working together and in isolation to bridge this divide. They are the one’s who have taken the thought and never left it behind, translating every action every single resource possibilities to ensure that an individual action is met with the same passions and truthfulness of involvement as they would have started. Truth is, it is not the thought which fails to meet the virtues of nobility but the distance we keep to maintain from ourselves as “individual resources” in the form of donation. It is true, as being said above organizations outnumbering perhaps the population of a smallest country in the world are there to implement these actions but they are just left there since they have the cause, perhaps even budgets yet not resources to lend their shoulder to the wheel.Are we really willing to invest ourselves and do our “main” bit for the cause dear to our hearts. Are we really willing to be a “doer” to help in diluting this divide of have’s & have not’s with actions and not by plain simple thoughts.

Are we willing to be a “bhamashah” to our bit for the country and for our own people who need us in this hour of crisis and support with whatever best we think we can honestly offer - let that then be in any form as it may be called by any name. Are we willing to sincerely commit ourselves, invest fully and volunteer our time and resources at our disposal to implement this across the society? Are we willing to put the number of hours behind the cheque leaf we sign as our contribution showing our commitment. Are we ready to trade off our contribution in number of hours for someone else, if perhaps our cause has satisfied the needed requirement. Are we ready to make a difference to ourselves first & then for the society.Let’s not be bogged down by any constraints whatsoever our life throws up for us as a challenge. We might have money to spare but no time, we might have time but not our money, what is needed is the spirit of involvement, a selfless action without any credit to be accounted for whatsoever, in this or another life. It could be small or large, for a small cause or for a larger one, as an individual, as an association, at your village, for state or for your country, never mind, make an attempt, give it a push, start.

Let’s not have the pride of having done, being associated, glory of having made a contribution or organizational control of running an association come in your way. Let’s get involved. Let’s get committed. Let’s contribute.So next time a ‘donation’ is called for ponder for a while if a “contribution” could be made instead After all Charity does begins at home….. !!!


published in bhartiya paksha : May 2008 http://www.bhartiyapaksha.com/

Meaning of antyoday

“Its been a while have been searching for a perfect word, expressive by its own merit for me to name this writing space and I hope eventually for others on issues, with a common denominator of discussing, raising if necessary concerns revolving larger proletariat. The simpleton soul of the country who constitutes the major populace and on whom minor time is spent.

It took me three weeks but pleased as I could have not found a more, wholesome and better word then "antyoday - welfare of the last person, to come first”

The simpleton to whom matters of food, water, shelter, education, civic and human rights, health, security, social deprivation – class, caste, gender, sustainability of basic livelihood are more important than falsified governance programs, global meltdown, G-20 summits, fiscal policies, polity initiatives and now off course, IPL (political or premier, less mentioned the better) league.

This social ladder on which he continues to struggle to lay a claim, if all it is, “antyoday” would be the means to express this responsibly by putting them first here, through reports, through shared articles, through invite of subject authors, through interaction amongst all of us and would make an attempt to do our bit to sensitise others. Yes ~ as we see them, understand them and relate to them.

Happy reading..!!