Debate on economic reforms
MUJIBUR REHMAN
ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIC SURVEY — Disempowering the Masses: Danish Books, B-802, Taj Apartments, Gazipur, Delhi-110096. Rs. 275.
The public debate on India's economic reform in the 1990s has been far more enlightening compared to that in the 1940s, when the debate revolved around the Nehruvian model, Gandhian alternative and the Bombay plan. The Gandhian alternative is virtually non-existent in the contentious discourse on alternative development sparked by India's liberalisation policy.
The constituent elements of this debate showing continuity run under the shadow of the Nehruvian model and the Bombay plan. The diverse experiences of post-colonial societies and institutional changes that have scripted the economic rationality have contributed significantly to the ongoing discourse.
The team of enthusiastic scholars and activists behind the publication of this document has added a fresh dimension to the healthy culture of animating public debate in our country. Even if one disagrees with the main argument, the team deserves appreciation for the passion and consistency with which it has been working for years to offer an alternative set of economic ideas.
Criticism
The central thesis of this document is consistent with the main argument of the preceding publications of the team under the same title. It offers sustained criticism of the unfolding economic policy of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime and argues that the policy as embodied in the Eleventh Approach Paper is as much a part of the New Economic Policy of 1991 as the one that was unfolded by its predecessor, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regime.
The volume has 23 articles covering a large number of sectors and themes. Of these, the ones on themes such as power and co-operatives are too short to be called a complete chapter. What is noteworthy, however, is the emphasis laid on themes like Scheduled Castes, women and health — areas often neglected by our development experts in their writings.
One major concern has been food security, which is well articulated by V. Updadhya and Shakti Kak. The crisis in agricultural sector is attributed to the decline of public investment in rural infrastructure, public works, minor irrigation and other related areas.
In order to design a sound policy of food security, they recommend that government should integrate the policy with major schemes like the National Rural Employment Programme . Another contributor, Arun Kumar voices some concern about the data on the basis of which major policies are formulated . The figures related to growth are over-estimated and the data about inflation are under-estimated, he contends .
Hypocrisy
The chapter "Scheduled Tribes" articulates the hypocrisy with which the Indian ruling elite attempt to deny the basic right to the tribal population. The author recalls how in Nagarnaar region in Chhattisgarh, a group of tribals became victims of police highhandedness while holding demonstrations to demand land rights.
The chapter on women addresses a wide range of concerns, particularly the growing victimisation in patriarchal Indian society. Even States like Kerala and West Bengal, where gender ratio is in favour of the girl child in the 1950s, have seen a reversal in recent years.
The chapter on health by Alpana Sagar offers an interesting analysis of the various versions of health debate in policy-making. The author argues that the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and ASHA, which largely advocate public-private partnerships, are not going to be particularly helpful and recommends strengthening of the public sector in this area.
K. N. Kabra presents an overview of the structural adjustment programme, institutional distortions and the manner in which these policies have contributed to mass disempowerment. The document draws a very dismal portrait of India's economic future.
In view of the events such as Nandigram, Singur and Kalinganagar, it is important to recognise that the convergence of interests between the managers of the Indian state and the market players poses grave threats to Indian democracy. Some of the ideas generated by this document could be used with profit by activists and policy analysts who seek to understand India's struggle with economic reform.
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