When one thinks about development, it is usually equated with the progress of society in general. It seems almost uncomfortable to associate inequality with it. As ironic as it may seem, development does have an ugly face, where few are benefitted at the expense of others. The need for personal gains along with external pressure can account for the anomalies. However, in a diverse and highly populated country like India, it becomes pertinent to analyze why this occurs.
If one talks about economic development, the disparities are very evident. In this regard, geography and population also play an important role. The CEO of Niti Aayog, Amitabh Kant attempts to point out this difference while relating the disparities with the quality of human life. India currently ranks 129, amongst the 189 countries on the 2020 Human Development Index (HDI). Infant mortality rates (per 1000 live births) are lower in Goa (8) and Kerala (10), as compared to Madhya Pradesh (47) and Odisha (44). Further, in the more populous areas, the prosperity of the masses is compromised due to greater competition for jobs. As a result, the human development figures are skewed and faultily implemented policies make this more problematic. Such conditions have also been impacted by the aftermath of past policies like The Green Revolution, which ended up concentrating benefits only in a few states. As these areas got prosperous, people started migrating from their hometowns in search of labor. Hence, further efforts were made to develop the areas which had already benefited to house the incoming migrants, rather than developing the smaller towns and generating employment there. Many continue to be still dependent on agriculture in the poorer areas like Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. There is also no ‘spillover’ effect or neighboring states benefiting each other due to specializations and progress which simply cannot be introduced into the other states.
To increase support, politicians often make promises which cannot be achieved realistically. Even if they do, it is far below what was promised. Moreover, the entire focus is on doling out money, rather than constructively focussing on the problem at hand. Of course, the poor can be uplifted from their poverty. But, rather than exacerbating dependence on grants or benefits, there should be incentives to enable the subsections to employ themselves. Enabling the unskilled should be a major part of the development blueprint. So should be job creations. The limited opportunities either result in a ‘brain drain’ or make the already rich even richer.
Additionally, this rampant concentration of jobs in an area coupled with industrialization also harms the ecology. This can be seen as a paradoxical situation, in which the efforts to improve end up harming more. To improve business and generate income and employment, the government tends to give free rein to industrialists and companies to flout environmental regulations for their profit. In such cases, not only is there gradual denudation of the pristine ecology; it also leads to discrimination against marginalized populations and a loss of their livelihood. Past examples include the construction of the Sardar Sarovar Dam. Recent instances include mining projects, creating highways in wildlife parks and protected areas, giving foreign trawlers access to marine life amongst others.
Moreover, in the race to showcase the achievements, facilities are provided, but only on paper. Effective implementation is not ensured. This can be as simple as the creation of toilets. Of course, the aim is to make a village open-defecation free, however, the people need to be sensitized about using them. According to a 2018 survey conducted by the Research Institute for Compassionate Economics (RICE) across rural Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, 23% of the population continued to defecate in the open, despite the availability of lavatories. Local traditions have to be incorporated with new ideas; such as raising funds for toilets or generating awareness in vernacular and simple language. Programs such as MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) would not help if adequate monitoring is not provided and the laborers are dependent on grants, which are sometimes unmet.
At this juncture, it becomes imperative for the various stakeholders, including the government, the media, the civil society, and even non-governmental organizations to work in close collaboration for everyone to reap equal benefits of the development practices. The creation of a comprehensive blueprint might prove to be challenging for a populous country like India, where everyone has their own beliefs and viewpoints. However, decisions cannot be taken arbitrarily, without considering those who are affected by them. Adequate and responsible representation is needed at all tiers of the community so that various voices can be heard. Accountability, transparency, eradication of regional development, and empowering the human resource is the need of the hour if India wants to fully profit from the development practices.
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