Column Striking out economic growth?

Font Size

Print

Feedback

Email

Discuss

: how irresponsible the BJP is in inciting the Jammu agitation than out of any concern to compensate for this tragedy. Why were they stopped from finding an outlet across the LoC? That would make economic sense and defuse the power of idiotic blockades in the future. But that would have solved the problem of Kashmiris trading and the UPA is at present in no mood to solve problems since they can blame the BJP and get some votes at the next election.

There is a complacency about India’s growth prospects that is worrying. There has been nine per cent growth but only for four years, and, if you stretch it a bit, eight per cent since the turn of the century. But a miracle it is not and should not be taken for granted. Japan was thought to be a miracle economy in the seventies and eighties and then went into a long recession for the nineties and even now is pretty sick. India could suddenly falter and slide if policies are focussed on elections and petty vote bank considerations.

There is a problem looming in higher education which has helped India for some years up to now. The HRD ministry is acting like a Human Resources Destruction Ministry the way it has put pressure on IITs to push standards lower and lower until the reservation quota is fulfilled. This is seed corn which should be helping us in the next 20 years, and the prospect is dismal. At the other end, the Right to Education Bill has floundered and the UPA cannot fulfill what should have been a part of India’s policy at Independence. Congress had 40 years of uninterrupted authority to get education going and instead it wasted money on capital intensive loss making baubles to satisfy false national pride. Primary education still gets neglected and there is no sense of urgency anywhere.

We recently tried to get a broadband connection for our house in Goa. We were told we need to speak to a politician if we want any delivery. I am sure if I complained, my Left friends will lecture me on market failure and the superiority of public sector provisions. They are right; governments don’t fail. They just collect the rent. It fuels the political system. And we are so proud of our democracy!