A journey into the interiors of India is a revealing exercise as it shows the differential pace of development in different parts of the country. Last week, I took a short break from work to traverse the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan. My travel only reinforced the point made often enough that unless there is a fundamental change in the way governance is delivered at the grassroots level, large parts of India would remain caught in a time warp.

It is always a pleasure to drive out of Delhi on the Jaipur highway which could easily compare with some of the better highways in the world, provided intersections and gaps in the verge are managed better than they are at present. What turned out to be an equally pleasurable drive was the Haryana state highway from Dharuhera to Narnaul. Although the road was a single carriageway, the quality of the tarmac was excellent.

But beyond Narnaul, the moment one crossed over from Haryana to Rajasthan, the difference was palpable. The condition of the road through Singhana, Chirawa and the entire Jhunjhunu district was pathetic. It was apparent that little attention had been paid to the road, now in an advanced stage of disrepair. What was worse was that as the road meandered through small towns and the district headquarters, its quality deteriorated noticeably and the size of waterlogged potholes assumed threatening dimensions. Urban governance appeared to be in shambles and financially unsustainable.

All along the state highway and in towns it was apparent that the level of economic activity was low and the region was caught in a vicious trap of low level of investment, both public and private. A large number of shops in the towns were closed. Since it was a working day, the only reason for their closure could have been lack of custom.

The countryside was marked by large stretches of wasteland interspersed with small patches of wheat and mustard fields. This was rain-fed country and the only source of irrigation was groundwater. To reach the water table, one had to dig beyond 150 to 200 feet ? an expensive exercise. Digging a tube well required an investment of over Rs 3 lakh. Few farmers could afford this sum and had to perforce depend on the monsoon that normally turns out to be deficient in this part of the country. If there were some drought proofing or water conservation schemes that one reads about in Planning Commission documents, the evidence was not visible to the naked eye. I wondered whether there were social and caste reasons why community tube wells or water conservation schemes supported by public investment had not been thought of.

This could be one way that incomes of small and marginal farmers could be raised and employment generated. A casual interaction with villagers along the way revealed that most farmers could raise only one crop a year and not three as in the fertile Gangetic belt. In a year of good monsoon, rural employment surged by 40 per cent or more. With little non-farm job opportunities around, one could only guess about the plight of casual labour in a year of poor rainfall. Possibly there were government-funded rural employment schemes that the farmers one talked to were unaware of.

True, in recent years the region has seen increases in the level of literacy and education. But degrees do not necessarily provide jobs. Mandawa, where I stayed, has a population of around 25,000. The educated find jobs mainly in tourism that supports around 500 families. (The number could increase if better roads provide easier access to the area). Outside tourism, youngsters look to jobs with the police and the army. Persistent questioning revealed the usual complaint that considerations other than merit are the deciding factor and success depends on whether you go through the right tout.

The one question that constantly nags one?s mind as you discover this region is whether Bihar, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and other parts of the country are even worse off? Clearly, economic reforms at the Centre can only provide a broad framework. Real transformation of such areas would require reform of governance and policies at the state, district and panchayat level. It is only then that the shine of India would spread to every nook and corner of the country.

The author is an advisor to Ficci. Views expressed herein are personal