With the
India population rising, GDP falling,
its time we ALL went down to the grass root and enable a contribution to the
economy from that level. After all, 70%
of India does live there. Can we , here in the big cities , really afford to
ignore them as we all do ?
Consider the
facts. In another 3-5 years India is poised to become the youngest country in
the World. Some people say the largest youngest workforce. I would like to
understand how ? Majority of our
educated youth are NOT job ready. The sunshine Industries do not find them worthy of employment. We very proudly state
that we will be the world’s largest market of consumers… where majority Consumers who cannot afford to
live let alone buy?
Many years
ago when an old and retiring Chief Secretary of one of the states told and
explained to me the concept of our country actually being two – India where all
the city folk , metro folk and urbanized
folk reside and,… Bharat- where 70% of the
country’ s citizens reside. This was more than 10 years ago. But I have now
only begun to realize what he meant and the impact of his observations ( which
are mine now as well).
We, the
citizens of India, are concerned with the Stock Market, the Gold Market, the corresponding
inflation, increase of salaries, companies performance etc. We think, we act. But our actions effect
only 30% of our total economy. Because,
70% of our country live in an area
called Bharat. There, they are more concerned on when and how they will get
their next meal, or how they will pay the village money lender, or when they
will get their next job.
So, the 70%
of the so called largest workforce does NOT contribute to the economy, is NOT
bothered about buying choices in the market
and is not worried about the internet or
2G, 3G or 4G.
I feel, as
educated (?) Members of India, is it not
time we went down to the Grass root and worked them into a “great workforce” ?
It can be done IF we so decide. Consider
this :
A. Every Villager has access to mobile
Telephony - whether their own or through
a “village Mobile Service Providers”. ( yes that’s the way it actually is)
B. Every villager has a bank account ,
either his / her own or through a central village bank provider ( J sounds funny but the truth)
C. Most village women work - more than the men ( woman power?
ABSOLUTELY)
D. 60% of village folk have some
excellence in trade. Be it a particular stream of Agriculture, Tailoring, Car
Mechanics, weaving, knitting etc.)
My question
to all and me is this. Is not enough
hard work for them? Do we really want to convert them all? Can they NOT
contribute to our Country’s economy from where they are and what they do best?
My personal
opinion and thought is that they CAN. And THEY WILL. Provided WE let them.
So what is
it we can do ?
A. Create, help and recognize their
skills . How ? for example… how many of
us or our children wear hand knitted , pure wool sweaters in the winter months
? Please take stock, my guess is only a
handful. Have we all forgotten the days when our mothers or grandmothers
knitted ? Pure wool ? Are we so dependent on style today that we have forgotten? No wonder Delhi folk
suffer with cold and cough etc. Believe
me , we are NOT warm enough.
B. Encourage them to create money –
how? Create a market for their products,
whether agriculture, knitting, sewing , etc.
My question to all is this : when was the last time you or I ate a home grown, small by nature, non chemical
fertilizer vegetable ?
C. As real estate grows, do we recognize
the fact that our agriculture land diminishes ? I am not really a Marxist or
even a socialist ( though I thought I was in my youth) BUT, as we , the
consumers of the new urban elite go on
consuming Flats , residences ( for other purposes than living in one) , there will come a time when the fields will
go and be replaced by high rise condominiums.
Which also means the end of Food INDEPENDENCE !
Well that’s
all I wanted to spell out. We the people of India, for our, or our children’s and our Country’s survival, need to
do “something”.
What I that
something is left you conscience…
