by Bharat Dogra and Jagmohan Singh
Most of the discourse on development, planning and governance in India has been at the national level, and so it is important to emphasize that several dimensions of these issues need to be discussed at the state level too. If state governments and related institutions are very clear regarding their priorities from the point of view of the real needs of their people and sustainability, then from this position of strength they are able to not only frame and spread their most appropriate schemes and programs but in addition they are also able to place their demands and aspirations more effectively before the union government and related institutions in ways that will make it possible to receive better support from the union government in qualitative and quantitative terms. Such a strength of clear priorities of development, planning and governance displayed by any state government will also establish a good example before other states and in fact the entire country and hence its achievement will be much wider.
At the same time the state government should be able to assist, facilitate and inspire local self-government institutions, whether rural decentralization institutions or urban or municipal institutions, to take forward their work in conformity with those highly desirable priorities that reflect the real needs of people and decisions regarding which are taken in consultation with people.
While the more specific priorities can differ from state to state, from place to place, the basic precepts on which these are based remain the same, and in broad terms these are justice and equality, peace and protection of environment and biodiversity.
The state government must have a firm commitment to justice and equality, and whatever the wider constraints, it should try to advance as much as it can in this direction of equality and justice. Even in adverse and less than optimal conditions of support, it can still get considerable support from those existing schemes of the union government which clearly have good potential of being used in the interests of the poor, as well as from various constitutional provisions. The state government’s own schemes must also accord high priority to helping the poorer and the poorest sections the most. Finding some land and resource base for the landless and poorest sections in rural areas can be a very important step which has been neglected.
There is a lot of room for creativity and this is best achieved by involving the weaker sections in implementation and encouraging them to make suggestions. Women can make particularly important contributions with their suggestions. In fact improving gender equality and justice is very much an important part of the overall agenda of justice and equality.
The second important precept is peace and the state government must have and must display a firm commitment to inter-faith harmony, inter-caste harmony and overall social harmony. All those forces which show tendencies of spreading discord involving two or more communities, or even secessionist and other forms of violence related to this, must be dealt with strictly regardless of any high level of patronage they may be enjoying at high levels. There should be a strong commitment to reducing all crimes particularly violent crimes, including crimes against women, and trafficking. Safety of all vulnerable sections, particularly scheduled castes and tribes, other weaker sections and women should get high priority.
Environment and biodiversity protection and sustainability of development should get very high priority. This should be seen as a part of all development activities and not confined to just a few highlighted activities. The basic resource base such as soil, water and forests should be well protected. People should have a right to breathe in clean air. There should be a caring and protective attitude towards all life-forms.
Based on these precepts, the government should chart out its priorities and programs in the particular context of a state or region, keeping in view the various needs, constraints and assets. There should be a strong effort to strengthen planned development, instead of moving about in uncertain, ad-hoc ways.
The resource base should be strengthened in progressive ways. The state government should be strongly represented to receive justice and adequate resources from the central government, while at the same time the state government on its part should be fair and generous to local self-government institutions in the state. Wasteful expenditure and non-priority expenditure should be curbed, while allocations for real priority areas should be increased. In order to deal with the problem of accumulated debts, careful plans to reduce indebtedness with the involvement of all leading political parties and other relevant institutions of the state as well as the union government should be prepared so that fiscal health can be restored and adequate resources remain available to take forward the various priorities of the state government in a confidant way.
Prof. Jagmohan Singh is Chairperson, Shahid Bhagat Singh Centenary Committee.
Bharat Dogra is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Man over Machine, Planet in Peril and A Day in 2071.
