There was a time when India was called “Sone Ki Chidiya” that is land of gold and virtues. The country is filled with abundant richness in terms land, raw materials for trade and business. It is land of industrious and highly advanced people with tremendous knowledge and acumen.
People were highly enterprising reaping high dividends in whatever they do. And, then the invaders came.
They brought with them diplomacy, divisive politics, ruthlessness and greed. Time and again these invaders including the Britishers ravaged our prosperous land and people, bringing us to rags from riches.
Centuries of oppression, slavery gutted India and when the Britishers finally left India in 1947, we were not the same as our glorious ancestors were. Now, India was left with uncertainty and in the hands of some few politicians who were enjoying the seeds of British and Western policies that subdued the Indians. Over the past 70+ years since independence we the Indians are still suffering as there is lack of unity, strength and unified intention of growth and prosperity.
Due to divisive politics, introduction of freebie culture to a majorly illiterate people, we are still waiting for the Government or the politicians to thrive. Where is that knowledge, that enterprising and industrious ability? After all, it is in our blood flowing down from ancestors? Well greed, hypocrisy, nepotism, individual benefits have taken precedence over the combined growth of the nation. Brain drain can also be blamed for our backwardness. A simple example is, the NASA has more Indian scientists then others. But time is always changing.
One can remember the words of Swami Vivekananda 125 years back in University of Michigan to some journalists that, “This is your Century now, but 21st Century will be India’s Century”. He has predicted that a man making India will arise and awake putting down the notion of India as the country of snake charmers, superstitions and slaves.
stressed upon holistic education that can build national character in every human being. And, the irony is finally after so many years of post-independent slavery, we have chanced upon to focus on this man making India.During 1965, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay coined the idea of “Integral Humanism" that focussed on Sarvodaya (progress of all), Swadeshi (domestic), and Gram Swaraj (village self-rule).
These principles were chosen selectively to give more importance to cultural-national values. These values were based on an individual's undisputed subservience to nation as a corporate entity.
In a stark contrast to the Nehruvian model of economic development focussing rapid industrialisation and consumerism thereby creating social disparities and imbalanced growth, Integral Humanism is based on maintaining balance between Indian and Western views while keeping the country’s society and cultural heritage intact.On May 12, 2020, after so many years, one person at the helm of affairs of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the ambitious policy of “Aatma Nirbhar Bharat”.
It means “Self-Reliant or Self-Sufficient India”. The idea is to make India a bigger and more important part of the global economy, a country whose policies are efficient, competitive and resilient, being self-sustaining and self-generating. It will not mean cutting off from the rest of the world rather than welcoming in terms of investment and technology. Coming out during the Covid-19 pandemic time, the PM urged to bring forth the local talent creating global impact. He urged the citizens to be self-reliant and be vocal for local. He has identified five pillars on which this policy can stand namely Economic, Infrastructure, Technology, Demography and Demand.
While the world including India is reeling under COVID-19, this ambitious scheme can be conceived as a two-stage process:
1. Immediate cash transfer and liquidity infusion to industries will boost the morale of the entrepreneurs facing losses due to pandemic
2. Long term policy changes in various growth specific sectors like agriculture, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), power, coal and mining, defence and aviation, etc.
A courageous package of Rs 20 lakh crores in all these sectors to revive the industries, motivate the enterprising individuals will act as stimulus and become transformative and productive. Reforms in the agricultural and allied sectors will fetch One Nation One Market objective, thereby, making India the food factory for the world. That means another of its kind food revolution.
Majority of Indian enterprises or entrepreneurs are seen in the MSME sectors contributing to a large chunk of the economy. A package of Rs 3,00,000 crore collateral free loan facility will definitely kickstart the dwindled economy.
These are just one of many packages planned for different sectors and the overall stimulus will keep the economy on a revival stage after the pandemic hit globally. In a broader measure the New Education Policy 2020 will focus on the holistic approach of Man Making or in simple terms make more enterprising and knowledgeful human beings contributing to the society for the overall growth.
On October 12 and November 12, 2020, the Union Government announced two more economic stimulus package, bringing the total economic stimulus to Rs 29.87 lakh crore (US$420 billion) i.e., 15% of national GDP (up to 31 October 2020). Considering the Finance Ministry reports, India is showing signs of recovery after the step wise and series of stimulus under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat scheme.
(The writer is a Management Consultant, Bhubaneswar, Cell: +91-7008470905, Email: prabin.padhy@gmail.com)