The Modi Government has a grand vision to transform the nation in the coming years. It needs sound implementation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for India is of rapid transformation and not of gradual evolution. Modi has repeatedly mentioned this in his public speeches, during the inauguration of Niti Aayog’s annual lecture series, in his Independence Day speech, in his Mann ki Baat radio programme, and in his review of the vision document Niti Aayog presented. What does he really mean by the term, ‘rapid transformation’IJ
By rapid transformation, the Prime Minister indicates it isn’t ‘business as usual’. Nor does he mean more of the same at a higher pace. In matters of growth and development, he wants to break free from the past. He is seeking new ways of doing things and exploring fresh avenues for development that will result in not just higher growth but accelerated growth. India may be the fastest growing major economy in the world. But that’s not enough. Modi would like to see India perform at its potential, which calls for an accelerated growth.
But how does the Prime Minister plans to achieve itIJ Development is all about pace and direction. Pace of development is at the heart of Modi’s vision. This is so very evident from the ambitious development targets he has set, across the spectrum, for his Team India: Doubling the income of farmers by 2022, electrifying all 18,500 un-electrified villages by May 2018, building 20 million houses for the urban poor by 2022 under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, providing 50 million new lPG connections to the poor free of cost over the next three years under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, getting highways constructed at the rate of 30km/day — and many more.
Prime Minister Modi recognises that development is a function of the country’s internal conditions as well as external factors. Given the potential size of India’s internal market, the nation is capable of performing well if the internal potential is harnessed, which can happen with all-round development. External factors have to do not only with the flow of goods and services but also of capital, labour and technology. Modi is moving speedily on both these fronts.
On the internal front, he is upping the game by (a) harnessing the potential of technology (b) bringing all round development, and (c) exploring newer avenues of development.
Harnessing the potential of technology: The Modi Government has big plans under the Digital India Mission, of connecting every Indian digitally, improving governance and service delivery using digital technology and empowering citizens through digital literacy. Similarly, for nurturing innovations and start-ups in the country, it has come up with the ‘Start Up India Stand Up India’ programme, and more.
Bringing all round development: The Government recognises that, for generating economic momentum having a multiplier effect, it is necessary to bring about all-round development, for which Team India is firing on all cylinders: Agriculture, energy, infrastructure, textiles, aviation, electronics, defence and so forth. Further, to reap synergies across Government programmes/initiatives, it is important to respect inter- linkages within and across sectors. For agriculture promotion, for example, the Modi Government has taken several initiatives such as providing soil health cards to farmers, promoting micro-irrigation, solar pumps and use of new seed varieties, augmenting supply of fertilisers, offering crop insurance, creating additional warehousing capacity for grains storage, improving public system of procurement of agricultural produce etc. All-round development will also ensure that its fruits are distributed widely among the population.
Exploring newer avenues of development: The Modi Government has been promoting areas like handicraft (including khadi), domestic tourism, inland waterways, India’s coastal economy, and other areas that have either been neglected in the past or have not been pursued vigorously despite the promise of a huge upside.
Indian Railways is a good embodiment of Modi’s notion of rapid transformation. While the modernisation of railways is an important incremental play, he is also the driving force behind the idea of India going for high-speed trains, which is a transformative solution. Similarly, the Modi Government’s target of generating 100 GW power from solar, is a transformative play.
The Prime Minister does have a vision for India. But translating this vision into reality is where the challenge lies.
(The writer is a development economist)