For easy reading -
Can
we take a U-turn now, that is, from cities to villages? Of course, I call upon
the classes, not the masses. If classes can do it, then masses will follow. So
far migration to cities has been seen inevitable. But not any more. We can turn the whole scenario if we wish take
a new initiative.
The
current process is that people go to towns in search of jobs. In fact in the
recent past, we have seen urban migration in an unprecedented manner. Even now
people who have studied professional courses like engineering, medical etc.
find it necessary to go to metropolis to get good jobs. Many people have got
jobs in multinational companies and have achieved higher positions in them,
have got the opportunities to visit foreign countries and interact with people
of other countries who are working in the same/similar domains and have gained
lot of experience. All these things are surely the indicators of development.
But very few of them have discovered their real potential to work from villages
for the same firms or to establish a new firm of their own. Even those who have
ventured to establish their companies they have done it in cities.
The fact of the matter is that the
development of infrastructure is quite less in the rural areas. When there are
no infrastructure facilities how can that area grow? But now the situation is
changing. We often see the government investing a lot for the rural
development. The main concerns of the government have been providing drinking
water, sanitation, education, health facilities, supply of electricity,
transportation facilities, employment etc. In fact many programs of the
government have given positive results. A recent news that ‘rural India has outpaced urban spending!’
(The Indian Express, 30 August 2012) is a proof for it.
The
paradox is that most of the Indian cities are ill equipped with insufficient
infrastructure to receive immigrants from villages whether educated or
uneducated. A good news is that our Union Finance Minster has allocated highest
share of the budget to the infrastructure development. But the million dollar question is who will
grab the lion’s share out this fund? Who will get priority whether cities or villages?
No doubt, there is an urgent necessity of developing infrastructure in the
cities. But pessimistically speaking it is an unending process because, if
infrastructures in cities are developed, then automatically more people will
migrate towards cities as they will get better facilities and opportunities.
The already congested cities will have to bear more human burden. Again the
dearth of infrastructure continues, funds will flow to cities keeping the rural
sector waiting.
What is wrong in urban migration? Don’t
the people have the right to live wherever they wish? But the basic question
is, are they happy living in cities with polluted air, no space for children to
play, chlorinated drinking water, small houses, no space to park their vehicle,
sometimes quarrelling with neighbours for parking space, expensive vegetables
and fruits covered with pesticides, congested roads and heavy traffic and so
on. Only a few lucky might be happy as they can roam in the malls, eat junk
foods, but many people get really frustrated with city dwelling! So discouraging
the migration to cities is an essential step.
My
interaction with educated youth, particularly engineers while travelling in
city buses revealed that they have no option other than living in cities. They
feel that their talent gets wasted if they stay back in their villages. Their
point of view is absolutely true. No talent must be wasted or remain unnoticed.
In fact, for India man power itself is the major source for its growth and
development. Being a developing nation, it is necessary for it to utilize the
potential of young talents to the maximum to become a leading power in this
world.
Can villages accommodate?
This is not just a wishful idea but
it is possible. Go back to rural areas and find a place to work there. Just
realise “once upon a time it was necessary to go to cities in search of jobs,
but not any more!” The idea is simple. If we count the number of engineers who
belong to rural region, on an average there might be around 100 to 150 per
village. If these engineers join together, come back to their villages and open
a company by investing their earnings, then capital formation will not be a big
challenge at all to them. With the contacts they have gained during their
service, they can get the projects. Or else, they may open extension offices of
the companies where they worked earlier.
This will ensure the job and talent well utilised. Today many villages
are already equipped with basic facilities required for software industry such
as electricity, broadband, telephone etc. If engineers take initiative to
settle in their own villages then, it becomes binding on the part of the
government to ensure the power supply and uninterrupted internet connection. Power
supply and telecommunication facilities can be provided even by private cooperation
too with the help of giants like TATA, Reliance, Bharati Airtel, Aircel, Idea
etc. who can contribute significantly to these initiatives. Then the small
units can run easily. That will be a real social transformation.
What are the benefits?
I am sure that this will lead India
towards faster growth. As said by the Finance Minister recently, to enhance the
growth rate of India which is at a dismal rate of 5.5%, domestic investment
must be encouraged. We can’t expect huge Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) at
this juncture because the world economy is not in a good shape. For India, IT
industry is one of the major contributors to the GDP. Moreover, unlike
manufacturing industry, software industry doesn’t need huge investments. The
establishment of small IT units in rural areas would enhance the projects of
Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) like Provision of Urban Amenities to Rural
Areas (PURA), a concept given by former President of India Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and framed by Prof. Emerson. Automatically
the infrastructure in rural areas would get much better. Transportation
facilities would be improved. Rural budget and spending would grow much higher.
Engineers shifted to villages may make
their life lively. They may also spend some time to roam around in their
agricultural fields, do some agricultural works and may develop some new
technologies to improve the agricultural practices. After all India can’t
sustain without agriculture. The active involvement of educated youth will make
it stronger. The stress upon implementation of technology in agriculture is
equally important to provide food for the growing population in actual numbers.
Scientific management of food crops is the need to ensure no wastage. Today people
are bound to spend huge amount of their earning on food which curtails their
spending on other goods. When spending is less, it would affect Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) negatively which would eventually result in lower growth.
Another
beneficial consequence of inflow of engineers to rural areas is the improvement
in education and healthcare facilities. The education has become extremely
expensive in cities. Parents have to
spend enormously for the education of their children in private schools. With
the craze for English education and prejudices against government schools,
people tend to send their children to private schools even though they are
unethically expensive. One of the reasons for these schools being expensive is
limited seats and huge number of applicants. A simple principle of economics
‘demand and supply’ is applied by school authorities. Many people book the
seats in schools soon after the child is born or sometimes even when it is in
the womb (this is not exaggeration!). This problem is mainly faced because
everyone wants to stay in cities to get improved amenities. If the engineers
participate in rural education automatically there will be improved facilities
in their native place itself. Then why would people migrate to cities where
children cannot learn playfully?
The other dissuading fact is that
rural areas are lacking good medical practitioners. It is true but why? Because,
a doctor earns less in rural areas as he gets very limited number of patients. In
order to ensure his livelihood and plenty of money, he would prefer to migrate
to cities where he will have a more practice and a better earning. By the very
presence of engineers, there will be greater concentration of engineers who
will need good health facilities creating sufficient demand for the health
services. Moreover, this problem can be addressed by creating health hubs of
nearby villages. A group of specialists can function there with well equipped
facilities.
Optimism
should be there at the root of any effort. Success comes to only those who dare
and act. That is why I appeal to the educated people to take initiative to
develop this country instead of cursing the State for everything. Practically this
would help us to see a much better India than what it is now. Instead of
feeling relative deprivation by looking at developed countries, let us rise to
the level of developed countries! Let us be strong to realise the often
mentioned phrase, “Strength respects strength” by our former President of India
Prof. President Abdul Kalam.
