MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2021 DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU Excelsiordaily Keep Walking on the Path of Development Established 1965 Founder Editor S.D. Rohmetra Fight COVID Together in the Spirit of Solidarity Holistic development in the country, medical infrastructure and I can gy, the vibrant human capital is our biggest asset of area-specific developmental needs of the dis- assure you, the administration is committed to that will contribute immensely in almost every sec- tricts to formulate realistic district developmental he second wave of Corona virus is current- tackle the impact of COVID-19. tor in the Post-Covid era. plans that touches lives of ordinary citizens. We of all districts ly changing our life and economy dramat- Since last one year, we have evolved our way There will be restructuring and challenges in are also making efforts for on-boarding maximum ith an avowed aim of evenly developing all Tically. Our entire medical staff-corona war- of life, reshaped the interconnected world and have trade, governance, health, labour, technology and services on web based platform for easy access and districts of Jammu and Kashmir with focus riors, frontline workers, youth, people associated devised new mechanism for sustainable and inclu- we will only be able to successfully shoulder these, minimizing human intervention to weed out cor- with essential and emergency services, volunteers, on all factors that count in importance, the sive economic development. Just days before the if we act together now. ruption and enhance transparency. The develop- W urban local bodies, Panchayati Raj Institutions decision of the UT Government in evolving a multi second wave of Covid-19, the International Mon- I urge every citizen to exploit the opportunities ment plans to focus on the broad contours of have a huge responsibility in the fight against etary Fund had raised country's GDP growth pro- the Covid crisis offers to build a more resilient soci- enhancing employment, augmenting health sector pronged strategy to achieve the desired results shall Covid-19 pandemic. jection for the current fiscal to 12.5 per cent. ety and sustainable economy. While the Covid Pan- besides ensuring availability of basic amenities of be received by all as a very important step taken in It has been decided that COVID-19 vaccina- This is the highest growth projection among the demic continues, we need to focus on boosting pro- a progressive society. the desired right direction. Staggering of resolution of tion for people in the age group 18-45 years will top and advanced economies across the world. ductivity, investments and ensure recovery speed There is a fundamental truth in life. For a tree those issues which cannot be addressed during a sin- be cost-free in the Union Territory. It is my hum- Under the visionary leadership of Honorable Prime is not hampered. On the policy front, there will be to grow, the root must go deeper. That is why cer- ble request to all of you to get yourself vaccinated Shri Minister , who guided the long-term economic challenges but I believe with tain balance in governance is needed and the roots, gle year could now be taken up for complete address- and educate others too. With active participation ing in a period ranging from 2 to 3 or even in certain country through difficult times, we fought last people participation, we can increase growth out- our villages have to grow if the Union Territory of youth, we will certainly win the fight against looks and reduce unemployment wants to flourish. That is why, at our planning cases up to 5 years . A sort of an administrative auton- Covid-19. further. stage, we have made sure to make them our inte- omy granted to each district in matters of having sep- Compassion strengthens a society. There is a In the midst of this crisis, we gral stakeholder. arate Employment, Housing, Tourism, Industrial, small anecdote. After God created the world, he must not abandon the strategy The bottom up planning process involving realized there was no house he had built for him- that combines new innovation, Gram Sabha, Panchayats, Block and districts will Health, Sports and Road Connectivity Plans for the self. So, he asked his architect, where should he go first time was going to yield quite encouraging results research and development, serv- identify and address the key issues being faced by and live. ices and investment in transfor- the common man. Each district will also come up besides the activities related thereto being district cen- The architect thought for a while and said, God, mational products for long term with a district employment plan. We are ensuring tric. In this context, the role expected to be played you can go live on the highest mountain peaks. success. that wage earners can be provided wage employ- by democratically newly elected District Development But, God being God could see what happens in Despite, the challenges, we ment under MNREGA and job card holders to be future. He said, one day trekkers would come there have focused on speed and peo- provided with minimum 100 days of employment. Councils which constitutionally will be acting as the followed by thousand others. Then architect sug- ples participation in formulat- Similarly, youth seeking self employment in District Planning Committees, is phenomenal. gested that God should go and live on the moon. ing our policy framework for any Panchayat will also be identified and the nec- The role of the schemes related to functions trans- Again, God said that will not be peaceful and after this financial year. When we essary financial assistance will be provided from Apollo 11 the whole earth would be looking at the ferred as per 73rd and 74th Amendments in the entire decided to release the first number of schemes. The aim is to ensure that every moon with big Tele- lenses. 'Each and every inch gamut of District Development Plans was going to installment of the budget on single youth in the Union Territory looking for of moon will scanned, so what about my privacy, occupy the centre stage in that being part of each and 1st April that was the first step employment beyond the government job is provid- God said with sad tone in his voice ed with an opportunity to become entrepreneur. every district plan. In other words, the actual functions Now, the architect went into deep thoughts. towards accelerating develop- ment process and making Time and again it becomes apparent to me of the DDCs were going to be vividly manifest as God asked him again, so what do you suggest? “Time and again it becomes apparent to me and I am sharing this from my own experience The Architect now turned to the God and told Jammu Kashmir more com- every district of Jammu and Kashmir had to formulate that any challenges can be addressed together, him that the best place to hide would be inside his and I am sharing this from my own experience petitive. a district development plan after identifying key issues with people's participation. My idea of gover- creation- the people. That answer made even God The first sign of growth can nance is that every single individual in Jammu in relations to the resources available as also the func- to think for a while. that any challenges can be addressed together, already be seen in infrastructure Kashmir Union Territory counts. tions related to which issues concerned the common Architect said with reassuring voice, God, if like roads and creation of more with people's participation. My idea of All of us must make a common effort to pre- people the most. The need had always been felt that you start living inside the human body that would jobs through self employment. And, our performance serve vibrant culture of Jammu Kashmir and its instead of ad-hoc measures or short term overall gains be the most peaceful place for you because no one governance is that every single individual in would look inside and bother you. And, then God Jammu Kashmir Union Territory counts.” demonstrates that we responded enormous potential for a new, strong Aatm Nirb- expected from such plans, holistic approach with laughed and disappeared inside the human body. to ongoing Covid challenges har Bharat. Job-oriented-education, focus on agri- stress on needs and priorities of individual district God lives inside us. I urge every citizen of with resolute steps. We are mak- culture- horticulture, food processing plants, year's pandemic crisis together as a close-knit com- ing most of the opportunities in education and skill research, and innovation, I believe, are vital tools had to be adopted. To address this inherent lacunae Jammu Kashmir, in these difficult times, stop munity. training by exploring various online modes, work- for sustainable growth, secure jobs, and prosperi- in formulation of such plans so far, multi pronged strat- seeing the person and start seeing the God hid- Now, with the second wave hampering our dai- den inside. Be more kind and compassionate to ing on growth and prosperity, good governance and ty. egy has now been chalked out receiving the approval ly lives, the responsibility of each individual would Stay Safe, be compassionate and educate oth- each other and moreover be available to help be much bigger. I can speak from my experience grass root development with the help of elected of the Lieutenant Governor. each other to deal with this unprecedented Panchayat representatives and the people. ers to follow the Covid appropriate behavior. I that a single unit acting alone cannot make much salute all the health-care workers and the people With this approach which could be termed as real- health crisis. The administration is alert and headway in a demanding situation and we must We have corrected imbalances in different sec- in the frontline fighting COVID-19. We owe a debt istic, no district would now complain of neglect or working round the clock to ensure best health- forge partnership with others like academia, pri- tors and consolidated our growth. The Industries of gratitude to our Corona Warriors. Together we some other district preferred over the other, in matters care facilities. I am continuously reviewing hos- vate sector, self help groups, public sector and the department is gearing up to step up business com- can develop a strong Jammu Kashmir and get our- of need based development. Uniformity, parity and pital's preparedness, strengthening core capac- various arms of the administration for a common petitiveness and Mission Youth is already working ities and ensuring uninterrupted supply of med- on several plans to provide sustainable livelihood selves out of this pandemic crisis. district centric approach coupled with democratic path of development. icines and oxygen. There is no need to panic. We Our Union Territory has more than 69% popu- for youth. (The Writer is Lt. Governor of Jammu & Kashmir ) decentralization of funds and functionaries would form have one of the best doctors to population ratio lation below the age of 35 years. This young ener- The officers will make on-ground assessment [email protected] the basis of the multi pronged strategy. Panchayats have various issues individually as also between Kr Swarn Kishore Singh announced that since it is part of their agenda that statehood should be restored to Jammu & other Panchayats which are now poised to be our men met at Tirupati Temple to discuss Kashmir therefore they will be a part of People's addressed adequately as District Development Plans the next big move in Indian politics in Existential crisis in Congress Alliance for Gupkar Declaration and will contest will comprise plans at Block levels and planning at FOctober 1963. Who were these four men, DDC elections in alliance. Then BJP leaders con- Minister. But Indira was much more brutal and attached to an engine belonging to the Nehru- why did they meet in a temple and what made ducted some press conferences in Block levels is going to address the issues of them think beyond and disturb the inertia. ambitious than the syndicate would have ever family or were there other alternatives?" imagined. She did not even vacate the bungalow Then came the popular fiasco of locking up of attacking Congress for siting in alliance with Panchayats. However, it must be ensured that maxi- Actually they were four top Congress leaders of Kashmir based political parties and as a reaction mum use of available resources must be made espe- their times namely K. Kamaraj, former Chief of PM Nehru, Teen Murti House, a symbol of Sita Ram Kesari in bathroom of Congress head- authority, to allow the incumbent PM to move in. quarters and roughing up of Kesari and some of to that Congress backed off. It is because of the cially during these days of strained economy on Minister of Madras and the then President of same aggressive poll management of BJP that , S. Nijalingappa, the The syndicate who initially considered In-dira a his supporters. Subsequently an immediate account of the long shadows cast by the effects of preposterous girl and called her Goongi Gudia amendment was made in the Constitution of parties like Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi then Chief Minister of Mysore and future Party forged an alliance, so did National COVID Pandemic on mobilising of necessary President of Indian National Congress, Neelam got to know about her ambi-tions when as Prime Congress party which ensured immediate decla- Minister, she refused to accept Neelam Sanjiva ration of Sonia Gandhi as Congress President Conference and Peoples Democratic Party, even resources. The acid test of the efficiency of planning Sanjiva Reddy, the then Chief Minister of Andhra RJD, JD(U) and Congress allied, now Shiv Sena shall lay in how under the available resources, maxi- Pradesh and future President of and Atulya Reddy as the candidate of Congress for the elec- (within 62 days of joining as a primary member tions for the post of , she even of Congress party). and Congress are on the same page. mum social benefits reached the targeted groups and Ghosh, the then President of Bengal Congress And when the chips are down for Congress Committee. These four men had met in Tirupati ensured he loses and he did. She wasn't only good These all debacles happened when Congress areas which calls for efficiently managed resources at keeping reins on the syndi-cate but kept work- was directly or indirectly sitting on power. And and when every move of Congress reflects trepi- as it was a place where these four southern lead- dation and fear, some leaders of the party asking utilization. It is quite encouraging to promote District ers would have had met without anyone getting a ing on her image as the only leader of masses in now after 2014, almost everyone who has some India. The cult she became when she was finally basic understanding of Indian politics would for some change is very much ostensible. Employment Plans and to link it with the performance cue of any such planning. Such a meeting was Although the Gandhi family and their darbaris are very ostensible that too when Delhi was ubi- ousted from Congress party by the syndicate. She surely agree that BJP has emerged as the new indicator of the District Authorities so far as providing formed her own Congress and even won the elec- pole around which the Indian political spectrum reluctant to yield to such demands and this whole minimum 100 days of employment to job card holders quitous with the speculations about the most exercise of G-23 is nothing but an otiose. But if IFFY question of Indian politics after independ- tions. In this way syndicate and Kamaraj, both will revolve for some time, to say the least. The is concerned. Likewise, District Health Plans, District vanished from the spectrum of Indian politics. revolts within Congress and the perpetual failures they will change nothing, nothing will change. ence i.e. after Nehru, who ? It was the time when Few days ago, a meeting of some leaders of Sports Plans, District Connectivity Plans and the like Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru wasn't keep- After the assassination of and of to prove himself as leader of the subsequent sympathy wave in the favour of masses has rendered Congress more fragile than Congress again met at Jammu to show their are supposed to get focussed attention. More aware- ing well with his health and wasn't much active strength. This time the syndicate has become G- within the party. These four men were important Gandhi family, her son became it ever was. ness about these steps need to be made for informa- by almost sweeping the Because of aggressive campaign of BJP 23; barring a couple among these 23 leaders, rest tion of the public and how Government laid stress on in the party but they were not consi-dered big have almost no mass appeal and minimal control players individually hence they formed a group elections. Congress bagged the highest number of wherein Congress is being advertised as a private important issues concerning the districts. Self employ- seats ever won by a party since independence till limited company of Nehru-Gandhi family and the over organisational structure of Congress. Their called syndicate. attempt might be honest but for a bigger good, ment schemes must be those ones which are not The change of guard in Congress much like date. Lal Krishna Advani had popularly said track record of their alliances be it professional or about these elections in this biography that personal; be it Quattrocchi or this party has to vanish from the political spec- stereo type which ultimately succumb to market pres- late Mughals has never been a sober and smooth trum of India making way for some other politi- affair; be it from Nehru to Indira, Indira to Rajiv "General elections of 1984 were not makes them unreliable with power. The leader- sures. elections but Shok Sabha elections." ship of Congress is desperate, clueless and has cal alternative to strengthen the democratic set or Sita Ram Kesari and PV Narsimha Rao to up. For now the only way they can do any good Since employment and tourism like priorities are Sonia Gandhi. Rajiv Gandhi died and PV Narsimha Rao, the run out of ideas. This party has become reac- being under the new strategy looked into by individual first Non-Gandhi-Nehru family member became tionary in operation and brain faded in ideology. for the country can be summed up in a Urdu cou- It was Kamaraj only who gradually estab- plet of Sahir Ludhianvi; districts, maximum human resources must be roped in lished Indira as the next big thing after Nehru. the first Prime Minister of India from Congress. There is no innovation, the only thing they do as Some Congress leaders who had approached him an opposition party is to condemn the party in "Vo afsana jise anjaam tak laana na ho to create district ''specialities''. In other words, a partic- Kamaraj ensured that an easy going Lal Bahadur mumkin, Shastri becomes the Prime Minister of India with a proposal to make Sonia Gandhi were badly Government. In short they are playing the game, ular district could become a hub of an exclusive eco- scolded and while asking them to think beyond BJP is making them play. There is nothing use ik khubsoorat mod de kar chhodna instead of ambitious Morarji Desai, the senior achha". nomic and commercial activity, like tourism centric, most Congress Minister in Nehru cabinet. Gandhis he had angrily said that "whether it was Congress does for which BJP isn't ready; in fact it (The author is an advocate and a political and legal analyst) handicrafts and local arts exporting capabilities since Kamaraj also made sure that Indira finds herself essential that the Congress Party should be treat- is BJP which still dictates what Congress has to [email protected] each district is bestowed with peculiar fields to spe- in cabinet of as Foreign ed like a train where the compartments have to be do. Let me give you an example; Congress had cialise in, hence more of development ensured there- from. Multi -pronged strategies should not only look fair in drafting and chalking out but on ground, the Survival of MSMEs in the Digital Age same should be found working too and yielding results. Bharat Jhunjhunwala of skill translates into higher cost. For survival and the jobs that they create. have also dried up. Heavy import duties have been example, a MSME businessperson A Guidebook for Supporting the The second step especially in the imposed on certain raw materials while n October 2020 study by would not be able to assess the compe- Internationalization of MSMEs made present scenario of Covid is that the low import duties have been imposed McKinsey Consultants in the tence of a sales outlet in same depth as by the European Commission has sug- Government must consider providing on certain finished goods. Thus, Anil Regularisation and European Union has found that A the marketing manager of the large gested that the task of training, direct financial support to MSMEs. A Bharadwaj, secretary general of the one-half medium, small and micro business. He may not be able to access research, provision of information and study by the National Institute of Federation of Indian Micro, Small and industries (MSMEs) believe that they promotion of teachers the credit reports of the sales outlet. In making their clusters could be done Public Finance and Policy dated April Medium Enterprises has said India’s will not be able to survive more than course of time this lack of skill will better through the MSME associations. 2020 has noted that MSMEs in Brazil increased import duties on raw materi- ot only clearing a backlog of decades, not only 12 months. The condition in our coun- translate into losses for the MSME. als have made the MSMEs highly try is likely to be much worse because The associations are in deep contact were being provided part salaries of conceding to a long pending demand, not only The third reason is that MSME face with their members and they can give their employees as subsidy. Canada uncompetitive. ''equipping'' various schools with respective our MSMEs have faced the problems a higher cost of compliance with regu- A 2018 report by the International N of demonetization and GST earlier. the kind of training and research need- and New Zealand were providing Heads but also providing a psychological relief to lations. A number of studies indicate ed by their members. The same training salary support to their MSMEs for Trade Centre titled “Business Systems The simple fact is that the cost of that the cost of compliance of GST has for the Digital Age” has said that in many who in the process of long wait attained super- production of MSMEs is more in com- module or research programme made three months. It was advocated that been more for MSMEs across the by academic institutions or government Indian MSMEs may be provided 2017, the market capital valuation of annuation, as many as 1227 personnel working in parison to large industries and they world. Large businesses have in-house the top ten internet platform companies cannot survive unless given special officials may be off the mark. Similarly, income support for some time if they Education Department for long time having been pro- chartered accountants who can manage the associations have a better under- can show that there has been an actual reached more than US Dollars 3.3 tril- protection. First reason is that the cost such regulations with ease. lion. This is significantly higher than moted but not "regularised" (the term used for confirm- of information is more for them. Let us standing of what goods have a sale decline in their incomes. Our ing) and those eligible for promotion but not promoted The fourth reason of digital tech- potential in which country and they Government, on the other hand, has India’s GDP of USD 2.6 trillion in that say a business person of Kanpur has to nologies such as Artificial Intelligence, year. These platforms can push the get information about the market for make efforts to obtain that particular been focusing on providing access to and vice -versa , the concerned personnel in the robots, 3-D printing, internet of things goods of particular producers who may leather goods in Mumbai. The cost of information and provide to their mem- credit to MSMEs which is good. Education Department have finally been given their and internet-based platforms like give them higher margins. Ola and travel by a large businessperson would bers. The associations have a better However, the utility of a loan arises due. Amazon and Flipkart. The cost of pro- Uber drivers have told me that their be, say, double of the MSME busi- grasp of the potential of making clus- when there is demand in the market. duction of large businesses is reducing companies give more bookings to the We congratulate the beneficiaries , the Principals nessperson. However, the large busi- ters as well. For example, the associa- The MSMEs will use the loans for con- by the day due to the use of these tech- taxis own by themselves to the disad- and the Sr. lecturers not as much for the promotion nessperson would sell ten times the tion of weavers of Varanasi would have sumption and sink into the quicksand vantage of single-taxi owners who goods sold by the MSME businessper- nologies. They are producing large a better understanding as to whether the of debt in absence of demand from the and ''regularisation'' in as for their long ordeal ranging quantities with lesser number of work- have attached themselves to these plat- over more than two decades, having come to an end son. Accordingly, the cost of informa- cluster of weavers should be made market. Therefore, the Government forms. Therefore, the Government tion would be five times for the small ers by using robots. Further, they are around a sales website, testing facility should consider giving subsidies on which was there on account of a worst red-tape and able to persuade the large platforms to must consider breaking the large plat- businessperson. or designing. The policy of the India wages and income support to the forms into smaller companies so that push their goods. For example, Amazon the malaise of reluctance in taking timely decisions this The second reason is that a small Government appears to be moving in MSMEs. competition between them can prevent or Flipkart can push the sales of a par- way or that way. In this connection, Secretary School businessperson has to manage produc- the opposite direction, however. The MSMEs often buy purchase the dominance of a particular platform. ticular chocolate manufacturer of tion, marketing, finance and accounts Board for MSMEs had large numbers imported raw materials like plastic and The Competition Commission of India Education Department is reported to have taken an ini- Switzerland. MSMEs do not have the tiative which resulted in the resolution of an issue himself. Large businesses have spe- of representatives of associations in the sell the finished goods such as dolls has adequate powers in this direction. cialized managers for each of these clout to persuade the large platforms to past. The Government has reduced their made by them. They can do this only if The Government must direct the which had been in the tossing for years together. This functions. The MSME businessperson push their goods. It is necessary to representation and instead appointed they get cheap plastic and protection Commission in this direction. strengthen the MSMEs against big all has paved the way for schools to be with their does not have the level of skill in any MLAs and the like who have no grasp from cheap imported dolls. However, (The author is formerly Professor of Economics businesses in view of these inherent Heads - Principals and other ranks, as also expecta- of these functions as available with the of the problems of MSMEs. The funds the policy of the Government has been at IIM Bengaluru) disadvantages if we have to ensure their tions for better and dedicated performance by all the large businessperson. The lower level provided to the MSME associations exactly in the opposite direction. [email protected] promotees and regularised. (The views expressed by the authors are their personal)