‘India is growing through its governance and policies and Indian economic and social developments are shaping up on the global variables, we should not leave the cultural and social values in our development agenda’, was said by RSS Sah Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabole while delivering the inaugural address of the first National Economic Conclave organised by India Policy Foundation in Delhi last week.
He said that Agriculture, Consumption and Natural resources areas should not just be taken as economic equations but should be taken also in the social and national context which are integral parts of the ecosystem, so that we do not follow economic models of the developed nations blindly. Sh Dattatreya said that we are a nation in villages so developing and ensuring opportunities for farmers should first priority of the government.
Prof Rakesh Sinha, Director of IPF, said ‘India has survived on its internal strength of long past and it survived many social and economic wars due to non-compartmentalized approach. The neo-liberal approach is being revisited and capitalist model of economic development is being revisited, nations are working on reviewing their development models and objecting concentration of wealth over creation and equitable distribution of wealth. Presenting the theme of the conclave, Sh Gopal Krishna Agarwal, Conclave convener and BJP Economic Cell convener said that we need to come together and dialogue for a review, find more valuable inputs in direction and policies, and have a way forwarded with more holistic approach and model, and with engaging all stakeholders in equitable and just manner. He said ‘India has abundant natural resources, high degree of entrepreneurship and proud intellectual capital, we have to address a large population and we can come up with our own indigenous understanding engaging in all the stakeholders and create a positive dialogue’.
The first edition of National Economic Conclave in 2017 opened in an open space to understand how governments, in past, have performed on development is issues, how economic development addressed and how it is progressing. The conclave is
addressing the complexities of the
development with economic force being one of the main forces. The agenda included Agriculture, Natural Resources, Banking and Finance and Employment.
The session on Agriculture discussed issues of doubling of farmers’ income, managing food inflation, land reform-digitisation and leasing. Panel finds that we have sufficient agro-production but storage, quality, and market linkages are big issues which need higher degree of institutional and private participation. It’s not about managing food inflation but keeping food inflation in limits, and land reforms are must for participation of large population and reversing the city migration. It also concluded that food inflation is good for traders and not for farmers. Prof. Bharat Jhunjhunwala, former Professor of Economics at IIM Bangalore said that we are following the western models with complete faith and not addressing the real and Indian issues properly. We must appreciate that Indian societies can take care of the natural resources and not the governments only.
Speaking at the Conclave, Sh Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Railways, said that Development needs a review, and sustainable development cannot work without social aspects. He added, agriculture growth should be linked with forest, farm, and water.
Prof. KapilKapoor, Former Pro Vice Chancellor JNU, in his speech, said that focus of India should be
agriculture based Rural Economic Policy and only service based Industrial Policy. n
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