Common man's manifesto.
After 40 years of central planning and 23 years years of liberalisation of our economy, almost one-third of our people ( about 400 million) are poor – people below the poverty line. We have banished famine but have not tackled hunger. We have mountains of foodgrains substantial portion of which rot in the open in rain and eaten by rodents. Many millions are illiterate, unemployed and under-employed. This is so because our political parties have lost touch with the people. Now is the time to remind them what they should do for people in the next five years.
Mahatma Gandhi had given a mantra to politicians to provide good governance to Indian people. He said that the politicians should recall the face of the poorest man that they have seen or met, and ask themselves whether their policies will help him take charge of his destiny. Our politicians have failed to follow this mantra, and failed our people.
Here are some thoughts how the state can give opportunities to our people to live a life of dignity and prosperity.
Village-centric development : Our development has been city-centric, and that is why people from villages flock to cities to eak a meagre living in slums. Let us make our villages livable. Two people in Maharashtra have shown the way – Anna Hazare in Ralegan Siddhi and Popatrao Pawar in Hirve Bazar. They have created a miracle of prosperity just by harnessing the water in water-shadow areas of Maharashtra. Gram Swaraj was Mahatma Gandhi's dream, and these two people have made Mahatma's dream come true. Sometime ago our former President Dr.Abdul Kalam had prepared a scheme, PURA ( Providing Urban facilities in Rural Areas) which has the potential to change the face of our villages. With physical connectivity (roads), knowledge connectivity ( education) and commercial connectivity (trade), village could be as dynamic as city life.
Dignity of labour : It is time that we give respect and dignity to physical labour. A sanitary worker, a sweeper, a factory worker or an agricultural labourer does more to our country than a dishonest politician or a trader. A sanitary worker is no less important than a doctor. Good sanitary environment keeps us away from diseases. He should be given all the facilities to keep him and his family in good health and cheer. Mahatma Gandhi used to insist on the inmates of his ashram to clean toilets and sweep the floor to demonstrate the dignity of labour. Clean villages, towns and cities would enhance the health of the citizens. Every house should have a clean toilet. India has now more mobile phones than toilets. Supply of potable water would reduce most of the diseases of the poor.
Involve people in administration : The central and state governments have a number welfare measures for the poor which many times do not reach them. Every village, taluka, district and state offices should have a website or at least a board indicating available schemes, their eligibility criteria and how to get them. At every administrative level there should be a small committee consisting of NGOs, corporates, local representatives to supervise the implementation of these schemes. It should be a government of the people, for the people and by the people.
The 2014 general election is an opportunity for concerned citizens and concerned NGOs to educate our masters and prevail upon them to include in their manifestos policies which give opportunities to people live with dignity, not live on charity and doles from the politicians and the state.
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