SEZ - A Dream of Developing People

What does a developing person need? In modern times, I have divided the basic needs of human being into four different parts. They help us to understand overall human needs. They also explain the areas where human have been badly affected because of dramatic changes in this century. These are as follows-

1. Basic needs of Life
• Housing Condition
• Living Circumstances
• Eating Habits
• Family Structure
• Longevity of Life
• Medical and Health Care
2. Career Needs
• Kind of Education
• Professional Options
• Breaking Language Barriers
3. Additional Needs
• Transportation facilities
• Mode of Communication
• Means of Entertainment
4. Social needs
• Irrelevance of National Boarders
• Social Compulsions
• Mode of Governance

These areas are based on the impact of various factors on basic human needs on its day to day activities. The affect of these areas are so important that in general people are ready to sacrifice any kind of requirement or improvements of life. The people feel happy to be wherever they are rather than face changes in these factors. There is no easy way to keep the people happy and prospering till these factors is directly addressed in day to day decisions of life. No amount of help will be able to make impact to human life, if these areas are not addressed properly. I feel that SEZ (Special Economic Zones) has the solution. SEZ being propagated and established by private and government agencies across the developing country will compel the people in general to understand their needs in above mentioned areas. SEZ will be able to change the whole thinking and lifestyle of the people in general. Today, India must celebrate the efforts of Ambani’s. He has initiated move in the right direction to take its conservative citizens towards development. When he spends Rs 40000 crore in special economic zone in Haryana and other Rs 35000 in Maharastra and Gujarat, he shows the way. The SEZ will create new industry, build new infrastructure, create new jobs, bring new technology and in general, increase economic dynamism which are needed to this thriving country. SEZ will establish the infrastructures like hospital, schools, colleges, shopping complexes, domestic areas, and various industries which will help Indians unlearn the developing way of life. These establishments will automatically take the conservative Indians in a different world. The normal people associated with these developments will automatically grow with the gradient they need. The SEZ will change the landscape of 25,000 acres in Haryana. This will consists of low polluting units 6,500 acres, commercial establishments 5,000 acres, infrastructure 5,000 acres, residential 3,750 acres, institutional/recreational area 1,250 acres, agro airport (subject to approval), 2000 MW power plant and nano and biotechnology hubs and scope for agro industry. It will not only change these areas but it will bring revolution in change for the places around this. The people of north India, who are used to have deprived life amidst their abundance, will be able to get the best of the world. The success of such few projects will pave the way for India towards development. Today, when conservative people, traditional leaderships, parties based on few individuals and old policies are weakening the country moral, it is important that correct emphasis and futuristic hope should be kept alive through systematic dynamism. In the due course of time, the initiation and successes of SEZ should change the overall appreciation of existing social problems. Indian intelligentsia lacks appreciation of these changes in a big way. Either they are involved too much with self defeating Indian values or dangerously inclined to latest technological developments. Both these situation keep the educated people away from ground reality. That is the reason when the country few visionaries moving in some direction, other powerful people because of their prevalent ignorance move in backward direction. There is an urgent need to establish the changes. There is an urgent need to change the way we take major policies decision for desired growth. The significant changes could be listed as follows.

1. As employment from agriculture sector is drastically reducing in next 5-7 years from 64% to 44%, the bulk of citizen should move from conventional location and profession to new opportunities in value-added services for innovation and knowledge intensive products. Policy makers are afraid to accept the fact of this data. The establishment of SEZ will reduce the fear.
2. The person working in an agricultural sector has been traditionally very conservative and rigid in their approach towards life; they need to be encouraged to change their profession for the betterment of themselves and the country. They should never be given consolation by powerful people like President, Prime Minister or significant leaders that their life style will improve amidst deprivation. SEZ will show the life without deprivation without too much of mental pressure.
3. The backward class, schedule castes and schedule tribes, who have been predominantly left behind in the last few decades from being the part of the economic growth or India Shining and Incredible India has to be educated and encouraged to move out off the frog well to harness the growth of civilization at minor disturbances and dislocation. They should be educated, motivated and encouraged to move to town, cities and SEZs to take up better and well-earned profession with dignified life. This is a sever diversion from the earlier concepts by the renowned thinkers of developing countries but this has to be adopted to avoid the future catastrophes. Instead of reservation, scheduled castes, backwards and scheduled tribes should be trained to be eligible to join this futuristic life.
4. I have written earlier that Indian Intelligentsia are still busy in finding the strategy in bringing down the scale of perpetuating rural migrations to big town and cities in search of job opportunities which I believe is in total contradiction to the need of a develop society. We need to learn first and educate the others about the significant statistical changes which are taking place since last few decades. The people must move out from village or smaller cities to the big cities and now to special economic zones created by Ambani and others. Government must improve building infrastructure to support these movements.
5. There is a tremendous scarcity of educated and semi-educated person in the service sectors like Call Centres, BPOs, Software sectors, R & Ds, Manufacturing plants, etc., the recruiter are moving to small towns and villages to appoint and train poor, dedicated, sincere and hard working people for the benefit of this sector, irrespective of caste, creed or region. Now, it will be sez turn to grab the desired qualified people for their benefits.
6. The area where exploitation have been severe and no priorities have been given for the growth of population, are more prone to attract the attention and demand of the new industries. People are to be encouraged to move to a planned colony like sez for better amenities and better work output for systematic growth.
7. In the years to come, investments of the tune of thousands of crore in creating sez and developing around 85,000 cares with the whopping investments of Rs 75,000 crores, a large population will move from the neglected areas like Northeast, Bengal, Orissa, Bihar, and Jammu & Kashmir for a better life. These movements will accrue many benefits for those neglected arrears. These will reduce the burden on the land. The people who move out will get a better life. The remaining and left over people will have more land to feed less stomachs. The remaining people, however, due to enhance economical changes will have to have a more sophisticated and systematic life. They will have to understand these changes and mould themselves accordingly. They will perforce have to unlearn all habits of so-called poor people.
8. The availability of basic amenities in SEZs will broaden the living standard of large sections of population. They will unlearn things faster to have a better and dignified life.

India has witnessed poverty in its entire history. People have remained deprived for generation. They have got used to these things so deeply that they find uncomfortable to accept the improved changes. The forced developed situation with changing times will force to people to learn something better. They will be able to appreciate the meaning of good life. They will come to know the good part of life. The emerging opportunities in terms of profits and availability will compel large sections of the population to unlearn deprived life. Then only, they will be able to understand and appreciate the goodness of life. A conservative society like India will take few more years to understand the correct implication of SEZ on the self defeating mentality of Indians. SEZ will simplify the unlearn process for the curious and desirous people. It will help to understand the educated people to understand the goodness of life. It will individual to come out from their deprived situations. It will help people to forget the age-old traditions, self defeating behaviour and conservative thinking. The emergence and success of SEZ will show the good picture of this growing country. The people from developed countries will move along with the top 500 companies to these areas. The presence of these developed people provides opportunities, competitions and good environment. They will bring better culture and style. They will bring change to the Indian outdated thinking and conservative environment. 

Individual Impacts on Society

Individuals Matter

It is correct that every vote counts in a democratic set up. It is proven that democratic system is the best form of governance. In democracy, every citizen feels the part of governance. There is a sense of participation. It is believed that the opinion of majority counts. The leaders are forced to take decisions based on the inclination of majority of people. The leaders are supposed to take decisions for the betterment of large sections of the population. Leaders are to show the path to communities to improve the lifestyle of people. But in reality, is it correct? Are leaders following the opinion of majority in partially educated communities? Are leaders not taking arbitrary decisions? Are decisions not based on individualistic appreciations rather than communities’ opinions? This was amply clarified in the recent strike conducted by the communists’ parties of India. This has happened in past with humanity. This is happening in present to human beings. Till the time, major policy decisions are taken for the betterment of humanity, it is good, and otherwise, it is a heinous crime. In next few paragraphs, I will explain these existing individualistic approaches of the leaders in Indian society. How they have negatively impacted as a deep rooted scar to human societies?

Seriousness of Individualistic Approaches

There is nothing wrong in this information age with individualistic approach. Any individual can have more knowledge than others. Any body can posses more wisdom than others. Ideas are not the slave of background, richness or status. Ideas can emerge to anybody, anytime and at anyplace. It just needs fertile mind and concerned knowledge. It needs a will to unlearn old ideas. But the problems comes when, ideas are generated with some selfish motives. Ideas are propagated with some preconceived calculated impacts. Ideas are generated to keep the majority in dark rather than spreading openness. Ideas are spread to continue developing status rather than making the people developed. The leaders belonging to the Communist parties of India are doing the same. They are calculating their gains in terms of vote to conduct strike. They are planning a strike on the issues where they feel majority of illiterate people will blindly follow them. During Industrial age, when they used to conduct strike, it was mainly to safeguard the interests of poor workers. But today’s’ information age has brought a difference. There is no need of similar strike to safeguard the interests of poor people. The time has changed. The policies have to change. The methods have to change. The leaders of old generation have to understand the complications to unlearn their old concerns, old methods, and self defeating ideas. They have to unlearn their self defeating ways to do politics.

The Communist parties gave a call for nationwide bandh on 13 Jun 2006. Strike had paralyzed Kerala but did not affect West Bengal at all. Delhi faced partial impact. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee dominated the roost. He is showing the color of our political leaders. He is showing the power of individualistic influences on our communities’ behaviours. When he gave a call not to go for strike, the whole of the Bengal understands the importance of work. There is a significant change of perceptions. Can one individual change the perception of entire community? Yes it can. But he needs to be the Chief Minister. How important this simple aspect is to be understood by all the intellectual body of the rising communities. It is important to understand the seriousness of these individualistic approaches. You can not anything with any idea till you have power to empower your thinking. If people at powerful position do not take wise decisions, whole of communities suffers. Can we say that few individual has been responsible to keep the whole of community backward or deprived?

Ground Realities

Case 1

If Buddha has realised the change of situation in 21st century, is it a surprise? How peculiar is the situation? One person of the party feels that FDI is important to alleviate the poverty from this poor country. FDI is required to build infrastructures to empower educated and uneducated people of this country. One individual feels but the party feels otherwise. Party is busy in harnessing vote. Party is busy in doing unnecessary strike. Part is busy in calling bandh. Party is busy in striking against airport privatisation or any other privatisation initiated by the government. There is an urgent need for all the people to understand the game plan of our leaders. It is important for all of us to realise that how these individualistic approaches have kept this country poor for so long. The ideas of the leader at helm have ensured that country does not move in a right direction at right speed. The revolutionary steps by Buddha have shown that it is not the wish of the majority of people to go for strike. It is the wish of few of the less knowledgeable leaders. The strike prone West Bengal can continue working on bandh day. Is it a big surprise? Is individual setting directions for majority?

Case II

The similar situations are occurring in the case of reservation. Just few disgruntled leaders have felt that reservation is serving their political interests. They are not bothered for any further repercussions in the society. They are not bothered for communities’ developments. They are not bothered for backwards or deprived people. They do not feel ashamed in dividing the communities for their gains. Is there any surprise that caste discrimination exists in this society even after approximately sixty years of the departure of British from this land? Caste discrimination is like a cancer in educated society. They have been kept alive intentionally by the few well known leaders including Nehru and Gandhi. They are being kept alive today by their followers. They have kept it alive for their secured status. They have ensured that normal people will never come to know their ill thoughts. They have power to communicate. They have power to spread wrong and selfish messages in a positive frame. They have done these intelligently. How to understand the motives of such disgruntled and selfish leaders? It is a complex situation. Intelligentsia has failed to find the solution. Leaders are taking the poor and deprived for a ride. Few leaders are doing even in this information age such politics of discriminations which are shameful. It is barbaric when government stops the payment of striking doctors of AIIMS. How to judge right or wrong? Who knows truth? Why the leaders are spreading wrong messages to conscious citizens? But these will not go too far. Such shortsighted leaders will have to pay heavy price in 21st century.

How to Face the Challenges?

There is serious challenge to all educated people to understand this situation. It is important for all of us to analyze any major steps taken by parties or leaders. We have to be conscious to stop the exploitation. Today when country is rising, it is not the task for poor to become rich; it is an urgent need for even rich to ensure that other poor people become rich so that rich can become richer. No rich can become richer in this rising country unless economic condition of poor improves. These basic requirements to generate richness are not simply understood by political leaders because they are not loosing anything. They are able to maintain their status amidst poor. They are able to win election among poor people. They are able to get vote when the poverty prevails. That is how Lalu ruled democratically the poorest state for continuous fifteen years. Rahul wins election from one of the poorest districts like Amethi of Uttar Pradesh. Keeping poverty and deprivation does not disturb the status of leaders. But shortly, even leaders will feel the changes.

Corporate people of India are seriously concerned about these developments. They feel the pain. Today when there is an urgent need to achieve more than 10% growth to alleviate poverty, it is a challenge to all intelligentsia to frame new policies. That is the reason; Sam Pitroda, Narayana Murthy, and others joined hands to speak against reservation. They understand that backward and deprived people have to become rich for this country to make many billion companies. Ajim Premji talked to Buddha to stop strike so that BPO industry can run smoothly. Call Centers and BPOs have generated hope of better future. A disciplined India will be able to impress Western customers so that the companies can generate more outsourcing jobs. More jobs in this country will provide more employments. More money inflow will provide better infrastructure to this cash deprived nation. Tata has become interested to establish the factory for first dream car of 1 lakh in West Bengal. Buddha has to show results and leadership. He is compelled to take unlearned decisions. He has to change his mindset. He has to meet the demand of 21st century to keep himself alive in politics. Why not other comrades are learning the compulsions of 21st century? Other leaders must learn from Buddha compulsion including national opposition parties like BJP. Leaders must understand the compulsions of corporate world to make this country rich. Leaders must do politics of rich nation. Shortly India is becoming developed. No leaders can afford to do politics of poor nation here.

A rich country will not have much deprived people. The life style of citizen will improve. The more rich people will make this country developed. We all must join hands to improve our life free from discriminations, regionalism, casteism and other malice. There is no reason when we talk of development; we do not take better policies decisions. Can we keep this rising country developing for long time? 

Is This Life?

Is This Life?

Life! Where are you?
Where from have you come, where are you going?
What is the purpose, what is the destination?
Is there any ambition, target or goal?
Going, going, going …… Is this life?

Life! Where are you?
Thousands of year pass, life reaches for zenith,
Search of genome, DNA research,
Are you searching yourself?
Will you be happy to conquer yourself?
Searching, searching, searching…….. Is this life?

Life! Where are you?
Feelings, emotions, expressions – life finds a means.
Speak, narrate, write, publish and make history,
Reveal yourself in every aspect you live.
Life goes exploring - new horizon, new inventions,
Every discovery opens a new hope.
Are we able to explore life in the right direction?
Exploring, exploring, exploring ……….. Is this life?

Life! Where are you?
Villages, cities, countries and continents,
Life moves on in all frailties, irrespective of hurdles,
Increase life to increase possibilities.
Little hope, more sorrows – amidst lack of basics,
Life is a hope, aspiration and dream.
Dreaming, dreaming, dreaming ……… Is this life?

Life! Where are you?
Property, capital, money, all needed to fulfill,
Basics of life reveal life itself,
Stock exchange index moves like life, up, down, up, down…
All lying beneath, learn to earn, earn to live,
Earning, earning, earning ………… Is this life?

Life! Where are you?
Region, religion, caste and discrimination,
Life exists in them or they exist in life.
Can life empower them or they empower life,
Certainly they empower life but only for few,
Discrimination, discrimination, discrimination ….. Is this life?

Life! Where are you?
Old, young, male, female, children….. All are privileged,
All are creations of one with same alpha energy,
Who makes them good, bad and ugly?
Who forces them to be spoiled brat or casual labour?
System puts pressure, but they miss a sense of empowerment.
Why not all get similar opportunities, chances, luck…..
Inequality, inequality, inequality ….. Is this life?

Life! Where are you?
Can’t you show your real face?
Will we be ever able to get your reality?
Wait, wait, wait…..