Enable the youth
The young demography is famously the biggest strength of Indian
economy at this point in time. However, if not managed properly this may as
well prove to be the nemesis of the fabled India story, in our view.
The pertinent fact is that Indian growth in past decade or so
has miserably failed in creation of adequate productive jobs for the burgeoning
workforce of the country. MNREGA has helped to some extent, but it is bound by
fiscal constraints, leakages and lower productivity. Disguised and
underemployment also continue to impact the productivity and earnings
potential.
We have been highlighting that the vast reservoir of youth
energy on which Indian economy is sitting presently, could potentially explode
if not channelized appropriately. It is therefore extremely critical to evolve
an integrated youth policy that include mission scale programs to educate and
skill the youth, inculcate enterprise skills in them from early stages, enable
them to engage in productive self employment, deal empathetically with their
concerns, anguish, frustration and disillusionment.
In our view, the following is the minimum that needs to be
urgently implemented:
(a)
Overhaul education system to make it job
oriented. Inculcate enterprising skills in students from primary level. It is
high time that we do some zero base planning regarding our education rather
than just incremental tinkering. Post middle (8th standard) job
oriented education, training and skilling programs should be made more popular
with active participation of industry. RTE should be amended to provide for a
uniform and standard education to all the children. Bringing social changes
like “respect for work” and inclusion of “workers” in main stream would be
quintessential to this.
(b)
The trained and skilled youth should be
adequately supported and enabled to engage in productive self employment. The
present model of MSME promotion may not be adequate to create massive
employment needed. This model may not be totally competitive in the emerging
scenario where the Indian industry will have to increasingly compete with large
global players. Co-operation movement in industry on the lines of AMUL where a
large number of trained youth can create, own and profitably manage large
globally competitive enterprise should be promoted and encouraged. Giving
equity in natural resources to local population could be a great starting
point.
(c)
Agriculture and allied activities are still at
the core of Indian socio-economic structure. Promoting collective and
commercial farming may add significant employment opportunity with increased
earnings potential.
(d)
Success of IPL has suggested that sports can
potentially generate large scale employment opportunity if managed in industry
like manner.
(e)
Last but not the least police reforms are
absolutely necessary to manage the agitated & disillusioned youth
compassionately and ensuring that they do not stray into prohibited territory
of violence and sedition.
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