Under Modi Govt, Developing India with Social Equity and Inclusive Growth
By Pooran Chandra Pandey
The concept of good governance emerged at the end of the 1980s, first at the World Bank, and then was further established by international development aid agencies and organisations such as UNDP and OECD. According to the World Bank (1994), good governance entails sound public sector management (efficiency, effectiveness, and economy); accountability, exchange, and the free flow of information (transparency); and a legal framework for development (justice, respect for human rights, and liberties). UNDP in adding to this concept states nine major characteristics of good governance: Participation, Rule of law, Transparency, Responsiveness, Consensus orientation, Equity, Effectiveness and Efficiency, Accountability, and Strategic Vision.
Good governance is at the core of improving economic growth in a country, as it provides a mechanism for linking inclusion, decision making, accountability, and responsibility. Thus, it enables equitable growth for all. Empirical evidence shows that there is an inalienable link between growth and governance. Good governance can spur the process of economic growth and lead to gains that are tangible, equitable, and inclusive.
According to the United Nations Economic and Social Council for Asia and the Pacific, the concept of ‘governance’ is not new. Simply put ‘governance’ means: the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented). Good Governance in this context means transparent, accountable, participatory decision making and implementing processes. Good governance also drives sustainable and quality reforms in a country that creates pathways for growth and prosperity.
The Evolution in Phases In India, growth has almost followed an open process, with a designated authority. Soon after independence, India launched its First Five Year Plan in 1951, under the socialist influence. The process began with setting up the Planning Commission in March 1950 in pursuance of promoting a rapid rise in the standard of living through efficient utilisation of resources, increasing production, and offering opportunities to all for employment in the service of the community. Broadly speaking, the phases of Growth and Governance in post-independence in India can be categorised into the following phases:
During the first phase of ‘Post-colonial rebuilding’, growth was given more importance than governance. The aim during this phase was to bring about reforms in the agriculture and industrial sector that would create more job opportunities and accelerate the economic growth of the nation. Each five-year plan during the phase concentrated on promotion of high growth rate, encouragement through subsidies of agriculture, and industry. Such a focus on the economy with minimal attention to governance gave rise to inequality, corruption, and concentration of power in the hands of few. It was during this phase that in 1955 that the government decided to develop the oil and gas resources in various parts of the country as a part of public sector development. This was also the phase when the government decided to push growth with governance by focussing on setting up of the public sector undertakings in the country, an initial phase that has continued to lead the growth until now with the focus on welfare and equity.
The second phase was marked by both political and economic restructuring. While on one hand, India moved from single-party rule to coalition government, on the other the economy also under fiscal and economic reforms such as liberalisation. During this phase, policies and reforms aimed at rectifying the worsening balance of payment, debt burden, budgetary deficit, and inflation. The phase also witnessed increasing demands from the citizens for economic and governance reforms that would improve the quality of life and make government more accountable and transparent. In view of these rising demands and challenges, the concept of E-Governance was introduced in the 1990s to improve delivery of government services to citizens and businesses with the vision to “make all government services accessible to the common man in his locality, through common service delivery outlets and ensure efficiency, transparency and reliability of such services at affordable costs to realise the basic needs of the common man”.
The third phase is characterised, by a major shift in the manner in which growth and governance are being linked. Recently India’s political leadership, policymakers, and business leaders are motivated by a strong desire to make the country an economic superpower in the twenty-first century. The high rate of economic growth, coupled with increasing foreign exchange reserves and rising SENSEX figures has led to growing confidence. The world is also looking at India with respect and considers it as having an ideal economic growth model, as India aims to have a high growth rate as well as a focus on equity. Although high growth and equality are not always mutually exclusive; the conflict arises when scarce resources are diverted to meet the demands of the growing middle class or businesses by ignoring the needs of the poor. Many of the initiatives launched over the years for achieving the objective of rapid growth coupled with poverty alleviation and inclusiveness have failed to achieve their goals because of lack of ownership, ineffective governance, and insufficient accountability at various levels. The imperatives of being a democratic country, however, are now forcing Indian political leadership to focus on good governance and take a deeper look into the causes of poverty, inequality, and suffering of the common man. In doing so, major shifts are occurring in the collective value system of India, where the focus is slowing shifting from just economic growth to growth led by good governance.
Development plans in India during the present phase, under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led NDA Government, have marked a major shift from on entirely economic approach to an approach characterised by its emphasis on social equity and inclusive growth. According to the plans, the capacity of institutions needs to be built to ensure poverty reduction; promotion of group equality and regional balance; reduction of inequality; and the empowerment of people. Sustainability includes ensuring environmental sustainability; the development of human capital through improved health, education, skill development, nutrition, information technology, etc. and development of institutional capabilities, infrastructure like power telecommunication, roads, transport etc. Within this background, both growth and governance are being looked at as processes that facilitate one another. On one hand, good governance practices and mechanisms are seen as value additions to the democratic traditions of India, which provide better services and opportunities for development. On the other hand, growth increases confidence in the government among citizens, who are then encouraged to support policies and reforms for the larger good. The Indian government in its recent statements has acknowledged this fundamental link and stated that ‘the Indian economy has the capacity to grow at 8-9 percent and good governance would make economic expansion ‘more exuberant’.
Global and local evidence suggests that there is a definitive role for businesses to contribute more to the growth and wellbeing of societies with good governance and the prospect of combining the pursuit of profits, environment protection, and safeguarding the community. The Indian experience also shows that businesses supported by proactive local laws and universal principles have succeeded in not only enhancing shareholder value, but also supporting stakeholders with numerous approaches including its focus on good governance, sustainable development, community service, and social responsibility. Current laws on environment, social responsibility, and good corporate governance only strengthen Indian businesses’ march towards more sustainable growth, both for itself and also for the environment and society. This is a move that is re-writing the growing influence of Indian companies and also how they can contribute more to national economic growth by renewing the focus on infrastructure building and generating jobs.
POORAN CHANDRA PANDEY
Pooran Chandra Pandey is one of India’s leading experts on advocacy, economic and social development work, management and the voluntary sector. From 2011 to 2016, he served as Executive Director for UN Global Compact Network India. Prior to taking up that post, he was Director at the Times Foundation, one of India’s leading corporate foundations working in the areas of health, education, environment, women’s empowerment, and disaster management. From 2004 to 2007, he was CEO at Voluntary Action Network India, the country’s largest association of voluntary organizations, comprising 2,400 members within India. Credited with pioneering the notion of involving civil society, businesses and government through a consensus-building approach for inclusive social dividends, Pooran Chandra Pandey has led the launch of national public service campaigns within India such as Lead India, Teach India and the social impact awards. Specialising both in development and humanitarian assistance, he has also chaired and co-chaired a number of Indian Government task forces and committees developing national policy on the voluntary sector, implementing the UN Handbook, a non-governmental charter of good governance, rationalisation of policies for NGOs, and the foreign contribution regulation act. Pooran Chandra Pandey holds a BA and MA from the University of Allahabad, an M.Phil in International Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, and was also a Chevening Scholar in Leadership and Global Organization at the London School of Economics.