It was 1950 when the planning commission was setup to formulate specific plans and policies that could push India out of the poverty cycle, can ensure the boost in standard of living and can make India a nation that it used to be before the British came.
It was specifically the second five year plan which focused on the heavy industries. The then Political Class, especially Jawaharlal Nehru took the inspiration from soviets and applied the same model of establishing heavy industries in the early years of Independence. Well, it would have fetched a hell lot of job but taken care that the literacy rate of India at that time was a mere 12% and it was sluggishly growing, needless to say the plan failed.
Government at that time didn’t cared for a second that establishing heavy industries requires capital,skilled workforce and investments which all the three were missing that time. The intentions were pretty good but the output was gross and that poses the Mammoth question that – Has the political class really failed to fulfill the needs and aspirations of the youth?
To begin with I would like to divide the youth in classes which is necessary taking into account that each class has its own set of needs and their own kind of aspirations.
The class of youths can mainly be categorised into three: – the elite, middle class and the poor. The extreme latter being most in number. The need of elite can be minimum if consider materially and they can aspire to complete their studies from an ivy League institutions and end up in some high profile business, may be the family one.
The youth of middle class wants to study, take a degree and get a decent job with decent salary, may be they need a very stable life. Now when it comes to poor, it seems the world is a dirty place to live in. The youth of poor has not much of a choice. Getting two times a meal makes him happy or to large extent if he gets a low income job, his happiness knows no bounds.
Coming to the political class, no matter whose government came, they all came up with a plan and a policy, most of which are directed towards the Welfare of the society and upliftment of the poor sections. The irony is, it has been 70 years of Independence and the way the Rich-Poor gap has been maintained, it raises finger on the will of the political class and the serving Institutions under them.
The recent NSSO (national sample survey office) report reveals that from the past few years the rate of unemployment have touched a new height and that just directed towards a jobless growth the nation is currently facing. However the report of NITI Aayog strongly contradicts them. But the question remains the same- Has the political class fulfilled the needs and aspirations of the youth?
I wonder what could happen if we will be able to tap our human resources to its fullest! India has a tremendous capacity to do so and almost 60% of its population is under the age of 30. There are various sectors in which there is tremendous potential to create employment and generate economic power. Tourism and infrastructure sector being among them.
The new trend of providing Universal basic income so as to bridge the gap between rich and poor should be implemented ASAP. There is a growing need for skill development and to make our youth aware about the things going around and various know-how. Universal basic income to landless labourers and small scale farmers would also help in managing farmers’ distress.
With the different growing avenues, public participation is also of utmost importance. It is not the political class who have to put all the effort but the general masses too. Filing timely tax returns and to cut red-tapism is most important if we have to develop. Youth of India must play an active participation in politics and choose an accountable and a responsible government.
Considering these all factors, one can jump at the conclusion that there should be a mutual cooperation needed if we have to emerge as a superpower and it will be highly childish to leave all the burden on the political class.
The great Indian Politics 