Mr Mukherjee said that another element in this vision is to build a spatially evolved and regionally balanced Indian economy. A country of more than 1 billion persons cannot be led by growth in a few sectors or a few cities and regions of the country in a sustainable manner. With nearly two-third of the population still living in the rural areas it is important for the economy to reach out to these people and provide opportunities to them from the ongoing economic expansion at their door steps. This is essential not only for strengthening the inclusive character of the growth process, but also for anticipating and addressing the demographic issues associated with unplanned urbanization.
Mr Mukherjee said that our economy has to be technologically innovative if we are to realise this vision of inclusive development. It requires supporting and sustaining basic research and technological innovations, and adapting and applying the products of this research and innovation in supporting and enhancing the well being of the Aam Admi. He said that ours is a large economy with multiple problems that cannot all be resolved with a business as usual approach or by merely scaling up the existing interventions and available solutions. He said that we have to be innovative and locate technological solutions to many of our persistent problems and have to increase our spending on research and technology upgradation. This is where the Indian industry would need to take a lead, he added.
The Finance Minister Mr Mukherjee said that most critical factor in realizing our vision is the human element be it at the level of leadership or at the level of a common worker on the floor of the factories, or in the fields and construction sites. He said that we would need the right kind of expertise and skills at all levels. He said that personally, he attach the highest importance to skill development to ensure that the country benefits meaningfully from its imminent demographic dividend. It is not an easy task, but the Government is conscious of the steps that need to be taken to translate the contours of this vision into a reality. Indeed, it has been steadily moving in that direction since its last tenure, he added.
In conclusion,, the Finance Minister Mr Mukherjee said that today India is at a stage where nothing seems impossible to do or achieve but we have to work together if the challenges we face have to be converted into genuine opportunities as we march ahead in realising our collective vision for the country.
As regards the development of vocational skills is concerned, the Finance Minister Mr Mukherjee said that the Government of India has announced a National Skill Development Mission, comprising a comprehensive skill development programme with a target to achieve 500 million skilled persons by the year 2022. He said that a three-tier institutional structure has been set up with a National Council headed by the Prime Minister for policy direction and review of skill development efforts in the country. He said that a National Skill Development Coordination Board-under the chairmanship of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission to enumerate strategies to implement the decisions of PM’s council and a National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), a non-profit company under the Companies Act, 1956 being funded by the trust, namely, “National Skill Development Fund” are the other components. The objective of NSDC is to skill/upskill 150 million people in India including persons from rural areas by the year 2022, mainly by fostering private sector initiatives in skill development programmes, he added.
He mentioned about health facilities with focus on rural areas, addressing the requirement for education from primary to the higher and technical education level and development of vocational skills. He specifically mentioned about some of the important schemes being implemented by the Government to achieve inclusive growth are Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, National Rural Health Mission, Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and Bharat Nirman. The results of these initiatives are very encouraging and we are hopeful that with its mandated work the Unique Identification Authority of India will improve efficiency in the delivery of public programs, he added.
Indian Economy resilient to both External and Domestic Shocks but still faces many challenges
Special Correspondent - 2010-12-24 19:12
New Delhi: The Finance Minister Mr Mukherjee said that there are issues such as bottlenecks in the availability and quality of physical infrastructure, inadequacy of regulatory institutions in areas where private sector is coming up as a major player, rule of law and the larger issue of governance reforms that have a direct bearing on the competitive character of our economy and need to be addressed on a priority. More importantly, the success in addressing some of these issues at the national level has to be urgently replicated at the State and sub-State level, he added.