Shivaji Sarkar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has struck the contrast with UPA’s Manmohan Singh, instilled confidence in business and stoked hope among the common man for a better economy. The country believes that he is in control of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Government and the Party – something as per perception of the people Singh did not.
That is possibly the biggest gain of a person, who was never in Central Government or Parliament. The 100-day perception in that sense has been unique. The Government has barely started functioning but it received rave support from the masses across various surveys. The nation’s faith is reinforced.
The unique certainly was the Hindusthan Samachar nationwide survey of 51,440 people in 18 States. It brought out stark facts – Modi remains popular with 67 per cent of the people, 65 per cent feel Singh is no match for him but 86 per cent feel that prices remain a worry and pose challenge to the new Government. Some other surveys too have pointed out that prices remain a concern of the people.
On foreign policy Modi has scored well, more so as it has come at the height of his pulsating Japan visit that brings $ 35 billion investment, friendly visits to Nepal, Bhutan and rejection of talks with Pakistan. The surplus $ 11.2 billion balance of payment and indication that production might rise have added to the confidence.
Rating agency Moody’s once again has issued the warning that if inflation is not controlled, the country’s international investment rating may be hit. As the Government crosses the first 100-day mark, it has to consider changing tack to controlling prices. It is just not about the commodity, vegetable, transport but also rising school fees are adding to the woes of the people.
Modi certainly is not responsible for the inflationary economy. The UPA Government since 2009 did little to control it. That, however, is no relief for the new Government, which came into power on a viral campaign against rising prices. It raised hopes that once the new Government is in saddle, it would bring the prices down. The wholesale price index (WPI) has indicated some downward trend but retail prices remain a sore point.
Surveys indicate that people are not willing to wait for more than a year to see that poll promises become reality. While people have welcomed scrapping of four-year undergraduate programme of Delhi University, supposedly a precursor for a longer and more expensive higher education, they now want the Modi Government to crack down on the so-called public schools, many owned by the corporate, so that pre-primary, primary and secondary education could be affordable. They want the Government also to ensure that technical education like engineering and medical are completed in three years.
People believe this Government can act for the betterment of every one so why not a three-year technical education topped by one-year post graduation. It would bring down the burgeoning burden of educating children on each family.
It does not stop here. As one drives down to the national Capital from any corner, toll gates create barriers. During elections, the BJP raised hopes of razing down toll gates across the nation and scrapping of income tax. People hope it happens by the next Budget.
Cutting down on such unnecessary expenses and reduction in commodity prices would boost the capacity of each family to spend more in the market. That has to be philosophy of the market. But if everything is charged at super commercial rates, people are robbed of their income and impoverished, it leads to the disappearance of the market. That means the nation would have no option but to live in penury and do poverty management.
If the Government wants factory output, touching a critical low, to go up, it must raise the income tax barrier from around Rs 25,000 a month to at least Rs 1.25 lakh a month – Rs 15 lakh a year – by the next Budget, gets WTO rules changed for increasing tariff barriers for silly imports and draws up a new revolutionary economic policy. For a better future, the Government has to carve out an economy that is innovative.
The working class has not liked Cabinet’s approval for so-called “labour reforms”, euphemism for dealing with them in harsher way. The FICCI, Assocham, CII and other employers’ groups want it to be paced up. They forget that during the past 10 years, lakhs of workers were thrown out of jobs or employed on casual basis flouting the basic ethical norms.
This Government, which was voted to power by the working class, has to ensure that employers pay proper (not decent) wages to them, treat them with empathy and extend the minimum benefits. If that is denied to them it would not be in the interest of the economy or society. The factory owners and the Government have to realize that workers are consumers also, provided they are taken care of. The Soviet Union collapsed because workers were unable to consume. The US and European economies are suffering for the same reason.
Indian workers expect that in the next 100 days NDA government would formulate policies keeping them in mind and that the so-called employer-oriented “reforms” are junked. This would connect the NDA government with the youth, a passion of Prime Minister Modi. It would boost youth confidence, make it part of the productive skill-India, higher output and create the jobs that elude it. Today, over six lakh engineering seats are vacant as a B Tech degree does not ensure jobs.
Still 100 days have brought hopes of retrieval of black money and curbing of corruption. The next 100 days should bring down power, fuel and rail tariff and make the Government move towards villages for a ‘more crop per drop’ policy, a dream Modi saw at the Indian Council of Agriculture Research award ceremony.
The country has too many expectations from Modi. The GDP has started moving faster, NCAER’s business confidence index rises by 13 per cent and manufacturing has started growing at 3.5 per cent in June. With a pro-poor and worker-friendly policy one hopes Modi would bring back smiles.INFA
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