What Development Promises? | Development

WHAT DEVELOPMENT PROMISES DIFFERENT PEOPLE, DIFFERENT GOALS YOU WANT A CAR? THE WAY OUR COUNTRY IS SET UP ALL YOU CAN HOPE FOR IS MAY BE TO try to imagine what development or progress is likely to mean to different persons listed in Table 1.1. What are their aspirations? Let us ONE DAY OWN THE RICKSHAW YOU PULL! You will find that some columns are partially filled. Try to complete the table. You can also add any other category of persons. TABLE 1.1 DEVELOPMENTAL GOALS OF DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF PERSONS Category of Person Developmental Goals / Aspirations More days of work and better wages; local school is able to provide quality education for their children; there is no social discrimination and they too can become leaders in the village. Landless rural labourers Assured a high family income through higher support prices for their crops and through hardworking and cheap labourers; they should be able to settle their children abroad. Prosperous farmers from Punjab Farmers who depend only on rain for growing crops A rural woman from a land owning family Urban unemployed youth A boy from a rich urban family She gets as much freedom as her brother and is able to decide what she wants to do in life. She is able to pursue her A girl from a rich urban family studies abroad. An adivasi from Narmada valley Having filled Table 1.1, let us now examine it. Do all of these persons have the same notion of development or progress? Most likely not. Each one of them seeks different things. They seek things that are most important for them, i.e., that which can fulfil their aspirations or desires. In fact, at times, two persons or groups of persons may seek things which are conflicting. A girl expects as much freedom and opportunity as So, two things are quite clear: one, different persons can have her brother, and that he also shares different developmental goals and two, what may be development for one may not be development for the other. It may in the household work. Her brother may not like this. Similarly, to get more electricity, industrialists may But this may even be THOSE PEOPLE want more dams. destructive for the other. DON'T WANT TO submerge the land and disrupt the lives of people who are displaced – such as tribals. They might resent this and may prefer small check dams or tanks to irrigate their land. DEVELOP! INCOME AND OTHER GOALS more income or more consumption because material goods are not all that you need to live. If you go over Table 1.1 again, you will notice one common thing: what people desire are regular work, better wages, and decent price for their crops or other products that they produce. In other words, they want more Money, or material things that one can buy with it, is one factor on which our life depends. But the quality of our life also depends on non-material things mentioned above. If it is not obvious to you, then just think of the role of your friends in your life. You may desire their friendship. Similarly, there are many things that are not easily measured but they mean a lot to our lives. These are often ignored. income. Besides seeking more income, one- way or the other, people also seek things like equal treatment, freedom, security, and respect of others. They A demonstration meeting against raising the height of Sardar Sarovar Dam on resent discrimination. All these are important goals. In fact, in some cases, these may be more important than Narmada River