Inclusive growth can be possible only in an inclusive society, Bhalchandra Mungekar, president, Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, said on Monday.
Scheduled castes and tribes, and minorities constitute a majority among the people below poverty line, accounting for one-third of the country's population. Existence of 40 crore people below poverty line even 60 years after Independence was a cause for immense concern, Dr. Mungekar said, cautioning that the situation was volcanic, and that rural poverty was much more disturbing.
The former Vice-Chancellor of University of Mumbai who had also served as Member, National Planning Commission, felt that the pattern of GDP growth rate at 7 per cent, with highest contribution from service sector at 60 per cent, followed by 26 per cent by manufacturing sector, and the remaining 14 per cent by agricultural sector, reflected jobless growth.
The LPG (Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation) policy that India adopted since 1991 on the advice of International Monetary Fund, to extricate itself from economic crisis, has reflected in constant rise in growth rate in successive five-year plans.
The reasons why the intended benefits of developmental programmes have not reached the last person in the ladder despite the sustained economic growth should be thoroughly debated, Dr.Mungekar was inaugurating a two-day national conference on ‘Twenty Years of Economic Reforms and Inclusive Growth in India' at the St. Joseph's College.
The conference is organised jointly by the departments of Commerce, Economics, History, Human Resource Management and Management Studies.
Dr.Mungekar observed that Agriculture, which has been left out of the development process, needs to be accorded a major thrust. He saw remedies in proper implementation of the schemes, and advocated empowerment of women, and reservation for Dalit Christians and Muslims. Dr.Mungekar released a souvenir of the papers to be presented in the presence of the Rector Rev. Dr. S. John Britto.
There were two technical sessions on seven topics addressed by experts from Madras Institute of Development Studies; University of Hyderabad; TATA Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai; Institute of Judicial Training, Lucknow; IIT-Mumbai; and NCDHR (National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights).
In his welcome address, the Principal and Convenor Rev. Dr. A. Sebastian said that though the envisaged growth rate could not be achieved despite economic liberalisation since 1991, there were positive signs for inclusive development.
College Secretary Rev. Dr. A. Albert Muthumalai said the issue of inclusive growth was a vexatious national issue. Organising Secretary Rev. Dr. S. Lazar also spoke.
