A tale of two attitudes

By P. V. Indiresan

THERE IS a story about two boys. As a curtain-raiser to his birthday celebrations, the fond parents of one of the boys left a large collection of sweets at his bedside while he was asleep. On waking up, he saw the sweets and started wailing, ``You had a party! Why did you not call me?'' In the case of the second boy, his friends decided to tease him and strew horse dung all over his bedroom. The boy woke up, saw the mess and shouted with joy, ``There is a horse! There is a horse! Where is it?''

This tale of contrasting attitudes comes to mind on reading Ms. Mrinal Pande's pessimistic forebodings about the future of the new-born State of Uttaranchal (TheHindu, December 24, 2000). As she fears, Uttaranchal could be a disaster waiting to happen. It may also be viewed as a golden opportunity to demonstrate what can be done with a new slate.

Nature has been kind to Uttaranchal in many ways. It has breathtaking vistas of the Himalayas with abundant water, forests and, above all, outstanding human talent (of which Ms. Pande is an acknowledged jewel). Unfortunately, all these resources are poorly harnessed. Most hamlets are short of water; hill slopes are getting denuded. Its talented people (Ms. Pande included) have migrated, leaving the State mostly illiterate. In a way, Uttaranchal may be described as a land forsaken by its intellectuals, preyed on by rapacious politicians and unscrupulous traders, a land doomed to failure. In another view, it may be described as virgin territory ready to be moulded whichever way one desires, into a land of promise and opportunity.

The Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), an organ of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, has set up a committee to prepare specific schemes for the development of Uttaranchal. The committee's ambitions are based (hopefully) on a judicious mixture of Himalayan dreams and down-to-earth, well-established technology. Its aim is to make the hopes of the Prime Minister for a nine per cent economic growth a reality at least in the new State. Such rapid growth brings with it its own problems. The committee hopes to minimise such problems by promoting quality of life rather than mere income.

Rapid growth at nine per cent a year is not infeasible at our stage of development because many countries (including China which is even larger than India) have accomplished that feat. Growth rate may be increased in two ways - by investing more or by making investment more efficient. The TIFAC is attempting the latter. It has already succeeded in raising sugar production by introducing marginal but significant changes in technology. In the same manner, it has demonstrated that it is possible to double rice production in Bihar by simple changes in crop practices. It has promoted largescale use of fly ash (a messy waste product of thermal power plants) in the construction industry and in soil stabilisation. Such ideas will have their full impact only where there is comprehensive infrastructure. However, that too must be obtained at a much lesser cost than what we have managed so far.

To minimise the heavy cost of infrastructure, the TIFAC has formulated a comprehensive, six-component proposal. The scheme promises to make the connectivity of selected rural areas comparable to what fast-growing medium-sized cities offer and at the same time ensure excellent environment. As cities are costly and rural areas much cheaper, a shift to rural areas (provided connectivity is equally good) will make all other projects cheaper. Hence, with the same investment, the higher growth rate can be obtained. Dr. Kalam, Chairman of the TIFAC has persuaded the Planning Commission to adopt this scheme on an experimental basis, in Uttaranchal and in Tamil Nadu. In anticipation of its approval, the TIFAC has set up a Development Committee for Uttaranchal. (Mainly because of the sudden demise of the Union Minister, Rangarajan Kumaramangalam, who was an enthusiastic promoter of this scheme, the project is yet to take off in Tamil Nadu.)

The TIFAC has a culture of concentrating on down-to-earth schemes rather than on idealistic ones. For instance, there is a well- established statistical rule that 80 per cent of any area may be covered at only 20 per cent of the expense, while the remaining 20 per cent will take up the balance 80 per cent of the total expenditure. Bearing that in mind, the committee on Uttaranchal is optimising the transport, telecom and Internet connectivity of the most easily accessible 80 per cent of the hamlets, not all of them. For the same reason, it is supporting already proven techniques for renewing forest cover and growing out-of-season vegetables.

Transport connectivity poses the greatest technological challenge. The hills are steep and unstable. East-west travel is forbiddingly strenuous. On the other hand, north-south travel is relatively easy. For that reason, a proposal has been made to develop high-class rail and road links between Tanakpur in the east and Dehra Dun in the west all along the foothills of the Himalayas. Then people can travel down to the highway, move east or west as required and go up to their destination at a less cost and in a short time rather than traversing the forbidding hills. Further, the IIT, Bombay, has been asked to evaluate the possibility of using airships for travel in this difficult terrain. Uttaranchal also is an ideal location for tourism and for high quality education institutions. Both of them will need an international airport. State authorities have been urged to reserve enough space for the purpose even though the project may not take off immediately.

Other ideas include developing a new capital on scientific lines at a suitable location on the border between Garhwal and Kumaon. These two regions have historically been bitter rivals and locating the capital in either of them is fraught with dangerous consequences. Even otherwise, by adopting the six-component rural development technique of the TIFAC, an entirely new, environment- friendly city may be built at a cost 30-50 per cent lower than what is spent on expanding the congested city of Dehra Dun.

Uttaranchal starts with the handicap of bearing the sad inheritance of a backward-looking tradition of Uttar Pradesh. It is not widely known that in some respects Uttar Pradesh is even more retarded than Bihar. For instance, Bihar may reach is stationary population by the end of this century but, according to current trends, Uttar Pradesh will not reach that state for 150 years. So, Uttaranchal has to change if it wants to modernise. Unfortunately that is not easy. For instance, there was opposition when it was suggested that Uttaranchal join the IT revolution and for that purpose emphasise knowledge of English. Uttaranchalis are yet to learn that one cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs.

Uttaranchal has produced many outstanding administrators and intellectuals but mostly, they are expatriates. It is funny, and sad too, that places like Uttaranchal are considered heavenly but people prefer to live in places like Delhi which are described as hell. The TIFAC Committee for the Development of Uttaranchal, of which this writer is Chairman, invites proposals which can make the State as attractive as Delhi is - without converting it into a hell.

However, too much should not be expected of these efforts. Though the TIFAC has the glamorous prestige of Dr. Kalam at its back, it is still a minor cog in the government machinery. The TIFAC may show the way but only top politicians and administrators can take the country that way. It is not easy to overcome their scepticism. I once suggested a scheme to open the mouth of the Cooum river in Chennai and flush out its stinking waters. Only now, after 20 years, has it been implemented. As the Tamil saying goes, edukkum kaalam varamum (for anything the time has to come!). For that reason, with all her pessimism, Ms. Pande may still have the last laugh! Meanwhile, the TIFAC keeps its fingers crossed.

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