COMPARE FIRST & THIS 5 YEAR PLANS

The First five year plan started with one lakh of crores of rupees.

Now, we have an annual budget of several lakhs of crores.
Promises were made about quality of life.
But economic growth, measured in GDP did not get translated into human development.

They quote Gandhi ji who said: “man is the measure of development”. On the ground, the pattern of development yielded negative indicators such as

(a) Cash compensation
(b) Alienation from their own lands, through acquisition and resale at market prices.
(c) Loss of livelihoods
(d) Distress migration et al.
They have heard the promises of globalization, liberalization, privatization and profit
maximization loud and clear, but they got spurious fertilizers and pesticides, faced failed
crops, committed suicides et al.

Even a cursory look at the environs of Hyderabad, Mahabubnagar and Medak districts
reveal the on the ground social conditions of distress and conflict.

The interior rural-tribal areas present even more distressing ground conditions and social conflict. They have grown over time with no signs of mitigation.

Time to redefine our problems priorities and answers to the problems:

People are alienated for they do not recognize themselves as citizens in our democracy.

For democracy means decentralized and participative self governance.