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Journalism of Courage
In his address to Parliament on October 25 last year, President K R Narayanan said the Vajpayee government8217;s development strategy would consist of a triad of a strong policy and regulatory framework from the government, private sector dynamism and enthusiastic public participation. Since then it can be said that the government has played its part in many important economic areas.
An insurance regulatory bill was at long last shepherded through Parliament. Several major initiatives were taken in telecommunications with the aim of breaking the licences deadlock and minimising disputes with the regulatory authority. In other areas the government underlined the urgency of reform but as in aviation has only been able to take stabs at changing things.
A definite urge to carry out economic reforms has been displayed by the government and this has meshed with and enhanced the feel-good psychology of financial markets in the post-election period. Although much of the euphoria is related to the rise and rise of mainly infotech stocks, signs that the long recession in industry is over have helped.
All have contributed to the widespread feeling that India has turned the corner. The conviction is that a surge of economic growth lies ahead which only a misconceived budget can scuttle. As good as this sounds it cannot be forgotten that other programmes mentioned in the President8217;s speech 100 days ago still have to be given shape. These are programmes which concern, as it happens, the majority of the population and include rural development, education and health and the general opening up of economic opportunities for all those who have not so far enjoyed them. In agriculture the government has little to show for itself. But these are still early days. Hopefully there will be stirrings of life in all sectors over the next 100 days.
The serious disappointment of the last three months has been on the security front. Having emerged from the dark night of Kargil, the country had come to expect a little respite from terrorism and violence. Not only has that not been so, in two critical tests the government has proved it does not function at the peak of efficiency. The hijacking of Flight IC 814 is done and over with. Whether practical lessons have been learned must remain in doubt given the low level of performance in Jamp;K where militant assaults and violence pose a serious challenge to peace and stability.
The government must get to grips with the problem here at the level of the security forces and at the political level. It does not encourage confidence to know that differences within the government are hampering efforts in this area. All the good work done elsewhere, the stoking of private sector dynamism and public enthusiasm, can come undone quite quickly if trouble persists on the security front.
