By Ubahunlang Dkhar Tmar
To bring change and development it is not only the sole prerequisite and authority of the government, but also the people who will be impacted by development initiatives and policies. In an absolute liberal democracy, government is the servant of the electorate. Any lands that belong to the government belong to the people, thereby forming the term ‘public property’. The government is only the caretaker of these properties of the state: citizens. It cannot bypass its citizens. The people are the custodians who put the checks and balances on those who decide on their behalf through informed consent. By informed consent it means the processes of deliberations and negotiations that stress transparency and accountability. Backdoor or closed-door negotiations only happen in a fascist and communist state.
Furthermore, we no longer live in colonial times under the dictates of a foreign empire whose sole aim is to extract, exploit, and loot the inhabitants and their land’s resources. We live in a breathing democracy under the guidance and framework of the Indian Constitution, which clearly divides the terms of reference, responsibilities and duties. These must be respected and executed firmly. Any deviation is considered illegal and lose it legitimacy. Short term objectives and electoral populist politics has tarnished all these principles of a union, also, greed and obsession for power and control have further weakened Democracy, Society and the Constitutional obligations. This is also why Plato, in his book “The Republic,” stated that only a philosopher, who seeks the fulfillment and development of their mental faculty and inner self rather than superficial material desires, should lead a government justly.
Normally, in a highly functional efficient government or state, the political executive has a major role to play since they are the designated drivers and initiators for change and policymaking. If the political executive fails and if the cabinet of ministers is filled with people who can’t even read or comprehend policymaking and formulation, the vicious cycle of underdevelopment, myopic and stalemate policy is repeated again and again. Therefore, education, foresightedness and the critical ability are the prime requisites for running the wheels of governance.
Development in the context Meghalaya: In general, Meghalaya is afflicted with serious issues: unemployment, urban-rural divide on basic amenities, disparity in income between the rich and the poor, failure of education, healthcare issues, ecological disturbances, low agricultural productivity, increasing crime rate, drug addictions, fiscal deficits, corruption etc. To discuss and deliberate on all these critical issues requires a thesis of multiple volumes and a room full of experts.After 50 years of statehood, considering the rate of inflation of the economy, the majority of the people in Meghalaya are still surviving on whatever they can. As a state, we will reach a tipping-point in the coming years if we take into account the humongous loans that our government took from the international financial agencies on our behalf. To call a spade a spade, in all these past years, with the exception of a few, we observe that only the political class and people close to power have amassed wealth and assets. This is not to cast aspersions or launch a smearing campaign but this is a glaring fact.
The government of the day has chosen a path of easy, superficial quick-fix development initiatives and economic policies, ranging from concert economy to handing out development responsibilities to outside consultants while keeping the coming elections in sight. Also, to appear pro-people, which is part of projecting a positive image, the government has passed several executive orders and no one has any clue how these decisions were made. Most of the focus is also on producing immediate results (GDP) sacrificing long-term objectives. In this scheme of things and all this hulla-baloo, where is the Meghalaya State Planning Board? Has it gone with the wind?
To continue, discounting the Central Schemes/Projects, the State directed economic development initiatives seems to appear only on paper, the process for laying the groundwork of the economy is not spelt out, What and where is the blue-print? Prof H. Chang, the Cambridge Economist, said “Economic development is not simply a matter of increasing income (economic growth)…, it is a matter of acquiring and developing more sophisticated productive capabilities.” The sectors of the economy which are part of these ‘Productive capabilities” includes health and education. Both health and education address long-term economic growth, economic development and sustainability.
Development; Meghalaya Lexicon
Economic Development is a loaded term, it does not only mean employment generation per se. During this Lumpongdeng debate, those who support the government, talk about employment: without understanding the nature of employment, employment systems, labour issues etc. Majority of people have this perception, that development equals employment. Those who support the government stance and even cabinet ministers seem to talk about development without spelling out what they mean. Inferring from this Lumpongdeng issue, Development for them is also to bring in consultants, business tycoons, corporates, forgetting that these entities and individual’s main interest and objective is to minimize the cost and increase the profit.
There are also several advisers now popping up and populating under this present government who themselves have not done or shown credible work in the field of ‘Development Strategies/ Economics/ Environmental Issues. If you are closer to the establishment, articulate, and attracted to power, glory and cash, any Tom, Dick, and Harry can become an adviser, provided that you have the ability to create a positive narrative and disturb the opposition. The self-styled spokespersons of the establishment, advisers, give lectures on the balance of development-environment without knowing what exactly it is and how this ‘balance’ is actually going to operate. Actually, ‘balance’ is a subjective assumption, which is always a false positive.
Holistically, development is the interaction of many attributes and one of the major attributes is the natural conditions of a place and the human activities on top of it. Development initiatives are not only “Table Based, Power-Point Based” but require groundwork initiatives. We need Grassroots process of development, that is, experts are embedded within the community and area of operation because Meghalaya is still at the initial stages of development. The strength of Meghalaya’s economy lies in the rural areas where 78% of the state population resides.
We do need expert advice to a certain extent but not to sell-out to the highest bidder on what we have, as given to us by our elders. We have seen how the Cement Industry, through the Single Window agency has negatively affected our state and especially those areas where cement factories are located. We must not be satisfied only with gaining employment with no job security; we must also be concerned about well-being. Furthermore, will the land affected by limestone mining, the area’s ecology, and local water bodies and springs be restored to their past condition?
There is now even talk of a Rain Museum. What will it include? An artificial – 3D model of orographic rainfall? I don’t see any logic nor rational justification, because Mawsynram as it is, is a natural setting located in the southern slope that faces the rain bearing Monsoon winds during summer. Why not use the funds for the Rain museum to develop Mawsynram and its surroundings, Mind you, tourists especially foreigners come here not to see our shoddy RCC buildings, but the natural and cultural settings, because these are our unique selling points. Whatever the case maybe, any infrastructural development has to blend in with the natural surroundings, landscape, aesthetics and within those structures are the imprints of our culture and indigenous knowledge either combined with modern engineering or architectural style. For example, the Mawsmai stone sculpting/architecture has gained a lot of attention. They are more durable, adapt to our ecology and tropical climate. That is what we must promote and augment local artisans with. With the exception of ‘Root bridges’ which is actually a local traditional initiative, as a State we have neglected most of our indigenous knowledge, cultural and natural assets; House Types/Architecture, Springs, Rivers, Forests etc.
Concluding Remarks:We have heard and read so much that the state has increased its GDP an is second only to Tamil Nadu, got awards etc., but have we cared to verify these declarations? Have these achievements trickled down to the pockets of the poor? Are these economic assets that were erected, improved income? What about the ‘depreciation values’ of these assets generated? Are these assets/structures of credible quality? We have seen large projects with expenditure in crores starting from the humongous Covid expenditures which the government said was to augment health infrastructures, the Smart City Project from Wah Umkhrah to ISBT. The Green Tech Chairman had even highlighted these River Projects in one of the discussion programmes now on YouTube DD News Meghalaya. When will we gain our senses and wake up from our reverie?
