FAST DEVOLOPMENT OF HARYANA?

R.S.Dahiya

Those who have watched Haryana’s fast march towards industrialization are full of admiration of Haryana. It has about 1346 large medium industries, and 80,0000 small scale industries. It has about 1000/- projects with foreign technical/financial collaboration. The new industrial policy is being implemented with all earnestness since June 2005. The optimism that this small state with not many natural resources and away from the sea posts is impressing vast sections very fast. Haryana has followed the national resolve “to support private efforts by further liberalizing and focusing investments in infrastructures and promotion of new technologies for sustained growth“.

The State Government is equally determined to build strong agriculture and social sectors in order to sustain the high economic growth of over 11 percent. It is keen to spread the benefits of this fast industrial growth to all segments of society. In the next 10 year an investment of Rs. 2 lakh crore is expected which would generate employment avenues for ten lakh youth. . It is observed that to beat the agrarian crises that is casting dark shadows, indusrialization and development of related service sector is the only answer. Really it is so? Big question. On the other side the state is faced with the devil of recession. The industrialists in Gurgaon, Faridabad, Panipat or Panchkula are facing the music because of the recession.

With in this paradigm how the speed of 11 percent industrial growth will be sustained? Moreover, the Haryana is agriculture based Almost 70% people of Haryana are dependant over agriculture. How the industrialization and urbanisation will be able to absorb the displacement of people from agriculture? In U.K. only 10% people were dependent on agriculture. Industrialization could absorb 8% people from Agri. Now only 2% people are dependent on agriculture sector. The same model of development is being pushed through in Haryana. Would it be able to really deliver goods?

The people who have serious concerns about Haryana and people of Haryana should respond to this debate. How industrialization and urbanization will be able to respond to the needs of 6-7 crore people who are making their livelihood bases upon agriculture and allied sectors?