Macro Economics

Macro Economics is the branch of Economics that deals with the performance and behaviour of an economy as a whole.  The concepts related with macro economics are as follows:

      

       Inflation

Generally, inflation is associated with high prices causing a dip in the purchasing capacity or the value of money. The substantial and rapid increase in the general price level is termed as inflation. Mainly, inflation is known to be a monetary phenomenon. Owing to the excess supply of money and lower production of exchangeable goods, price rise keeps on soaring. According to Keynesian concept of inflation, the actual inflation starts when the output remains unresponsive to changes in money supply or when the elasticity of supply of output in response to increase in money supply falls to zero.

Business cycle

The fluctuations in economic activity occurring in more or less regular time sequence in all the capitalist societies are mainly included in the phenomenon of business cycle. There exist a lot of indicators that indicate the volume of economic activity in a community. Few of them are- the volume of employment, price level, output and income. On plotting those indicators on a chart the resulting graph looks like a wave. It reflects that economic activity rises and falls in a definite pattern. The business cycle or a trade cycle consists of the movements of rise and fall taken together.

Employment and Unemployment

The concept of national income also includes the determination of employment and unemployment. What is the reason behind level of national income and employment being very low at the time of depression as in 1930s in a number of capitalist countries of the world? The answer to this question will elaborate the cause of vast unemployment that emerged in these countries. Classical economists disapproved that there could be involuntary unemployment of labor and other resources for a long time. According to them unemployment would be there with the changes in wages and prices. But this did not happen at the time of depression in the thirties and after.

          According to the concept of Keynes it is the aggregate demand and aggregate supply that determine the level of employment and national income. As a result of aggregate supply curve being unaltered in the short run, it is the deficiency of aggregate demand which causes under-employment equilibrium with the emergence of involuntary unemployment. According to him,  changes in private investment result into the fluctuation in aggregate demand and thus causes the problems of cyclical unemployment.

Determination of National Income (or GNP)

National income is defined in terms of the value of all finished goods and services produced in a country throughout the year. Gross National Product (GNP), also called the level of national income, indicates the economic performance of the country in a year and thus determines the aggregate living standards of the countrymen. The per capital national income is directly proportional to the amounts of goods and services available for consumption per individual on an average. The magnitude of employment goes side-by-side with the size of national income in the presence of technology used for production. The ups and downs in economic activity mainly reveal themselves in the form of changes in employment and national income. The size of national income generated causes the potential GNP or full-employment level of income, if all the resources in an economy are being utilized for the process of production. In a market economy, the changes in aggregate demand result into the variation of national income from the level of potential GNP in the short-run.

Stagflation

It has been an uphill task for the economies to control business cycles and attain economic stability. But during the decade of 1970s and in some later times in further decades, market economies have witnessed a further more complex problem in the form of stagflation. Recession or depression is associated with high unemployment and falling prices in the business cycles. But in the seventies recession or stagnation was associated with not only high unemployment but also rampant inflation. The high unemployment and recession (or stagnation) existed simultaneously with high inflation in that period and thus this problem was named as stagflation. The Keynesian theory failed to explain this stagflation as it focuses on the demand side. That is why, a new economic concept called as supply-side economics originated which is capable of explaining the stagflation by focusing the supply-side of economic activity. Stagflation is considered as a key issue discussed under the study of modern macro economies.

Exchange Rates

Exchange rates (also known as the forex rate or foreign exchange rate or FX rate) are defined as the rates at which the two currencies are exchanged in the market. Transactions take place at the foreign exchange rates.                

Amar Jyoti

India’s Water Woes

Supporting a population base of over 1.2 billion people are India’s fragile river systems that are on the brink of, or perhaps already are, an ecological disaster. Contaminated with untreated industrial and human waste, in many places the rivers waters are considered unfit for bathing, leave alone drinking. To compound the problem further, India’s ground water is falling at an alarming level, in some places going down 1 – 3 meters a year. The World Bank has predicted that India’s ground water table may even dry up in 12 – 15 years time. Acute water shortage may cripple the bustling nation’s peace and progress in times to come. Yet there seems little focus in the media on such a critical issue and activism or initiatives around the cause seem at best marginal. There is a need to bring the issue to the forefront so that the underlying causes can be addressed, while there still is time. What could be done to make safe and plentiful water a reality for the common man? 

In terms of falling ground water table, a problem indeed in most parts of the world today, a key reason is poor agricultural practices. India’s agriculture still depends upon small scattered farms producing traditional crops using ground water for irrigation. As per election freebees, water and power are given free to farmers and they have little incentive to conserve the precious resource. India underwent a green revolution a few decades back which led to spurt in agricultural output but not enough attention was paid to water conservation in terms of crops selection or irrigation practices. India now needs a blue revolution in its agriculture to bring about optimum use of water and that would mean changing cropping patters to suit the natural climate and rainfall as well as consolidation of farms to improve efficiency. So long as agriculture revolves around tiny farms, it is hard to educate individual farmers or effectively bring about a change. In the present scenario, farming is also a non remunerative business only providing bare minimum sustenance to the famers often resulting in large number of suicides in several regions. A cooperative movement may be the need of the hour to amalgamate farms such that larger farms may be able to use machinery as well as technical knowhow for better productivity and efficient use of natural resources like water. There have been some such cooperative movements in the past which have borne good results and can serve as a good model. However nowadays, the economic focus is mainly on the manufacturing and services industries while a core sector like agriculture has taken a back seat with little initiatives other than election time stunts like free power, loan waivers etc. Amidst such apathy, the ground water table keeps falling at an alarming rate yet hardly raises an alarm. 

India’s water problem is not just quantitative but also qualitative; its rivers have got so contaminated by human and industrial waste that they are often referred to as sewers and drains rather than rivers. For instance, the great river Ganges at places has been recorded to have fecal coli form levels at 1,00,000 per 100 ml – the highest such figure on Earth rendering the water unfit for even bathing. Waterborne illnesses such as typhoid, dysentery, diarrhea, cholera, gastroenteritis etc., afflict millions of people dependent on the river. Like the Ganges, many other rivers are also considered sacred but are equally putrid and increasingly dermatologists and doctors advise against the “holy dip” which is customary during the festivals. The water is so polluted that it leads to several skin infections. Under pressure from the Supreme Court, some city water boards have plans for sewage treatment plants which will make the waters fit for bathing. But having spent millions already on many such projects, it is doubted that the water boards can deliver on even such a basic task of making the water fit just for bathing while they are yet to even set any milestones for water fit for drinking. Also the Board alone could not carry out this task as there seems little pressure on industries that pump gallons of hazardous waste into the river system. In some cities like Kanpur, small scattered tanneries dump tons of poisonous waste into the water daily. As the rivers course their way through the plains, they accumulate all the waste of humankind and achieve a level of filth downstream that is crying out for attention and action. While various administrative bodies claim to have spent millions of rupees in cleaning up these rivers, the money seems to have gone down the drain, quite literally. The problem yet remains on cleaning up the rivers whereas the solution should focus on ensuring untreated waste is not dumped into the rivers in the first place. There should be stringent laws and penalties on industries big and small as well as city water boards for polluting the rivers. However, the key problem remains lack of sufficient attention or public outcry on the important cause. 

These problems afflict most other developing countries too where safe drinking water is a far cry. Likewise, water table drying up is a global problem affecting almost every nation in the world from China to Africa to Central plains of America. It might be of great significance if there were an international movement to save water. Cooperation and sharing of best practices among nations may give a boost to agricultural productivity as well as enable means of conserving ground water. Similar sharing of best practices may also help frame laws and enforce mechanisms to contain rivers pollution. In the developing world summits, which usually focus mostly on their economic stories, the radar should be shifted to human rights issues like water which should be treated as a priority. As things stand, access to safe and plentiful drinking water is a basic human need that remains unquenched for billions across the world. 

The National Skill Mission and the Indian Economy: an Appraisal

Skills and knowledge are the driving forces of economic growth and social development for any country. Countries with higher and better levels of skills adjust more effectively to the challenges and opportunities of world of work.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Skill Development Mission on July 15, which happens to be the first ever World Youth Skills Day. He unveiled the new National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship-2015 and rolled  out on an all-India basis the government’s flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana.

National Policy on Skill Development (NPSD) approved by the Government has set a target to skill 500 million persons by the year 2022. Concerned central Ministries will involve respective departments of state Governments and other stakeholders to achieve the target. The details of target for different Ministries/Departments is MoL&E would train 100 million and the same is planned to be achieved through the following schemes:

Name of the Scheme                                                               Target 

Craftsmen Training Scheme                                                      29.4 mn

Skill Development Centres                                                      57.2 mn

Apprenticeship Training Scheme                                             05.4 mn

Skill Development Initiatives through MES                                 11.0 mn

DGE&T field institutes                                                            0.5 mn

Total                                                                                        103.5 mn

NSDM is an ambitious scheme to tackle the problem of unemployment rampant in India due to low-skilled people. Along with other schemes such as Pradham Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna, Skill loan schmes and National policy for skill development and entrepreneurship,it aims to reap the demographic dividend of India by providing adequate institutions and opportunities for the youth. It seeks to include Industrial Training Institutes(ITI), Vocational training at school level, and polytechnics to achieve its mission.

Skills development is an area that spans across all sectors of the economy. From manufacturing to services and agriculture, skilled labour is a key requirement to fuel the growth engine of any economy. The key stakeholders in skills development are the Industry (both the Service and the Manufacturing sectors), labour, Academia, and the Government. Growth and productivity in any part of the value chain in a sector will substantially contribute to the national economy and automatically attract FDI inflows. Productivity is directly affected by the efficiency of labour and capital inputs. Therefore, labour needs to be sufficiently skilled as per the changing industry dynamics, in order to contribute to growth. India has seen increased FDI inflow in recent years especially in the manufacturing sector. SSCs (Sector Skill Councils) have been set up across various sectors such as automobiles, retail, security services, food processing and so on, to bring together all the stakeholders on to one platform. The NSDC is the leader in setting up of these SSCs.

India’s skill development initiatives of skilling approximately 500 million people will not only benefit India but also make India the ‘global manpower hub’. Among the developing countries of the world, India has the highest potential to meet the skill gap with its large, young, English speaking population. The world shortage of skilled manpower will stand at approximately 56.5 million by 2020 . With a target of skilling 500mn by 2020, India can not only fulfil its own requirements but can also cater to the labour shortages in other countries such as the U.S., France and Germany. Presently 80% of the workforce in India (both rural and urban) does not possess any identifiable or marketable skills. Therefore, bridging this gap (through the various skill development initiatives) could make India the global hub for skilled manpower, and also result in a surplus of skilled manpower of approximately 47 million by 2020.

India’s workforce, the second largest in the world after China, needs to be trained across four levels, from the ‘White Collar’ workers to the ‘Rust Collar’ workers, linking them to job opportunities and market realities. The skills challenge becomes acute for India considering that the country has a large portion of its population below 25 years of age. This young population can be transformed into a productive workforce giving the Indian Economy a ‘Demographic Dividend’. Currently a major proportion of this population is not productively engaged in economic activities due to a ‘skills v/s jobs requirement’ mismatch. The skills v/s jobs mismatch often leads to economically inactive working age group people. This not only impacts the economy, it also has serious consequences for the society at large. Social unrest such as insurgency, red belt has been witnessed in several areas of India should be heeded with a measure of urgency.

The world (both developed and developing economies) is experiencing an ever widening gap between the demand and supply of skilled labour. The world’s population is growing old. By 2050, the world population of people above 60 years will hit the 1.3 billion mark. This trend will lead to the widening of the demand-supply gap, especially in the developed nations like America, Germany and France. On the other hand, India is emerging with one of the youngest populations in the world comprising of a highly mobile, English speaking population. India will have a 2 billion sized English speaking work force by the end of 2020. Training such a workforce will imply that India can become the major exporter in the services sector as well as an exporter of manpower itself. It is estimated that by 2022, India will face a demand of 500 million skilled workers. India could look at preparing the workforce for global opportunities so that it can utilise its premium position as the human resource reservoir. Given the dynamic labour markets it is also important that the workforce learns and readies itself as quickly as possible. To reap the benefits of “demographic dividend”, the Eleventh Five Year Plan had favored the creation of a comprehensive National Skill Development Mission. As a result, a “Coordinated Action on Skill Development” with three-tier institutional structure consisting of (i) PM’s National Council (ii) National Skill Development Coordination Board (NSDCB), (iii) National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) were created in early 2008. Whereas, Prime Minister’s National Council on Skill Development has spelt out policy advice, and direction in the form of “Core Principles” and has given a Vision to create 500 million skilled people by 2022 through skill systems (which must have high degree of inclusivity), NSDCB has taken upon itself the task of coordinating the skill development efforts of a large number of Central Ministries/Departments and States. The NSDC has geared itself for preparing comprehensive action plans and activities which would promote PPP models of financing skill development.

As per the approach paper to the 12th five year plan the quality of employment in organized sector is generally high though the scope of additional employment generation in this sector is rather limited. Significant employment generation is taking place in tertiary sector, particularly, in services industries. Self-employment and small business continue to play a vital role in this regard. It is, therefore, necessary to promote main employment generation activities like

(a) agriculture,

(b) labor intensive manufacturing sector such as food processing, leather products, textiles

(c) services sectors: trade, restaurants and hotels, tourism, construction and information technology and

(d) small and medium enterprises.

Private sector could work in greater coordination and come together to address this issue. And it is important that both sectors compliment each other’s efforts. The corporate houses could participate actively in industry led skill development programmes and by channelizing funds allocated for corporate social responsibility into funding and supporting the skills development initiatives by the government. They could be instrumental in moulding and evolving the existing skills development infrastructure in India as per the changing market dynamics, which only the industry has the best knowledge about. International collaborations could help capture the learning’s of the sector and also creating PPP models that are around the implementation of skills programs. The knowledge transfer focus on sharing the experiences of success as well as failures which has helped in the evolution of the skills systems in different countries. India Inc needs to reach out to the teeming millions. The economic implications in terms of the opportunity cost of not timely training the swelling workforce will be very high. Lack of skilled workforce may slow down productivity, research and development and ultimately lead to reduced international market share, which may be very difficult to regain if we fall behind in the race. We may permanently loose momentum and the demographic dividend may end up becoming a demographic liability. However tapping this opportunity may not only have the potential of positioning us ahead in the race but can also position as game changers.

National Judicial Appointments Commission

The National Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, 2014 (NJAC Bill) that seeks to replace the present collegium system of  choosing judges, was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 13, 2014 and by the Rajya Sabha on August 14, 2014. The NJAC Bill, which has been already passed for Presidents assent, was introduced in conjunction with the Constitutional  Bill, 2014, which gives constitutional status to the proposed Commission (NJAC or Commission). The Commission is the proposed body responsible for the appointment and transfer of judges of the higher judiciary {Supreme Court (SC) and High Courts (HC)} in India. The Constitutional Amendment Bill, if ratified by half the state legislatures in India and assented by the President of India, will become an Act. A new Article 124A (which provides for the composition of the Commission) will be appended in the Constitution, if the amendment is ratified. Constitution of the National Judicial Appointments Commission A new article, Article 124A, (which provides for the composition of the NJAC) will be inserted into the Constitution.

Composition

As per the amended provisions of the constitution, the Commission will consist of the following persons:

•          The Chief Justice of India (CJI)- the Chairperson of the Commission

•          Two other senior judges of the Supreme Court next to the Chief Justice of India - ex officio

•          The Union Minister of Law and Justice

•          Two eminent persons to be nominated by the Committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the CJI and the Leader of Opposition of the Lok Sabha or the Leader of the single largest Opposition Party in the Lok Sabha. At least one of them shall be nominated from the SC, ST, OBC, Minorities or Women.

Collegium system

The Supreme Court of India's collegium system, which appoints judges to the nation's constitutional courts, has its genesis in, and continued basis resting on, three of its own judgments which are collectively known as the Three Judges Cases. The court then created the collegium system, which has been in use since the judgment in the Second Judges Case was issued in 1993.

Functions of the NJAC:

·         The NJAC will recommend to the President the appointment and transfer of the judges of the higher judiciary (Supreme Court and High Courts).

·         The NJAC will make recommendation to the President for appointment of Chief Justice of India (CJI) and the Chief Justices of High Courts.

Procedures to be followed by the Commission

Chief Justice of India

The Commission shall recommend the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court for appointment as Chief Justice of India. This is provided if he/she is considered fit to hold the office.

Supreme Court Judges

The Commission shall recommend names of persons on the basis of their ability, merit and other criteria specified in the regulations.

The Commission shall not recommend a person for appointment if any two of its members do not agree to such recommendation.

Procedure for Selection of High Courts judges

Chief Justices of High Courts

The Commission shall recommend a Judge of a High Court to be the Chief Justice of a High Court on the basis of seniority across High Court judges. The ability, merit and other criteria of suitability as specified in the regulations would also be considered.

Appointment of other High Court Judges

The Commission shall seek nominations from Chief Justice of the concerned High Court for appointments of High Court Judges and then forward such names to the Chief Justice of the concerned High Courts for his/her views. In both cases, the Chief Justice of the High Court shall consult two senior most judges of that High Court and any other judges and advocates as specified in the regulations. The Commission shall elicit the views of the Governor and Chief Minister of the state before making recommendations. The Commission shall not recommend a person for appointment if any two members of the Commission do not agree to such recommendation.

Power of NJAC to make Regulations:

NJAC retains the power to make Regulations regarding:

•          The criteria of suitability with respect to the appointment of a judge of the SC or HC.

•          Other procedures and conditions for the selection and appointment of a judge of the SC or HC.

•          Other judges and eminent advocates who may be consulted by the Chief Justice.

•          The manner of eliciting views of the Governor and the CM of the concerned State.

•          The procedure for transfer of the Chief Justices and other judges from one HC to any other HC.

Analysis of the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC)

•          With the Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), it is expected that transparency in judicial appointments will be seen in the highest courts. Also, it would end the highest judiciary’s two-decade-old grip over the appointments of judges through the collegium system.

•          Under the present Collegium system, the Chief Justice of India consult the four senior most judges of the Supreme Court for appointments to the Supreme Court and two senior-most judges for appointments to high courts.

•          Hence, the National Judicial appointments commission gives the executive an equal role in the appointment of judges to the highest judiciary.

Concerns and Issues regarding National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC)

•          The NJAC takes away the collective opinion of the Chief Justice of India and the two senior most Judges of the Supreme Court of India.

•          Although the six-member Judicial Commission has the CJI as chairperson and two senior most Supreme Court judges as members, there was no “primacy” for their opinion which can be vetoed by any two non-judicial members on the panel.

•          There are various contentions regarding the National Judicial Appointments Commission. The following points summarize the issues and concerns related to NJAC.

•          On the contrary, under the present Collegium system, the Chief Justice of India would be consulting the four senior most judges of the Supreme Court for Supreme Court appointments and two senior-most judges for high court appointments, hence, having primacy of their collective opinion.

•          Through the NJAC Bill the parliament had “altered the basic structure of the Constitution” and encroached into judicial independence. Given here that, independence of judiciary includes elimination of the political influence even at the stage of appointment of a judge which is alleged to be violated.

Drawbacks of NJAC

1.      While appointing the eminent person, there has been no mention about whether such person is to be eminent in the field of law or otherwise.

2.      Phrase “eminent” is too wide in scope and capable of being misused.

3.      In the matter of appointing the next CJI – with the incumbent CJI sitting out the vote, the judicial members of the Commission will become a minority, and the determination of the next CJI practically left to the Executive.

4.      Government introduced two bills National Judicial Appointment Commission Bill and the 121st Constitutional Amendment Bill. If provisions of the NJAC Bill accommodated within the Amendment Bill then it would have resulted in a pre-decided eligibility criteria for appointment of judges, set and carved in stone into the Constitution, thus unchangeable by a simple Parliamentary majority.

5.      Increased role of executives might theraten independence of judiciary as a role of judiciary has become prominent with its ruling on coal scams 2G-3G scam etc.

6.      Recommendation of the Chief Justice of India would be reduced to mere suggestion.

Suggestions

It should implement recommendation of Venkatachaliah Committee, endorsed by the Vajpayee government, which suggested a panel of three judges, the Union Minister and only one ‘eminent person’, thus reducing the scope for executive interference. Also provisions of the NJAC Bill accommodated within the 121 Amendment Bill and unbiased definition of eminent must be put in place.

IAS Charisma (discover the civil services): 'स्मार्ट सिटी'

IAS Charisma (discover the civil services): 'स्मार्ट सिटी': इन   दिनों केंद्र सरकार द्वारा प्रवर्तित '' स्मार्ट सिटी"   योजना काफी चर्चा में है। कोई ऐसा राज्य नहीं जो इस योजना का लाभ न ...

'स्मार्ट सिटी'

इन दिनों केंद्र सरकार द्वारा प्रवर्तित ''स्मार्ट सिटी" योजना काफी चर्चा में है। कोई ऐसा राज्य नहीं जो इस योजना का लाभ न उठाना चाहता हो और कोई ऐसा बड़ा शहर नहीं जो इस दौड़ में शामिल न हो। इसके लिए राज्य सरकारों के शहरी विकास विभाग व नगर निगम अपना दावा पुख्ता करने के लिए आकाश-पाताल एक किए दे रहे हैं। लेकिन यह योजना आखिरकार है क्या? सरकार की ओर से जो सूचनाएं प्रसारित हुई हैं उनके अनुसार देश में एक सौ स्मार्ट सिटी स्थापित की जाएंगी तथा इसके अलावा हर बड़े शहर के आसपास सैटेलाइट टाउनशिप या उपनगर का निर्माण किया जाएगा। देश के उनतीस राज्यों में से हरेक को न्यूनतम दो स्मार्ट सिटी मिलेंगी व इनके अतिरिक्त मुंबई-दिल्ली औद्योगिक कॉरीडोर इत्यादि में इनका निर्माण किया जाएगा। सरकार का मानना है कि देश के तेजी से हो रहे शहरीकरण को व्यवस्थित करने में यह योजना कारगर होगी तथा इससे बड़े पैमाने पर रोजगार के अवसर भी सृजित होंगे। भारत सरकार ने इस योजना को स्वीकार करने में विश्व के कुछेक देशों में इसी नाम से लागू योजनाओं का अनुकरण किया है, जिनमें इंग्लैंड, इजराइल व जर्मनी आदि शामिल हैं। इन सभी में योजना के लाभ तो अनेक गिनाए गए हैं, लेकिन मुझे जो बिंदु सर्वोपरि प्रतीत होता है वह यह कि इन नए नगरों के संचालन में सूचना प्रौद्योगिकी का अधिकतम इस्तेमाल किया जाएगा।

यह मानी हुई बात है कि सभ्यता के विकास के साथ नए नगरों की स्थापना होती है और उनमें विद्यमान प्रौद्योगिकी का उपयोग किया ही जाता है। हम चाहे सिंधु घाटी सभ्यता के हड़प्पा व मोहनजोदड़ो जैसे नगरों की बात करें, चाहे उज्जैन या उज्जयिनी से उत्खनन में प्राप्त प्राचीन बसाहट की, या फिर आधुनिक समय में तीन सौ वर्ष पूर्व बसाए गए जयपुर अथवा स्वतंत्रता के बाद स्थापित चंडीगढ़, भुवनेश्वर, गांधीनगर की, इन सबमें जो भी आधुनिकतम तकनीकी प्रचलित थी, नगर निर्माण में उनका उपयोग किया गया। इसलिए इक्कीसवीं सदी के पूर्वाद्र्ध में स्थापित, विकसित की जाने वाली स्मार्ट सिटी में अद्यतन कला-कौशल का उपयोग होना स्वाभाविक माना जाएगा। यहां प्रश्न यह उठता है कि देशव्यापी योजना को अंगीकृत करने के पूर्व इस हेतु किस स्तर पर विचार-विमर्श किया जाना चाहिए था? क्या यह कार्य पूरी तरह से नीति आयोग तथा शहरी विकास मंत्रालय आदि में बैठे विशेषज्ञों व अधिकारियों पर छोड़ देना चाहिए या इस पर पूरी पारदर्शिता के साथ नागरिक समुदायों के साथ चर्चा की जाना चाहिए थी? अपनी ओर से सरकार ने कुछ अंग्रेजी अखबारों में तथा वेबसाइट पर जनता के सुझाव आमंत्रित अवश्य किए हैं, लेकिन क्या यह बेमन से उठाया गया आधा-अधूरा कदम नहीं है? जब तक जनता के पास अपनी भाषा में इस विषय की पर्याप्त जानकारी एवं उस पर बहस करने के लिए पर्याप्त समय नहीं होगा, तब तक एक आम आदमी कोई राय दे भी तो क्या दे?

इधर कुछ दिनों से छत्तीसगढ़ व मध्यप्रदेश के कुछ बड़े शहरों में अपने नगर को स्मार्ट सिटी का दर्जा दिलाने के लिए प्रशासनिक तंत्र के भीतर चर्चाएं चल रही हैं। तब क्या एक सामान्य नागरिक को यह सवाल पूछने का हक नहीं है कि अपने नगर के विकास के लिए आप एक नई अवधारणा लेकर आ रहे हैं तो इसमें उसकी सुनवाई कहां है? इस सिलसिले में यह बात भी अटपटी लगती है कि स्मार्ट सिटी के नाम पर बिल्कुल नए नगर बसाएं जाएंगे तो मौजूदा शहरों के मालिक उस पर इतनी माथापच्ची क्यों कर रहे हैं! अगर इस योजना के अन्तर्गत उपनगर बसेंगे तो वे भी तो वर्तमान नगर प्रशासन के बाहर ही रहेंगे। इससे तो यही प्रतीत होता है कि हमारे निर्वाचित प्रतिनिधियों को समय बिताने के लिए एक नया खिलौना मिल गया है। इसका दूसरा पक्ष यह भी है कि अगर इनकी मेहनत वाकई रंग लाती है और मौजूदा शहर को स्मार्ट सिटी का दर्जा मिल जाता है तो क्या फिर वे वाकई स्मार्ट सिटी कहलाने के अधिकारी होंगे?

इस लेख में अब तक मैंने शायद आधा दर्जन बार 'स्मार्ट सिटी,  संज्ञा का प्रयोग किया है। मैं जानना चाहता हूं कि हिंदी या अन्य भारतीय भाषाओं में इसकी समानार्थी संज्ञा क्या होगी? ट्विटर पर एक सज्जन ने मेरे प्रश्न के उत्तर में चतुरनगरी संज्ञा प्रस्तावित की। फिर मुझे कुछ और शब्द सूझे यथा-कुशलपुरी, कुशाग्रपुरी, चपलनगरी, दक्षनगरी आदि। फिर भी स्मार्ट का ठीक-ठीक भाव शायद इनमें से किसी में नहीं आ पाता। क्या इसकी वजह यह है कि स्मार्ट संज्ञा हमारे लिए पराई या विदेशी है? पारंपरिक रूप से धोती-कुर्ता या कुर्ता-पाजामा पहनने वालों के सामने सूट-बूट वाले लोग ही स्मार्ट कहलाते हैं। याद कीजिए सगीना महतो में दिलीपकुमार पर फिल्माया गया गीत- साला मैं तो साहब बन गया, ये सूट मेरा देखो, ये बूट मेरा देखो, जैसे गोरा कोई लंदन का; और मान लीजिए कि स्मार्ट सिटी का समानार्थी ढूंढने की आवश्यकता नहीं है। लेकिन फिर एक दूसरा दुष्ट विचार मन में उठता है कि क्या स्मार्ट सिटी में रहने वाले लोग अंग्रेजी ही बोलेंगे, लिखेंगे, उसी में सोएंगे और उसी में जागेंगे? तब फिर सरकार की उस घोषणा का क्या होगा कि बढ़ते हुए शहरीकरण को सुचारु रूप देने के लिए इनका निर्माण किया जाएगा?

एक आधुनिक नगर, कुछ-कुछ अपने समय के इंद्रप्रस्थ जैसा, जिसमें सड़कें चकाचक होंगी और इमारतें भव्य, जहां स्मार्टफोन या अन्य उपकरणों की क्लिक के साथ आदेश दिए जा सकेंगे, जहां सब कुछ करीने से होगा, उस बस्ती में क्या गांव से शहर का रुख करने वाले मुसीबत•ादा भूमिपुत्र के लिए कोई जगह होगी? किसान का बेटा शहर आकर मजदूर बनता है, लेकिन यदि इस मायानगरी में मजदूर का काम यंत्रमानव (रोबो) करेगा तो ये जमीन से उखड़े लोग फिर कहां जाएंगे? लेकिन इतना निराश क्यों हुआ जाए? शायद हो कि यहां भी इनकी सेवाओं की आवश्यकता आन पड़े! लेकिन ये कहां रहेंगे? इनके बच्चे कहां पढ़ेंगे? इनका इला•ा कहां होगा? क्या ये किसी पुराने शहर के सीमांत पर बसे स्मार्ट जे.जे. क्लस्टर (झुग्गी-झोपड़ी बस्ती) में रहेंगे, जहां से कोई स्मार्ट बस इन्हें अपनी ड्यूटी पर लाएगी और स्कूल-अस्पताल आदि के लिए इन्हें पुराने शहर का रुख करना होगा? या फिर स्मार्ट सिटी में इस तरह का भेदभाव नहीं होगा? जैसे लंदन, न्यूयॉर्क, बर्लिन में अमीर-गरीब, साहब-चपरासी उसी मैट्रो में सफर करते हैं, अक्सर उसी कैंटीन में एक लाइन में खड़े होकर अपनी प्लेट उठाते हैं, क्या भारत की स्मार्ट सिटी में इस समदर्शी व्यवहार का परिचय मिलेगा?

स्मार्ट सिटी की चर्चा करते हुए एक भय भी मन में उपजता है। अनेक वर्ष पूर्व इरविंग वालेस का उपन्यास आया था- द आर डाक्यूमेंट। इसमें बताया गया था कि एक औद्योगिक नगरी में किस तरह हर रहवासी पर कड़ी नजर रखी जाती थी। इसके बाद बांग्ला के लोकप्रिय लेखक शंकर का उपन्यास- 'सीमाबद्ध’ पढऩे मिला। इसमें जिक्र था कि कंपनी के बड़े साहब ने एक अधिकारी को बुलाकर आदेश दिया कि तुम्हारे बूढ़े माँ-बाप को आए तीन दिन हो गए, तुम्हारा ध्यान उनकी तरफ लगा रहेगा तो यहां काम कौन करेगा, उन्हें वापिस भेज दो और इलाज के लिए पैसा भेज दिया करो। क्या हमारी 'स्मार्ट सिटी’ में भी कुछ ऐसा ही वातावरण बनेगा? यह डर इसलिए बढ़ जाता है कि स्मार्ट सिटी के साथ-साथ अब देश में प्राइवेट सिटी याने निजी नगरों की अवधारणा भी प्रचलित होने जा रही है। महाराष्ट्र के लवासा को भारत की पहिली प्राइवेट सिटी निरूपित करते हुए उम्मीद की जा रही है कि शीघ्र ही ऐसे कोई तीस निजी नगर खड़े हो जाएंगे। इनके अलावा औद्योगिक नगरों का भी बखान हो रहा है। मुझे एक औद्योगिक नगर के बारे में पता है कि वहां कोई चालीस साल तक महात्मा गांधी की प्रतिमा स्थापित नहीं होने दी गई थी। अगर स्मार्ट सिटी, प्राइवेट सिटी, इंडस्ट्रियल सिटी- सब का रवैय्या यही रहा तो भारत के मजदूर वर्ग को व्यक्तिगत स्वतंत्रता, जनतांत्रिक अधिकार, मानवीय गरिमा आदि के बारे में भूल जाना पड़ेगा। हम उम्मीद करते हैं कि इस पर खुली बहस होगी।

मैं अपनी बात का समापन बीती रात देखे सपने के उल्लेख से करना चाहता हूं। मैंने देखा कि मेरा नगर याने रायपुर स्मार्ट सिटी बन गया है। जनता मुदित है। सारी सड़कें फोरलेन हो गई हैं। बरसात का पानी सड़कों पर जमा नहीं हो रहा है। सारे तालाब पाट दिए गए हैं क्योंकि हर घर में रेनवाटर हार्वेस्टिंग हो रही है। हर घर में फ्री वाई-फाई पहुंच गया है। सारे स्कूल-कॉलेज बंद कर दिए गए हैं- बच्चे घर से ही ई-क्लास रूम में उपस्थिति दे रहे हैं। सारे बागीचों में प्लास्टिक केपेड़ रोप दिए गए हैं, ताकि नागरिक पेड़-पौधों से होने वाली एलर्जी से बच सकें। राजधानी के तमाम नेता सांस्कृतिक -सामाजिक कार्यक्रमों में बिल्कुल घड़ी का कांटा देखकर पहुंच रहे हैं लेकिन आयोजक क्षमायाचना कर रहे हैं कि एक भी दर्शक-श्रोता नहीं आया, सब अपने घर में बिग स्क्रीन पर कार्यक्रम देखने के लिए बैठे हुए हैं। कोई बाहर नहीं निकलना चाहता, सिवाय फास्ट फुड की डिलीवरी करने वाले बाइक-सवारों के अलावा। कहिए, क्या ख्याल है?

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