First hundred days of new govt

Low that the elections are almost over and various ministries have been told to make a list of tasks to be initiated or completed in the first hundred days. Regardless of which government comes to power, there will surely be a need to show that social impact in the term is a priority.

We are in the month of May and the rains may arrive in early to mid June. Skymet forecasts 77 per cent chances of below the normal rainfall in June. Most other forecasts also are sanguine about the prospects due to el nino effect.

What should we do then? Obviously, if the rain fall is likely to be less by 70 per cent in June and by 50 per cent in July. Should not conserving this water be the first priority? Advisory is due to all states to urgently commission all earth digging/moving equipment, and dredgers which private sector may be willing to provide as a social contribution, to deepen canals, tanks, ponds, and all other water bodies. At the same time, new water conservation measures must be taken up on an emergency basis. The drinking water crisis is likely to take place. And it is completely avoidable. The Farmers are already complaining about lack of irrigation resources. Manufacturing index is already low and thus industrial demand for water is likely to rise too. Water management is likely to become pivotal in the first hundred days and a crisis management group may be needed to ensure that there is peace and order through persuasion, self-regulation and participation of people in reducing consumption of water.

Second priority will be seed and fertiliser distribution among those farmers whose seed may be lost due to a y spell in the early rains. Or maybe excessive late rains which may cause a ss in eastern India. Emergency second sowing may be needed in many parts of the country.

Third priority may be a massive industrial internship program for youth who have waited patiently without jobs and relevant skilling opportunities. Creating immediate jobs may not be possible but if large scale paid internship is generated, it will provide low-cost workshop, develop skills of youth and some of them will also get absorbed on merit in these or other industries. Much of the skill development program has been delinked with actual jobs being generated in the economy.

Fourth priority must be to improve productivity in various sectors by regional, national and global benchmarking. There is so much asymmetry in productivity in each cluster, district and region in various sectors. It is not difficult to find out most productive, energy efficient industrial unit or farming unit in each cluster/gramsabha  and document, analyse and share the factors responsible for the same. This was the advice Gandhiji gave a  long time ago and we have still not implemented it as a major policy plank. It quite is likely that those farmers who are found to be most productive also use less water, and chemical inputs. Similarly, most productive industrial units might be oprioduc8ing less waste and consumer lesser energy per unit of production than others. Sickness in the industry can be overcome on a long term basis by improving productivity of labour, energy and capital.

Fifth priority is access to basic health and nutrition by all, not just tertiary but also high quality primary and secondary health care must be provided to all. The diagnostic mission will need to be set up so that all innovations in this space get tested and screened on top priority for final procurement in different regions. Instead of patronising any one company, let multiple choices be available at each PHC and then depending upon after-sale service, and quality of consistent performance, the best may survive. Sixth priority is to use public procurement as a major driver for promoting, industrial and system innovations. 

The author is founder of Honey Bee Network & visiting faculty at IIM-A 
anilgb@gmail.com