Low Unemployment and Heavy Investment Strategy for Gujarat?

The latest reports of Ministry of Labour Government of India, projects Gujarat as least unemployment in country. This is also contrast to high investment opportunity being offered in the state. How sustainable would be investment in absence of labour shortage. Given the huge investment promises and related land utilization or intention to use 1000 ha of land for the projects in leiu of the employment where are the labour. There is feeling in the state that too much capital flow in absence of manpower, can spell disaster for the state. Given the migration flows, even declining from across the states in country, a huge rural-urban population shift has happened since 1991 till 2011 where is scope for further demographic adjustment in next decade. A urbanisation fueled by investment in infrastructure courtsey the JnNURM and UIDSSMT scheme the migration to cities from the rural hinterland has been rising high. Moreover there is talk of setting up the Special Investment Regions (12-13) in the state to serve the special economic zones and also to act as independent cities, where are the people? The government is invested a bit high on the much talked Dholera SIR, but prospects for the 'peopling' i.e., shifting of the people to these destinations seems to be weak. What than is the task ahead for the Government and industry investors given the shortage of labour as predicted by many? The over reliance on the external migratory tendency would be misjudged as too ambitious given the development projects, and investment happening in rapid pace in neighbouring Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Gujarat needs to look some where else to source labourer or the industry needs to be prepared for the high labour costs.

A big change in the income levels due to rise in investments and surplus for disposal in the developed districts of the state is indicator for the line of actions government should be ahering before its too late. Gujarat remains now less attractive given its falliability to eminent crisis in future. It would be interesting to revive the argument in the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat.

MUP Admissions, APIED, VV Nagar

Bhaikaka Centre for Human Settlement, APIED,

Sardar Patel University (V.V. Nagar) ANAND

Masters in Urban Planning

(Recognized by Institute of Town Planners India, ITPI, New Delhi)

Applications Invited from eligible candidates for the Masters in Urban Planning (MUP) full time course. Following are the details;

Course Duration : two years (Four Semister)

Eligibility: B.Arch/B.E.(Civil)/MA/MSC in Economics/Sociology/Geography or other equivalant degree specified in admission brouchure.

Tentative Admission Schedule: Application Acceptence: Last week July/Admission - 1st Week Aug.

For More information call

Shashikant Kumar

Course Coordinator (MUP)

09898353419

www.apied.edu.in

State Vs State Politics of Bandh

The bandh called by opposition parties in India has now active support of the state governments, the states ruled by the opposition parties irrespective of the nature of call, are glued to party ideologies rather than responsible state governments. The state v/s state in the fight between centre and state parties led to division of polity and marred with illusion of the governments across the country. How can state government support a bandh called to opposed a central government decision? How does the tier of the government functions? Is democracy is responsible for these incidents. Whether you are in support of the price rise or against if you happen to live in the opposition ruled state the chances of you doing normal business during 'bandh' call is null. There is no opposition to such an directives in the state, the system in the states like West Bengal, Orissa, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu etc would support such bandh. Does this mean we are still living in draconian era of British raj? The polity of nation, with such a polarization has gone too far in addressing the needs of 'common men'. The losses suffered by the state would be much larger than the profits to be earned by the petroleum companies. The taxes (VAT) levied by state itself on the petroleum products show no respite in bringing down, thus making this support to nationwide strike an hoax.

What more you can ask from the central government, despite the deregulation on the pricing of the petroleum, the politics of the nation since 1970s revolves around controlling it. The magnitude of the problem is not the price rise per se, but the manner in which it was bending to the demands of the marketing companies. The international performance of the Rupee against the dollar might also trigger the reduction in the profits of the oil companies in long run. There is no doubt on the concerns of the opposition parties, but this is time to rethink on the policy of state support to such bandh.Whether we like it or not these strike once supported by the opposition ruled states shows the extreme polarisation and real loss of communication between the centre and states. The idea of using non-conventional energy sources for the majority of the activities needs to be promoted and also the reduction in consumption of fuel needs to be encouraged.

The politics over the petroleum products would take undue turn in case there is real crisis in terms of balance of payments, governments would be in fix in order to bring regulation in the market. The large share of oil imports would become negative to the political climate in country with more control on the products such crisis as of today i.e. 31 may 2012 can not be ruled out. Tomorrow what happens when centre deregulates the pricing of petroleum products, the politics of nation would be less spicy. What to say, can we afford the state vs state fight in infringe on the governance system where centre and state has to support each other on the key policy matters. Let the political parties debate on the rise but calling or supporting the bandhs by the states should be regarded as unconstitutional!!

New Political Dharma of NDA

The NDA seems to have been wearing shoes of Communist Party of India (M), while the nation grapples with the price hike (though we thought the NDA agreed to decontrol the petrol prices by Government of India, the sector is still in the clutches of government. Given the decontrol regime the prices of the essentials are well within control, the petroleum sector now dominated by major corporates even NDA would not be able to live without pleasing its corporate funders. The comparative prices of the petroleum products under the free market economy is controlled by the corporates. The subsidy components offered to the citizens of India were to be phased out, but could not happens sans the political will of the parties in power and opposition.

Now after recent hike the NDA would be on the roads, and so would be our 'poor' middle class. The traditional congress bashing and credit of price rise would be going to core group of Government of India. From Corruption the country is diverted to petrol price hike..do you see politcal angle...let the new poster boy of BJP handle the situation, and leave the sulking grand old man of BJP aside.

Hail the champion of 'Party with Difference'