Author: Rajesh Tandon
As India completes 70 years of independence from colonial rule on August 15, it is time to take stock of its governance related challenges ahead.
As my generation of post independent India entered the professional world forty years ago, we had a sense of uncertain future ahead. Economic opportunities for young engineers and management professionals were rather limited, and many amongst us sailed to foreign lands in search of further education and meaningful livelihoods.
THEN?
Those days, any interaction with a visitor from such foreign lands inevitably focused on poor physical infrastructure in the country. Power cuts, brown outs, noisy diesel generators were a universal conversation starter at home or work place. Then came pot holes, broken foot-paths, hanging electric wires and open manholes—beware should you try to get out on the road.
The visitor was very curious about incessant honking by cars and other vehicles on the roads. Presence of cows and dogs on the roads of nation’s capital also made the visitor raise eyebrows? When asked, I used to just smile then.
Whenever conversations with foreign visitors focused on very poor physical infrastructure in the country forty years ago, including in nation’s capital, I used to instead boast about very reliable ‘social infrastructure’ in India. I used to describe unwavering support of family in India—in good and bad times, in youth and adulthood, in mutual care-giving, and raising kids. I would also boast about our much stronger friendships, neighbourhood support networks and social connections (even though we had no telephones then).
My arguments were that very superior and reliable social infrastructure in India made up for some of the constraints imposed by very poor physical infrastructure. I would occasionally remind such visitors that in respect of social infrastructure, we were far superior than their own, as many of their people were facing problems of loneliness, depression and fragile relationships.
NOW?
Forty years later, now when India@70, what is the status of our physical infrastructure? Billions of dollars of public investment has been made in power supply, roads, flyovers, highways, sewage, etc. over this period. Further, governments have spent several hundred lakhs of crores of rupees in the construction of stadiums, office buildings, airports, bus-stands, shopping complexes, housing facilities, etc.
Roads continue to have potholes; buildings leak; loose electric lines electrocute people; sewage is leaking all over; water-logging has made monsoon a nightmare; foot-paths have been ‘occupied’ illegally; cows, dogs and other animals continue to occupy roads and public spaces at will; honking is closely associated with perpetual traffic jams; people are still urinating on the side-walks in the absence of clean public toilets.
And my much- touted ‘social infrastructure’ has almost collapsed since then! Family support has weakened; neighbours do not recognise each other; social network has become violent.
Road rage is widespread; indiscipline at home, work & public spaces has increased dramatically; some youth are depressed; so many elderly are abandoned; many young women feel stalked and groped today. In digital relationships, trolling & abuse have reached nightmarish proportions.
Our culture of listening to, and tolerance of, different and dissimilar others is vanishing fast.
So, India@70 needs to not only improve its physical infrastructure dramatically, it also needs to ‘re-build’ its social infrastructure vigorously. Doing these two tasks of ‘nation-building’ together is the essential governance challenge for India@70.
Dr Rajesh Tandon
Founder-President, PRIA
August 15, 2017
PRIA’s MobiliseHER team traveled to Bangalore during the week of June, 10 – 14, 2024. The aim of the visit was to gain relevant insights into the civil society ecosystem in Bangalore and meet different organisations to understand the city through a lens of gender and inclusive mobility.
Working at PRIA, often leads us to various cities across the country. Each trip is an opportunity to witness firsthand the challenges and triumphs of different communities.
Mr. Yedukrishnan V has recently joined PRIA after gaining valuable experience in the development sector. Drawing from his journey in the social sector and personal encounters in Kerala, he emphasises the importance of participatory governance and research in empowering marginalised communities.'
