5.40 ndian onom
Drinking water (National Rural Drinking This way, we can see a initiative fool proof
Water Programme, etc.); policy towards inclusive growth getting evolved
Education (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, by the GoI which is sustainable, too. The Planning
Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, Commission (11th Plan) says that inclusive
Model School Scheme, etc.). growth can only be ensured if there is a degree
The short-term policy has two drawbacks- of empowerment that creates a true feeling of
Firstly, the schemes in it are subsidy-based, which participation so necessary in a democratic polity.
Empowerment of disadvantaged and hitherto
incurr heavy drain on the national exchequer (it
marginalised groups is therefore an essential
means it will not be fiscally sustainable in the
part of any vision of inclusive growth. India’s
long run). Secondly, the schemes fail to make the
democratic polity, with the establishment of the
target population self-dependent. This is why the
third layer of democracy at the PRIs level, provides
government has also evolved a long-term policy in
opportunities for empowerment and participation
this regard.
of all groups with reservations for SCs, STs and
long-term Policy women. These institutions should be made more
effective through greater delegation of power and
This policy is aimed at bringing in self-dependence responsibility.
in the target population. This policy contains in
The strategy for inclusive growth in the 11th
itself the sustainability element, too. The attempts
and 12th Plans is not just a conventional strategy
by the governments may be classified as given
for growth to which some elements aimed at
below:
inclusion have been added. On the contrary, it is
All the schemes which aim at poverty a strategy which aims at achieving a particular type
alleviation and employment generation; of growth process, which will meet the objectives
All the programmes which promote of inclusiveness and sustainability. A key feature
education at any level; of the inclusive growth strategy is that growth of
Vocationalisation of education (one such “GDP should not be treated as an end in itself, but
old idea has been the Industrial Training only as a means to an end”. This is best done by
Institutes); and adopting monitorable targets, which would reflect
Skill Development (a recent idea). the multi-dimensional economic and social
objectives of inclusive growth. Furthermore, to
In recent time, we see increased emphasis
ensure efficient and timely implementation of the
on imparting right ‘skill’ among the population.
accompanying projects and programmes, these
Towards this, the government decided in 2008–09
targets need to be disaggregated at the level of the
to launch a skill development programme in the
states which implement many of the programmes.
country through the National Skill Development
Corporation (a joint venture not-for-profit
rESourcE MoBILISAtIon
company under the Ministry of Finance. There is
an overall target of skilling/upskilling 500 million Resource mobilisation is a broad term which
people in India by 2022, mainly by fostering includes raising and directing the resources
private sector initiatives in skill development (physical and human) of the economy to realise
programmes and provide funding. The new the desired socio-economic objectives. It involves
government at Centre has also given the same call all the economic policies activated by the
in the ‘Skill India’. governments—we can percieve it to be the very