Needed, Himachal-2020 vision

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HimVani

Today Himachal entered the fifth decade of its existence as a state in its present geographic shape, and we are well aware of the distance travelled so far (7740 kms in 1971 to 33,171 kms in 2010 in terms of road length as per huge newspaper advertisement that have appeared today, if that is any indicator). This and other figures presented by the government in multiples are of course not the complete truth as the road to development is never a straight one and the medals flaunting the ‘Number 1’ state tag too are no less misleading. The ground reality being that an average Himachali still lives on per capita income not much better than a person living in any poor country. Of course, we are better off than most other states in India in many aspects, but it’s high time the state abandons Central clutches and sets forth to shape its own future in true spirit of federalism. The goal should be to make Himachal the first developed economy in the country, and as early as 2020.

Himachal-2020 as a developed economy, a Herculean task but not impossible. All we need is political vision, will power, administrative efficiency and lots of enterprise. It’s time the state leadership starts thinking independently and believe in themselves. The Chief Minister in his address to the state has promised ample opportunities of development and employment for all to make the state self-reliant, but this cannot be achieved with a mindset and work culture crippled by limitations of ambition.

Ambition is something we Himachalis have never been fond off, preferring a laid-back living. Fine, development should not come at a cost of peace of mind, but the parameters for quality of life over the time have changed and the romanticism of indifference can at best be described as prehistoric. We are struggling for access to basic facilities like decent healthcare, consumer utilities, and social security, so there is no point being under the wrong impression of having done well vis-à-vis our needs. Given the resources the state has, its residents have every right to demand a better quality of life and that is possible when these resources are used and managed properly and not just allowed to be plundered. For this, everyone having a stake in the state should come together and draw a roadmap for resource management and utilization. And the state leadership has a great role to play here, to build a consensus on issues of state importance, which should be kept untouched by petty politics.

The current Chief Minister has shown courage to take up some ambitious infrastrural projects and this should now be taken to the next level, considering that infrastructure-building is the backbone of any economy. And with two local leaders in important central ministries, there is scope for boom in the local financial market, but sadly, time is running out.

Beyond politics, the Chief Minister should show courage to bring together the knowledge pool of the state, to utilise the best local brains for local development. As of now we should admit that brain drain has never allowed the state to get a start. Any Himachali with some ambition takes the first bus out of the state, and also the unemployed who consider themselves lucky to have found menial jobs in neighbouring states. The government has a task cut out here, but it needs long-term strategy and not just a patch-up work like declaring 70% reservation for Himachalis.

And above all, every Himachali should cultivate confidence of living in a gifted land and making the most out of it. There’s a lot that can be done and achieved in the state, and no one from outside will come and tell this to us.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. उस प्रदेश का क्या होगा
    जिसमें सरकारी धन को प्राइवेट सेक्टर में मेडिक्लैम के बहाने बहाया जा रहा है जबकि सारे सरकारी हस्पताल जरुरी सुविधाओं के अभाव में चल रहे हैं .मरीज सरकारी हस्पतालों के बहार दम तोड़ रहे हैं .
    जिसमें हिमाचल प्रदेश के सरकारी वेब पर प्राइवेट शिक्षण ससंथाओं के नाम दिखाए जा रहें हैं .
    जिसमें बीडी सिगरेट तथा पोलीथिन पर प्रतिबंध के बहाने कार्बोन क्रेडिट किया जा रहा है और प्रोजेक्टों से पर्यावरण के नुकसान को छुपाया जा रहा है
    जिसमें विधुत प्रोजेक्ट लगाये जा रहें हैं पानी का कोई पता नहीं .
    वाटर शेड बनाये जा रहें हैं पिने के लिए पानी नहीं है .
    सेमेंट फक्ट्रियां लगाई जा रही हैं और सीमेंट महंगा बिक रहा है .
    कर्मचारियों को देने के लिए पैसे नहीं हैं और CFL मुफ्त में बाटें जा रहे हैं
    Fuse CFL ओर बचत बिजली की
    krishi के लिए भूमि नहीं हैं और उद्योगों के नाम पर भूमि बिक रही है .
    अवैध भूमि kharid फरोख्त हो रही है और पटवारी ,कानूनगो पर कोई करवाई नहीं
    नौजवान ठेके की नौकरियां कर रहें हैं और उनकी जिंदगी की कोई सुरक्षा नहीं है
    जॉब के लिए ठेके पर नौकरियां दी जा रही जिसकी अवधी फिक्स है
    जहाँ नौकरियां है नहीं प्राइवेट स्कूलl कॉलेज हजारों खोले जा रहें हैं .
    जहाँ सरकारी संसथान जैसे की HRTC के बस stand ठेके पर दिए जा रहे हैं और HRTC के पास पैसे नहीं है
    जहाँ एक सड़क कई बार ठेके पर दी जाती और पता नहीं खड्डे में सड़क है या सडक में खड्डा 1
    .पैसा वर्ल्ड बैंक का ,स्वस्थ्य,शिक्षा ,और पर्व्यवरण के नाम पर ,खर्च कहीं और काट प्लान के पैसे का पता नहीं
    टैक्स ,पानी, जमीन हिमाचल की और packaege बाहर के उद्योगों को
    सरकार प्रदेश की और जिमेवारी केंद्रसरकार की
    विकास अमीरों का नाम गरीबों का
    क्या होगा प्रदेश का कोई पता नहीं कैसा Vision कैसी सरकारें

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