DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE
Chapter 14
DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE
While enunciating a development perspective for Punjab, an essential prerequisite is to spell out a vision for the state – the kind of economy, society, polity, ecology and ideology envisaged for it, over a given period of time. This style of dealing with the issue is strikingly different from the usual style wherein the future agenda is set in the light of the evolving scene, particularly with reference to problems that have emerged on the way. The intention is to define and work out a feasible dream for the state and thus go beyond the conventional diagnostic and curative approach.
In its bare essentials, the state has to be not only efficient and progressive economically, just and harmonious socially, democratic and participatory politically, friendly and prudent ecologically, aesthetic and functional spatially, but also civil and sustainable systemically. In this light, one can envision Punjab eventually as a region which is sub-urban, displaying a continuum of rural and urban, agriculture and non-agriculture, with a hierarchy of settlements interlinked by a free-flowing transport network; thereby serving as a stage for what is envisioned. Herein, symbolically, the role of a development architect, social scientist and a professional practitioner gets entwined. Things would have been easy if Punjab were a clean slate to work on. Certainly it is not. This poses a real challenge. The evolved scene has to be redesigned and reconstructed rather than being built anew.
CONTEXT
Some salient features of Punjab may be recapitulated. It enjoys the highest per capita income in the country (Rs. 23,043 against the national average of Rs. 15,562 in 1999-2000), and is highlighted as a model of agricultural development. Here poverty is not an issue; achieving a higher level of economic well-being or becoming more affluent is! People can move to a greener pasture anywhere in the world if the opportunities at home are not attractive
DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE
While enunciating a development perspective for Punjab, an essential prerequisite is to spell out a vision for the state – the kind of economy, society, polity, ecology and ideology envisaged for it, over a given period of time. This style of dealing with the issue is strikingly different from the usual style wherein the future agenda is set in the light of the evolving scene, particularly with reference to problems that have emerged on the way. The intention is to define and work out a feasible dream for the state and thus go beyond the conventional diagnostic and curative approach.
In its bare essentials, the state has to be not only efficient and progressive economically, just and harmonious socially, democratic and participatory politically, friendly and prudent ecologically, aesthetic and functional spatially, but also civil and sustainable systemically. In this light, one can envision Punjab eventually as a region which is sub-urban, displaying a continuum of rural and urban, agriculture and non-agriculture, with a hierarchy of settlements interlinked by a free-flowing transport network; thereby serving as a stage for what is envisioned. Herein, symbolically, the role of a development architect, social scientist and a professional practitioner gets entwined. Things would have been easy if Punjab were a clean slate to work on. Certainly it is not. This poses a real challenge. The evolved scene has to be redesigned and reconstructed rather than being built anew.
CONTEXT
Some salient features of Punjab may be recapitulated. It enjoys the highest per capita income in the country (Rs. 23,043 against the national average of Rs. 15,562 in 1999-2000), and is highlighted as a model of agricultural development. Here poverty is not an issue; achieving a higher level of economic well-being or becoming more affluent is! People can move to a greener pasture anywhere in the world if the opportunities at home are not attractive