LIBERALISM'S NEW MEANING
I am awed by terms like liberal economic policies, privatisation,and free market enterprise which the so called liberals feel will eradicate povery and not socialist ideals which are utopian. Since 1991 when our economy was unshackled by state controls, thanks largely due to word bank and IMF mandates and a man who wanted to prove himself as development Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, th disparities between the haves and have nots have only widened and new crop of millionaires have sprang up. I for one refuse to believe that this could be the model of development that our country is destined for after its trust with destiny in the midnight of 15th August 1947. I share the views of late Chandrasekhar who said there is no one in the present polity who could be considered more patriotic than Jawarharlal Nehru the neo liberals favorite whipping boy. I found my conviction totally justified when I read the new draft water policy formed by UPA II which wants state to withdraw from delivery of water for drinking to households and farms for irrigation which it feels should be left to community and private players who will have to ensure delivery and recover costs. All related subsidies, the paper has said should be withdrawn but has recommended that private players need to be incentivised and subsidies offered to help them reuse water and recycling of pollutant water through appropriate technology. This has been advocated by IMF and world bank mandarins for a long time but put in the backburner for the mass upsurge that such a step could incite.
In this country, 60% of population have no access to clean drinking water and lack basic sanitation. UPA-II wants the welfare state to abdicate its responsbility and handover it to private players who will sell water abundantly available in nature to the people.It is understandable to promote water harvesting and better water management techniques but to recommend delivery of water should be on the basis of cost recoveries in a poor country like ours is again anti people and lacks moral authority to govern.
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