Should the black money go?
Beer may cost `4, rural education might improve drastically and the country’s infrastructure might progress by leaps and bounds. Short of wishing that pigs might fly, everyone seems to have a wishlist about what the country should do in case the estimated $1.4 trillion in black money comes back to India.
While some might say that it is like putting the cart before the horse, it’s not stopping SMS and Facebook updates doing the rounds extolling the plus points of bringing the money back to India. A sample: “If all the black money in Swiss banks returns to India, then: beer = `4; vodka = `10; whisky = `15; soda = `1.25. At least now support Anna Hazare”.
With Anna winning his Lokpal battle, people are now hoping that the black money issue too will be taken up in earnest.
Engineering student and president of NGO Street Cause, Mithesh Lohiya, feels that at least quarter of the black money should be invested in education. “Even if a quarter of the $1.4 trillion is used for educating the rural masses, there would be a massive change in the way India works,” he says.
Inspired by Baba Ramdev, a Delhi youngster created a Facebook page dedicated to the issue. “Although it was not so popular initially, Anna Hazare’s fight got more people on the page,” shares Pardeep Jangra.
Having experienced the struggles of rural life himself, Jangra asserts that the money should be used in developing rural India. “The quality of life in villages is extremely low. From sanitation to education, various issues need to be looked into. Agriculture also needs special attention as farmers are struggling with no access to technological advancements,” says the CEO of bawlibooch.com.
The youngsters’ passionate endorsement of the issue, “India lies in its villages” is not unwarranted. Neha Sinha, economist, National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange of India, says that India’s farm sector is grappling with stagnation. “Funding farm sectorial requirements would help improve supply of agri-commodities and promote general welfare by cooling inflation. Farm sector growth is also the key to maintaining overall growth,” she says.
Most experts, however, root for the infrastructure sector. Says Harishchandra Prasad, chairman, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), “Although return of the black money is a Utopian idea, if India does have some money to spare, then focus should be on infrastructure to achieve sustainability. Phase two should be manufacturing.”
Agrees Tridip Ray, associate professor of Planning Unit, Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), “Infrastructure needs close to a trillion dollars and the private sector does not seem to be keen in investing here.”
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