By Bijay Kumar Singh New Delhi, Jan 14 (PTI) Noted development economist JeanDreze has pitched for more inclusive and active socialpolicies in India, saying even a high rate of economic growthhas failed to improve the quality of life of a large sectionof people in the country.
Dreze also expressed concern over widespreadunderemployment and stagnating wages, which according to him,reflected 'lopsidedness of economic growth in India.' "What is even more worrying is that relatively fasteconomic growth continues to go hand in hand with sluggishimprovements in people's living conditions and the quality oflife. Addressing this requires not only more inclusive growthbut also more active social policies," Dreze told PTI in aninterview.
Dreze, a former member of the former UPA government'sNational Advisory Council, said that had India's economicgrowth been more labour-intensive then the country would haveseen an increase in real wages, and possibly an increase inwomen's participation in the labour force.
"Instead, real agricultural wages have remained more orless constant for the best of the last four years, and women'sworkforce participation is stagnating at one of the lowestlevels in the world. The stagnation of real wages is a clearsign, among others, of the lopsidedness of economic growth inIndia," he asserted.
Contrary to business propaganda, Dreze pointed out, thesocial spending in India is quite low by internationalstandards as a proportion of GDP.
"If it rises in the run-up to the next elections, thatwill be good news, as long as the money is well spent," saidDreze, who has done extensive work in India on issues likehunger, famine, and the MNREGA.
Talking about rising intolerance in India, the eminenteconomist said that ideally the people should not justtolerate each other, but befriend each other.
"If a Hindu marries a Muslim, we should celebrate ratherthan tolerate. Someone said that a well-integrated society isone where 'everyone is a potential friend'. If that is theaim, we have a long way to go,"he emphasised. PTI BKSBJ.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.