Looking ahead and thinking aloud

(ESTD 1982)

www.dalitindia.com dalitindia@rediffmail.com

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LOOKING AHEAD AND THINKING ALOUD *

- NSFDC and DAILT DEVELOPMENT

The National Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation has been set up, by the Government of India on 8th February, 1989, under Section 25 of the Companies Act 1956. The aim of the Corporation is to Develop and Finance different schemes for the Development, Growth and Welfare of the Scheduled castes and Scheduled Tribes.

SCHEDULED CASTES & SCHEDULED TRIBES, AND DEVELOPMENT MODELS

Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe population in this country is today estimated to be around 200 million in number. They are basically assetless people, having been oppressed over the millennium. Hence neither they possess any wealth, hold land or any property, nor are they employed in decent/good jobs, or paid adequately for their services. Seen from any perspective, in any sphere, they come at the bottom of the social, cultural, political and economic hierarchies. Further, the problem has become very complex, in view of the fact that the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes; and some pockets where the concentration to some extent of the Scheduled Castes could be found.

Thinking of any Development, and to Finance projects and schemes for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Development, and Planning for the same is, therefore, a very essential, major and important task. The Planning has to be Nation Wide, with knowledge of the differing local and regional conditions, for taking up Micro Level Development of the SCs and STs of the regions/areas. This, therefore, requires and exclusive Institution/Establishment, comparable to that of the Planning Commission. Unfortunately, our experience is that, till today, we have not had even a single Member in the Planning Commission, with Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes background. Of course, there have been at times some Central Cabinet Ministers associated with discussions of the Planning Commission, in their official capacity, and hence been ex-officio Members of the Planning Commission, or as the State Minister/Deputy Minister in charge of the Planning Commission in Parliament on behalf of the Government, without having the real control over the thinking and activities of the Planning Commission. The Planning process along was controlled by the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman enjoying the personal, political and other confidence of the Chairman.

Any planning, for a 200 million strong population is itself a gigantic task. As most of us are aware, the population of SCs and STs, equals the population of either of the super powers-USA & USSR. The two super-powers, have for long, adopted different socio-economic and politico-commercial ideologies. USA has opted for capitalism, allowing the growth of a ‘free economy’ controlled, planned and monitored by a number of private giants and multi-nationals, leading to cut-throat, competition for raw materials, capital and all other resources. On the other hand, USSR has chosen the communist model, that lays emphasis on central planning and planned development of the economic on a socialistic framework, to ensure a quick, forced development, by utilizing the available resources, theoretically at the optimum levels. However, both the economics, in spite of their experiences spread over many many decades, cannot claim that they had solved the economic problems of their respective nations, and the social needs of different groups of the population living within the borders of their countries. Therefore, there is a need to look for Special Models for the Development of the SCs and STs.

THE CHALLENGE BEFORE NSFDC

Planning for the Development and Welfare of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes becomes extremely complex and difficult, not only in view of the fact that ours is a developing economy, and we live in the Third World, but especially because the SCs and STs come last in every sphere of life, and are mostly illiterate, are assetless- do not own properties; or possess any other material wealth or resource- and are not any where near the profitable & paying spheres of business and industry, or have a footing in the academic and service sectors. This is the challenge confronting NSFDC, and it has to be faced squarely and immediately.

NSFDC being a new Corporation, there is a need to acquire knowledge, reliable data of qualitative nature and expertise as well as locate appropriate manpower with the right type of aptitude. There is also the need to identify workable ideas, locate viable schemes and evolve feasible models, which are worthwhile emulating the replicating in different parts of the country amongst different groups and sections of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Development of SCs and STs

The only thing available today with the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are:

1. The skills of their hand;

2. Creative ideas to build physical assets;

3. Native intelligence about the areas in which they live;

4. Physical stamina to endure and put up with difficult environments, withstand stress and strains and continue to work in trying circumstances, amidst uncooperative people and under unwanted/avoidable pressures, and still achieve some productive results of creative nature.

The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are known over the history, for having directly contributed to the well being of the national economy, continuity, and survival of the society with their skills in the basic productive sectors of:

1. Agricultural and other Farm Activities.

2. Forestry.

3. Leather Processing and Leather Works.

4. Mining.

5. The construction sphere of building houses, factories, roads, bridges, highways and railways, and the creation of other industrial infrastructures.

6. In other Non-Farm Sectors of Industries.

7. In the Service Sector of maintaining civic cleanliness and health services, and maintenance of social hygiene etc.

It is therefore, advisable to start the development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in these sectors first, as they already have the experience of the operation/work inherited from their forefathers, and have basic knowledge of the area. However, to liberate them from the traditional socio- cultural oppression by the cruel feudal elements, and from the dependency and influence of the vested interests, various non- traditional developmental programmes need to be supported financially, to encourage the SCs and STs to take up and manage their own projects of larger dimensions in new areas and spheres. These would involve the following elements/stages of project formulation and their successful management:

1. Development of ideas

2. Entrepreneurship Development/Training

3. Project Formulation & Appraisal

4. Manpower identification

5. Arranging Finance

6. Technical Training

7. Managerial inputs

8. Raw Material procurement

9. Marketing

10. Financial control, Evaluation and further investment.

PLANNING PRIORITIES

As we know, there is no dearth of manpower among the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The only asset they have today is their large manpower. In the absence of schemes to utilize the manpower appropriately in a productive manner, this large manpower unfortunately has become a burden. Lack of unity, ideas and massive poverty and oppressive helplessness amongst them are the immediate great hurdles.

The need of the hour, therefore, is to identify projects, and formulate viable schemes, provide entrepreneurial, technical and managerial inputs, to ensure that the SCs and STs come forward to share their ideas and experiences, pool their skills and creative capabilities, and work together as a team, and be in position to mange projects profitably and successfully with necessary technical and managerial inputs wherever needed.

The necessary entrepreneurship development; and the requisite managerial and technical inputs, need to be provided by the State-level Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes Corporations and other professional, academic and voluntary bodies who can take up this as a challenge. NSFDC can help in this by organizing Special Training Programmes. This would necessitate creating a Manpower Development Division. This can also incidentally take up Skill Formation & Self-Employment Training. Placement and Export of Manpower to different Regions/States and also abroad.

Identification of markets and procurement of raw materials are other important spheres, which should also be taken care of. Finally, Financial Management, to ensure that the income generated are carefully accounted for, and channelised for the benefit of those members of the Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes involved, in the project, and make the surplus generated available for further investment and future development of other SCs and STs, is a vital area of input that is a must to sustain the overall and all round development of the SC and STs.

To begin with, the immediate requirement is the necessary, organizational skills to bring together the highly divided and widely scattered/disbursed Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes in different villages, colonies and other areas, living isolated from one another amongst themselves in the name of religion, caste and sub-caste, tribes and groups, and something’s on grounds of language and region. This has to be tackled with the help of the Cooperative Organizations, Peoples Groups, & Practicing Professional Sociologists.

SOME PROJECTS

Some of the ideas that could be considered for taking up for immediate implementation are:

1. Starting small Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Cooperative Ancillary Industries, to supply components and spare-parts to the big and medium size Industries such as the public sector undertakings, For this purpose, apprentices and ex-apprentices trained by the respective Industries, but could not be employed for want of adequate number of vacancies, could be brought together, with the efforts of the State Government and Regional Cooperative Departments, and financed by the State Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes Corporations and NSFDC. In addition, institutions like the Entrepreneurship Development Centers, Industries, Manufacturers, Associations, various Management Associations could be involved, for providing the necessary training, technical and managerial inputs. Further, the public sector undertakings could be requested to help in the initial stages to establish production to the standards and qualities required by them.

2. Formation of SC & ST Transport Cooperatives, with a fleet of vehicles to undertake movement of men and material, in the areas where such works are concentrated, as in the Warehouses, Goods Sheds & Railway Yards, Transport Centers etc.

3. Development of Market Complexes with markets and shops in the ground floor, houses for the shopkeepers in the first-floor, and offices and other establishments in the second and third floors that could be rented or leased out to generate income.

4. Establishment of Manpower Development, Placement & Export Corporations with training facilities and other Institutional support to meet the immediate and future needs in those areas where the demands are growing-like Typing, Shorthand, Computer Operators, Driving, Carpentry, Plumbing, Masons, Electric repairs, Auto-electricians, Pump repairs, TV, & Radio repair, Refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics.

5. Cooperative Construction Corporations that can take land on lease and build multi-story residential buildings for rental/sale.

6. Roadside kiosks.

These would be some of the new areas, in addition to organizing the SCs and STs on modern lines in traditional spheres or dairy, piggery, poultry, shoe-making, leather work, fisheries etc. with better tools and equipment’s, and also technological and managerial inputs.

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NOTE :

This has been picked up from the NSFDC Journal published on 6th Nov 1990.

The Journal was released in an impressive Function in the Office of then Cabinet Minister for Labour and Welfare, Welfare Minister's Chamber, Room No 101-C, Shastri Bhavan New Delhi - 110001

Only one Issue of the NSFDC Journal was ever brought out.

The Planning Coordination and Evaluation Division of NSFDC, which brought out this very useful Journal was soon wound up, thanks to the machinations of other SC&ST Officres in NSFDC, and many non-Dalits in the Ministry of Welfare!

NSFDC which came up with great hopes is now in a very bad shape and sorry sad state.

All active good intelligent result oriented SC&ST Officers were systematically pushed out. Other good SC&ST Officers left NSFDC before they could be hurt. Many other SC&ST Officers, as usual went away on better assignments elsewhere. In their place known corrupt very bad SC&ST Officials close to some individuals were brought in. As a result of these, today NSFDC is gasping for breath in the grips of useless inefficient SC&ST Dalits, those corrupt SCs&STs specially brought in, and also the anti-SC&ST non-Dalit Officials who have monopolised various important positions.

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