New Delhi, Aug.27 (ANI): A special report on "Switching Tracks for a New Uttar Pradesh" has suggested developing two modern economic urban clusters, like Ghaziabad-Meerut-Agra and Allahabad-Lucknow-Kanpur as part of economic and infrastructure transformation.
The report, prepared by Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi headquartered public policy think tank, also suggests evolving a new strategy to align trade and investment with agriculture and labour market to make it more organised and productive.
Noting that the comparative advantage of UP in agriculture is unparalleled and could be compared to some of the most advanced nations in the world, the report stressed the need to rejuvenate agriculture market economy. It said there is an urgent need to activate the land market, APMC act, create vertically coordinated supply chains, options, contracts and tripartite models between farmer co-ops, private sector and agriculture institutes.
The report is authored by Saurab Johri, an IIM-Ahmedabad alumni, with over a decade's experience in the public policy and governance field, having worked in NGOs and management consulting companies.
After studying indepth various issues and hurdles facing the State, figuring always in the bottom quartile in most of the economic and social indicators of the country and is often compared with Brazil in population or Kenya in GDP per person, the report has suggested several governance and sectoral reforms for building a new State.
The charter for building a new Uttar Pradesh includes governance reforms, economic reforms, infrastructure creation, reforms in education, health and social security net. It stresses the importance for creating an environment of trust among people, building simple, scalable and sustainable models of development, and all the more, creating a sense of safety, security and justice in the common person by honestly reforming archaic institutions.
"Move away from mere numeric targets and achievements, and measure parameters like commitment from leadership, political non-interference, collective decision-making, lowered corruption and people satisfaction levels", the report said.
It said there is a need to assess where the administration stands in terms of competency, convenience and accountability and make it more accessible to the common man.
The report also underlined the need for redefining politics to make it sensitive to people's choices and more collaborative policy making. It also noted the need for empowerment and freedom in government departments to enhance autonomy, accountability, confidence and credibility amongst government servants.
The report also pointed out the need for path-breaking changes in police and security through prioritizing between functions like investigations, law and order, VIP security cover, traffic; through incentivisation schemes, modernization in training, international deputation and exchange programmes.
Suggesting making the State a preferred destination in higher education by setting up 4-5 outstanding universities and 15-20 world class institutions, the report has asked establishing of a State Knowledge Commission on Social Security like pension, price subsidies, food security. It also pointed out the need for a State Aid Coordination Cell for national and international aid flowing into the state on different subjects.
The report said there is an urgent need to sensitise people towards wealth creation, establish commodity exchanges, encourage micro-investments while improving infrastructure like roads, transport, power, water, etc. (ANI)
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