AAO BANAYEIN “THE HEART OF INCREDIBLE INDIA”

Aao Banayein Apna Madhya Pradesh sounds good but the ground reality doesn’t quite echo it . With no regional parties in M.P., the two national parties hold the sway -often alternately in ten year cycles, resulting in a non-happening polity. An undiversified economy makes it relatively static making it difficult to shrug off the Bimaru growth rate while some parts of the country have outpaced the western world. Inadequate infrastructure and absence of sporting culture makes the state a minor player in the national sporting arena. The state’s education system is not much to write home about and the healthcare apparatus is poor. Granted that the state doesn’t have a great martial history, it is landlocked and its human resources are just about average, these disadvantages can still be converted to strengths provided there is clarity between what can be done and the impossible.

In the light of this , how does Madhya Pradesh justify its claim to be the heart of India ? By concentrating on aspects which harmonise , heal and conserve – namely culture , wild life , forests ,tribals etc. It is unfortunate that we have neither the historical integrating factors of royalty nor the traditional uniting elements such as language . However, despite everything these shortcomings can be can be transformed to highlights ; only when it is understood as to what ought to be done and the avoidable stuff.

Madhya Pradesh’s polity needs a tribal outfit as the balancing force ; there could be some social engineering too. As for a regional party based on emotional aspects a such as caste , religion or region there is little or no scope since these emerge only in those areas with deep entrenched caste
system or a history of communal, parochial sentiments.

On the economic front M.P does have the potential to be the backbone of middle economy given the scope for manufacturing based on the natural resources. Focus could be on manufacturing parts , ancillaries , assemblies etc . Reserving employment in industries alone is not enough – there should be some graded affirmative action at all levels for the locals barring perhaps the highest .Madhya Pradesh should try to be the food basket and granary of India .Leveraging its vast area and central location the state should become the warehousing hub of the country .However, neither now nor ever in future can it be the centre for cutting edge technological or top of the line services.

The state can never be the leading force in athletics and aquatics given the poor infrastructure , genetic deficit and absence of sporting culture .Madhya Pradesh though has a bright chance at excelling in its traditional areas of strength particularly those involving skill such as hockey , badminton and table tennis – women & junior squads should being the focus ; power sports or those requiring expensive infrastructure need less emphasis.

If science & technology grows at a faster pace than economy, infrastructure–it is a sure sign that the state will grow .Madhya Pradesh must focus on cutting edge ,innovative technology ;research in pure sciences should be the long term zoom . Similarly, if health and education improve at a greater rate than the national average the state will develop in real terms.

M.P. ought not to attempt becoming a centre for films or the classical arts – for these require a long tradition and mega money. Instead it ought to consolidate its position as the epicentre for folk , tribal and popular culture ( Incl. TV) . The idea is to make Madhya Pradesh the soft skills capital of India -Hindi Entertainment , regional Hindi News , Regional Hindi Films/ Shortfilms etc.; At the same time maintain the status as the centre of excellence of Hindi Literature and Hindi theatre . Tourism could be another pillar of MP’s soft strength albeit of the niche and specialised variety. Holding international / global events ought to be a secondary concern.

Madhya Pradesh being the carbon dioxide sink of the country with its forest cover ought not to let the polluting states have a free ride -lobby to make them pay environment cess whether or not America does the same at the international level.

The sense of integration and the feeling of unity would be only be skin deep and temporary on the basis of a map and song alone . It has to go much deeper and made more lasting by facilitating intra state economic activity, sporting events, promoting films in dialects of M.P., encouraging translations of literary works etc.
The point is that in Madhya Pradesh neither the Punjab Model nor the Kerala approach will work – the state has to design its own model and evolve its tailormade approach .Of course , their best practices must be noted without transplanting them ditto- a similar but not same approach. Thus ,Madhya Pradesh has a good chance to be a leader in chosen areas and wooden spooner in none .Ultimately , the choice is between Aao Bachaeyein “ The deconditioned heart of India and Aao Banayein
“ The heart of Incredible India” .

(The author is an Independent Journalist and documentary filmmaker)