Dear Editor,
This refers to your editorial, “Positive effect” (November 2, 2017). India has successfully gone up the ladder of ease of doing business (EODB) but at the same time gone down in the Global Hunger Index, the Human Development Index, the Happiness Index and now in the Global Gender Gap Index ~ all within a span of just one single year!
This happens because capital intensive business enterprises fail to generate sufficient employment. At present, we can never expect trickle down effect from a big business house as it produces very little jobs. In such a scenario, growth can be deceptive and may not be inclusive at all.
Our good report card in business and bad report card in hunger, human development, happiness and gender gap, bear testimony to the fact that there is a rich India in poor Bharat in the land of rising prosperity as well as poverty and unique jobs as well as unemployment. The need of the hour is to translate the success in EODB into the labour – intensive business enterprises such as farming, cottage, micro and tourism. Many women will get the opportunity to start participating in economic activities if industries like cottage and micro can have necessary financial assistance, guidance and ease in doing business. This will certainly reduce gender gap, poverty and hunger.
Yours,
Sujit De, Kolkata