WE THE PEOPLE
API’s Business Informative Directory containing varied information has met long awaited demand of Business Community in J&K
But they demand its regular updating to keep it abreast with day to day fast developments taking place across the globe
By: M. Shirjeel
Srinagar: J&K markets stand flooded with several Directories, but offer limited Information and as such these do not meet the present day needs and provide a single window. There was a dire need to have such a Directory, which could touch broad facets of life and make up the deficiency and meet the long awaited demand of business community in J&K State in general and Kashmir Valley in particular. However, the Associated Press of India (API) has come out with Business Info 2008-2009, containing information not only relating to Public utilities but comprehensive information pertaining to Media, Education, Kashmir crafts, Banks, Political parties, Nursing Homes, Police Stations, Public Offices, Universities and other allied spheres of life. The Do’s and Don’ts regarding health, food and other essential services deserve commendation. The chapters on Meditation, Mental Health, Nutrition, Parenting and Relationships provide very useful information. Information regarding Astrology, Computers, Telecommunication, World history and World wonders seems to have been collected after sustained research.
It is worth mentioning that the present bout of economic reforms in India—those started in the eighties—mark both continuity and a break with India’s post-independence development strategy. India’s development strategy after independence was largely influenced by reservation regarding the ability of the market forces to bring about, on their own, an optimum allocation of resources, thus balancing the country’s two main objectives ‘growth’ and ‘equity’.
A realization has since dawned on policy-makers, based on India’s own experience and the experience of other countries, that: the domestic economy has now reached a threshold where for better utilization of resources the benefits of the market forces can be harnessed, by proper market-friendly macro and micro-economic policies helping both in higher growth and more equity. This has initiated a serious debate in the country on our development strategy for opening up the economy and allowing more market orientation, by removing major Government intervention and regulations.
The changes in the policy packages towards deregulation, liberalization and opening up of the economy had been initiated in the late’ 70s and early ‘80s. These changes were not systematic and were never integrated into an overall framework. According to many economists, these changes were rather slow but not monotonic, until July, 1991when the new Congress Government cam to power. Since then, the change in the policy packages has picked up momentum.
The major changes in India’s economic reforms fall broadly under the heads—industrial trade, fiscal and monetary. The Government’s key economic objective was to restore sustained high growth, which is essential to alleviate poverty and raise the standard of living. Has it succeeded to achieve the objectives is not a secret today.
“The main emphasis of the fiscal policy was to reduce the central Government’s fiscal deficit, within the broader context of adjustment of the overall public sector budget. Reducing the overall public sector budget required increased financial discipline by the state government as well, and the Central Government was to encourage the state Government to take steps to improve their fiscal performance and to streamline the working of the enterprises,” said a group of Economists of Kashmir valley.
We are not going to dwell at length on the economic scenario, but appreciate the efforts of the API to provide useful information to J&K people in general and to Business community in particular. It would prove more useful if it is regularly updated. Whether it is done, only time will tell!
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