Haryana can become a truly ideal state

By
Amar Nath Wadehra and Randeep Wadehra

HARYANA owes its birth to a political agitation launched by the Shiromani Akali Dal for Punjabi Suba. Therefore, after protracted negotiations and political maneuverings the stae of Haryana came into being on 01 November, 1966. This development did immense good to the region comprising the nascent state, which had remained neglected for decades. In fact Haryana became an example of how a small and cohesive political entity can become an economic powerhouse. Successive state governments, especially the Congress ones, made immense contribution to the development of agriculture and industry in the state. However, the Hooda government has taken the state’s development to the next higher level. Instead of merely targeting economic “growth” the Hooda regime has been making all-round inclusive “development” as its politico-economic agenda. And has been quite successful, too! For this, we have to look at only a few of the indicators; thanks to the steps taken by the Hooda government (a) Haryana has been the largest recipient of per capita investment; (b) Gurgaon has emerged as a major hub of automobile and information technology industries; (c) Serious efforts are being made to remove regional imbalances in terms of economic growth by encouraging development of industrial centres and modern townships; (d) The state is one of the wealthiest regions in South Asia as evidenced by the fact that it boasts of the largest number of rural crorepatis in the country; and, more importantly, (e) The Haryana Government’s efforts to reach out to the female population as well as the most vulnerable sections of the society have begun to bear fruit in the shape of better education, health and per capita income figures. 

According to VMW Analytic Service – an online website that provides credible data – Haryana’s estimated per capita income for the year 2010 is Rs. 78,781/-, second only to Goa. We have to remember that Goa’s higher per capita income does not necessarily mean that it is more developed than Haryana. The reason for Goa’s riches is its tourism industry. In the matter of industrial and infrastructural development Goa lags far behind Haryana.

Truly, Haryana has come a long way from being a nondescript laggard of the united Punjab days. From being a civilizational, economic and political back-of-the-beyond the state is ranked among the most progressive in the country today. Whether it is agriculture, industry or the services sector Haryana is making its mark on the national economy. There was a time when Haryana boasted of nothing but a place in the country’s history and mythology thanks to Panipat, Kurukshetra and a few other places. Today it is known for ultramodern townships, not just in Gurgaon and Panchkula, but other parts of the state too.

The state’s Yamunanagar district, apart from being famous for its traditional timber, brass and steel industries, has some of the largest sugar and paper mills as well as thermal and hydroelectric plants and, arguably, Asia’s largest railways workshop. Gurgaon has emerged as a powerful hub for hardware and software industries based on information technology. Faridabad is another prosperous industrial centre. Panipat, Ambala etc too are important industrial towns. The range of industrial goods produced is impressive, too. Right from heavy engineering to hosiery, automobiles to agro-products – you name it and Haryana produces it. One can gauge the sea change in Haryana’s economic profile from the fact that in 2010 alone the total exports from Haryana in the Information Technology (IT) and Information Technology-Enabled Services (ITES) sectors touched Rs 21,000 crores – and this when the recession has been hitting the economies of various countries.

Moreover, progress made by the farm sector has taken Haryana from the being a deficit state at the time of its birth to its present status of India’s granary. Technological innovations and inputs in the form of high yielding varieties, better farm practices, use of tractors, fertilizers and improved irrigation etc have helped the state attain this standing.

According to experts, the performance in agriculture sector can be improved further if:

1. Small and marginal farmers too are enabled to access the latest farm inputs like seeds, fertilizers, irrigation facilities etc. Here, Small Farmers D

    

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