The year 2014 could be considered as the year of change in the history of the country as it brought about massive political change. The era of corruption and lack of growth was predicted to end with the new government taking charge under the leadership of a dynamic new leader who had proven his expertise in Gujarat. There was great hope now that the new political dispensation would provide a fillip to trade, business and the industrial sector, which had fallen behind in the last one decade. There was also hope that infrastructure and other related requirements, which are key for economic recovery, would be speeded up by the new government. Everyone is now waiting for the new government to transform their promises into reality. On the current govt.’s pet Make in India scheme, RBI has said that we need to be careful about the programme, because the SEZ scheme and the export sector in our country have not been able to make any major dent. A number of our products can only be exported because the govt. gives subsidies for their manufacture, as the others are more efficient and productive. The need of the hour in India is to boost industry, so that it becomes a major revenue generator and employer. Currently the mood in the manufacturing sector is gloomy, with industrial relations particularly touching a low point. In industrial zones in NCR the license permit raj is still existent. There is need to implement a single window clearance system for industry. The govt. must assure continuous power to industry, which has in many cases been forced to run on diesel generators. There is also urgent need to set up technical colleges and skill development centres, make cheap land available, and reduce the corruption in the system. Another important step that the Indian government must take is to make agriculture competitive, and introduce food processing on a large scale across the country. The Indian farm sector is inefficient, despite producing a lot. It could achieve a lot more through scientific methods and processing. There is huge wastage of food. The recent unseasonal rains have wrought further havoc on the farming community, and it is fighting for its survival. There is need to take immediate steps to help farmers who are under debt. Farm suicides are now taking place even in affluent states like Punjab and Haryana, which have been the bread baskets of the country. Between 2000 and 2010 there were 6,128 suicides committed by farmers due to debts and failed crops. Farm and industry both need to make a turnaround in the country, and it only when these two crucial sectors see positive growth that the Modi government would be able to take India on the path to progress - as it has promised.
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