Desk on Self-reliant development

 Desk on Self-reliant development 

Self-reliant development rejects ----import dependence, undue reliance on aid, foreign technology and capital, imitation of development paths, prioritizes basic needs satisfaction, resource, energy intensive development, disruption of human and social environment, and demands formation of indigenous S&T capacity, inclusive innovation, sustainable transformation, technology acquisition and absorption, and calls for walking on many legs, diverse development pathways, cooperative federalism, joint planning of development by Union, State and Local self-governments, development of sustainable socio-technical transitions, pro-poor innovations.

Draft of proposed activities and members of the desk on Self-reliant development

Sabyasachi Chatterjee: Coordinator; Dinesh Kumar Abrol: Joint Coordinator 

Members: K Ashok Rao, D Raghunandan, Gopinath Chatterjee, Satyajit Chakrabarti, Kashi Nath Chatterjee, Thomas Franco, Vishwas Meshram, TP Sreesankar, Pinaki Sengupta, Vivek Monterio, Tejal Kanitkar, Kamala Menon, Venkatesh Athreya, O P Bhuratia and Representative of JVV Andhra Pradesh.

Possible Invitees who will have to be given opportunity to contribute: Nidhi Singh, Kriti Tyagi, Debanjana Dey, Krithi Sundararaman, Taposik,   and more names of younger colleagues to be added by other members

Desk members to make proposals and take responsibility for the organization of activities to be taken up 

Desk on self-reliant development to pursue the below stated mandate, follow up on the critical evaluation of transition to self-reliant development at the level of the states / regions / nation as a whole,   

Prepare position / background papers, statements for press / media, hold webinars / briefings for members of parliament and civil society / trade unions and mass organizations, and help AIPSN members undertake campaigns and with the organization of dialogue at the grassroots 

Issues for follow-up

Government’s program of privatization public sector and monetization of public assets

Need to formulate the agenda of employment-intensive industrialization

Monitor STIP 2020 implementation related developments, status of Research and Technology for Development (RTD), growing dependence on imports, foreign technology and capital

Weakening of indigenous S&T capacities for the activities to strengthen the basic needs oriented directions of science, technology and innovation, self-reliant sustainable development goals (SDGs)-biodiversity act amendment, climate resilient technologies, digitalization, health, education, mobility, energy and power and all the related domains of industrial development

Illustrative list of immediate priorities for follow-up by the desk members

Public Sector

A Meeting at the Constitution Club in Delhi is under planning on the theme of Privatization of public sector undertakings in Electricity Sector-Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, 2022-Fifth Version has been released and put up for adoption in the parliament at the Monsoon SESSION-it is a dangerous anti-people bill and will be ending up the viability of DISCOMs and raise electricity tariffs for LT consumers and privatize electricity distribution in all parts of the country and affect farmers in particular-Ashok Rao and Dinesh Abrol 

Case filed with CEL, and a follow-up meeting is being planned in collaboration with the Joint Forum of CEL Employees for the Members of Parliament & S&T community-Dinesh Abrol 

Distribution and Sales of the compilation brought out in the defense of public sector-AIPSN members to ensure sales

Public sector campaign follow-up in Chattisgarh / Madya Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal-AIPSN members in the states to undertake the follow-up  

Economic and Technological Self-reliance 

75 Years of Indian Independence Webinar program Series entitled “Where do we stand w r t Atmanirbhar Bharat”. Identify at the first meeting of the desk the relevant themes. 

Some illustrative themes: 

Growing import dependence, 

Rising unemployment of qualified graduates, 

Making of knowledge economy in Kerala 

Development of climate change resilient socio-technical solutions, 

Challenge of employment-intensive industrialization,

Digitalization in agriculture, education, health, and government

Declining S&T investments and the path to revitalization of S&T at the national and state level

Making of Bangalore, Hyderabad, Eastern and North Eastern cluster and future challenges,

Mass Campaign on 75 years of Indian Independence-Launching of Phase 2 –state level conventions and grassroots dialogue and Festivals-August 15, 2022-August 15 2023