[Dec 2007, Volume 4 Quarterly Issue] Pdf File size - The IIPM Think ...

THE GREAT INDIAN DREAM
“Many ideas grow better when transplanted into another
mind than in the one where they sprang up.”
-Oliver Wendell Holmes
When Great Indian Dream got released in August 2003, it created
scores of academic debates and ideological dissent among
many leaders. After inquiring into fallacies in national economic
planning, specifically resource mobilisation strategies, it proffers
an alternate plan, reconciling key social developmental imperatives,
economic challenges and political constraints. The futuristic
and unconventional economic wisdom inherent in it has been
gaining a lot of acceptance and appreciation from many thought
leaders in all walks of life. Accrediting their three decade old research
at IIPM, the authors’ talk of potential growth rates over
14%, since then. Their observations were disregarded. But nowadays,
every national and international think-tank, including the PM
talks about a 10%. The Election Commission took a leaf out of
this book and ordered enquiry into the rigging process in West
Bengal. Many politicians were defamed and intelligentsia was
provoked. Veteran lawyer, Ram Jethmalani used it for his campaigns
in opposition to Atal Bihari Vajpayee. As on December
2005, the tax component is almost 55 per cent in petrol and for
diesel, the tax component in the price is almost 34 per cent, in line
with the resource mobilisation strategies of the authors. It is indeed
very assuring to find that in the last two years as it hit book stands,
tolerant of a few minor deviations, the compelling socioecononomic
recommendations mentioned in it remain convincingly
well-founded. The ideology integral to this book has turned
into a movement called ‘GID Foundation’ (GIDF), stirring a social
revolution, as it supports developmental initiatives in more than
2000 villages across 12 states and supporting an estimated 25,
00,000 people residing primarily in the remote/backward areas.
Effectual ideas relating to all social sectors are featured in the
book are being executed to restore pride to the ‘betrayed India’.
Reminds one about Sigmund Freud’s associable observation:
‘Thought is action in rehearsal’.