We need in India both the hardware and software of development
ROADS & HIGHWAYS

We need in India both the hardware and software of development

Dr Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament Chief Guest at Construction World Annual Awards 2011

Dr Shashi Tharoor straddles several worlds of experience. Chief Guest at the 9th Construction World Annual Awards 2011, he reflects on the challenges and reforms needed in the industry.

The construction industry today represents both a moment of crisis and of opportunity. There was a time in Dubai when we thought that the national bird must be the crane; there was so much construction happening there! Yet, what we are seeing today is the case of 'over construction'. We can actually drive down Sheikh Zayed Road and see those tall buildings with no one to occupy them. In India, somehow it's the case of 'under construction'. The need for construction in our country could not be greater. We need both the hardware of development and the software. By hardware, I mean all the roads, bridges, airports and ports; while software includes the development of human capital - educated people, people with ethics, people who are ready to operate the levers of the system.

This is a major challenge that we face today - the challenge of building our nation. It is both a literal and metaphorical challenge. The Twelfth Five-Year Plan is to be announced in March next year, and our Prime Minister has announced a trillion dollar investment in infrastructure. This bothers us. The resources for this cannot be found in our country alone, certainly not in our government. To get to that stage, we'll need significant amounts of foreign investment.

There is also the metaphorical challenge - the challenge of poor governance, corruption, roadblocks in the way. China built its infrastructure in such a rapid manner that in the last decade, it has gone from 0 km of six-lane highways to 66,000 km of six-lane highways. In India, we cannot even think of doing that. That is not the system we have. In our country, even if we want to widen a two-lane highway, we'll have to worry about who'll sell the land, whether the compensation will be adequate. Somebody will go to court. Bollywood stars and NGO activists will descend with placards.

That is our country; that is our system; it is who we are - or, as we like to say, we are like this only! But, the fact is this is who we are; and having already grown by 8 per cent, we can continue to grow. There is a larger question of how we should go about doing this. Are we always entirely fair? While speaking about our country abroad, I have always been confronted with the obligation of explaining the big issues that confront our nation.

Yes, corruption is the big issue, but it is not the issue of big headlines. Corruption is not the big sum that comes out of the CAG report. The common people are not affected by this. What hurts them is that when a pregnant woman in labour goes to the government hospital, asks for a bed that she is entitled to free by law, But cannot get it without bribing the staff. Or the bereaved son or daughter who cannot get the death certificate of their parents without paying a bribe. Corruption is the small amounts - the Rs 500 bribe or the Rs 1,000 bribe that has to be paid by those who don't even make Rs 1,000 a month. That is where we need to cleanse ourselves. And for that, fundamentally, the change must come from within. Mahatma Gandhi said several decades ago, 'Be the change that you wish to see in the world'. If those of us who find ourselves obliged to give, refuse to give; where will the takers go? The takers succeed only because each one of us thinks, 'if I don't give, somebody else will. My competitor will get a better advantage'. If we have the courage to avoid these shortcuts and denounce the act of corruption, there might be a short-term price to pay, perhaps, in the loss of a contract, but in the long-term we will transform our society. We have to eventually grow out of this phase.

Ours is an optimistic nation. Our youngsters are positive that their tomorrow will be better than their parents' yesterday. To enable them to accomplish that, we will have to acknowledge what we have not done and build a platform on which they can build a better tomorrow. This requires some diligence, an ability to avoid shortcuts, an ability to say no when required. We need to lend our support to people of ethics and value in our country, and show them that they are not alone. When Justice Hegde commissions a report that exposes malpractices, we must clamour for attention to be paid.

The last decade has seen some significant changes in our country. Today, nobody is exempt from the rigors of the law. This didn't happen 10 or 20 years ago. People today, are willing to pursue justice, wherever it's long finger may point. To see all those people clamouring behind Anna Hazare is a sign of the increasing transparency of our system, of the willingness of our society to correct itself. This is something we have to be proud of. This is the best treasure we can pass on to our next generation. The construction industry has an important role in play in this. You must help people to grow, must give them opportunities to work and participate in this mission of building a great nation. teach them the right values by setting the right examples. Let us therefore grow up in right way, do the right thing in the right way. Jai Hind!

Dr Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament Chief Guest at Construction World Annual Awards 2011Dr Shashi Tharoor straddles several worlds of experience. Chief Guest at the 9th Construction World Annual Awards 2011, he reflects on the challenges and reforms needed in the industry.The construction industry today represents both a moment of crisis and of opportunity. There was a time in Dubai when we thought that the national bird must be the crane; there was so much construction happening there! Yet, what we are seeing today is the case of 'over construction'. We can actually drive down Sheikh Zayed Road and see those tall buildings with no one to occupy them. In India, somehow it's the case of 'under construction'. The need for construction in our country could not be greater. We need both the hardware of development and the software. By hardware, I mean all the roads, bridges, airports and ports; while software includes the development of human capital - educated people, people with ethics, people who are ready to operate the levers of the system.This is a major challenge that we face today - the challenge of building our nation. It is both a literal and metaphorical challenge. The Twelfth Five-Year Plan is to be announced in March next year, and our Prime Minister has announced a trillion dollar investment in infrastructure. This bothers us. The resources for this cannot be found in our country alone, certainly not in our government. To get to that stage, we'll need significant amounts of foreign investment.There is also the metaphorical challenge - the challenge of poor governance, corruption, roadblocks in the way. China built its infrastructure in such a rapid manner that in the last decade, it has gone from 0 km of six-lane highways to 66,000 km of six-lane highways. In India, we cannot even think of doing that. That is not the system we have. In our country, even if we want to widen a two-lane highway, we'll have to worry about who'll sell the land, whether the compensation will be adequate. Somebody will go to court. Bollywood stars and NGO activists will descend with placards. That is our country; that is our system; it is who we are - or, as we like to say, we are like this only! But, the fact is this is who we are; and having already grown by 8 per cent, we can continue to grow. There is a larger question of how we should go about doing this. Are we always entirely fair? While speaking about our country abroad, I have always been confronted with the obligation of explaining the big issues that confront our nation.Yes, corruption is the big issue, but it is not the issue of big headlines. Corruption is not the big sum that comes out of the CAG report. The common people are not affected by this. What hurts them is that when a pregnant woman in labour goes to the government hospital, asks for a bed that she is entitled to free by law, But cannot get it without bribing the staff. Or the bereaved son or daughter who cannot get the death certificate of their parents without paying a bribe. Corruption is the small amounts - the Rs 500 bribe or the Rs 1,000 bribe that has to be paid by those who don't even make Rs 1,000 a month. That is where we need to cleanse ourselves. And for that, fundamentally, the change must come from within. Mahatma Gandhi said several decades ago, 'Be the change that you wish to see in the world'. If those of us who find ourselves obliged to give, refuse to give; where will the takers go? The takers succeed only because each one of us thinks, 'if I don't give, somebody else will. My competitor will get a better advantage'. If we have the courage to avoid these shortcuts and denounce the act of corruption, there might be a short-term price to pay, perhaps, in the loss of a contract, but in the long-term we will transform our society. We have to eventually grow out of this phase.Ours is an optimistic nation. Our youngsters are positive that their tomorrow will be better than their parents' yesterday. To enable them to accomplish that, we will have to acknowledge what we have not done and build a platform on which they can build a better tomorrow. This requires some diligence, an ability to avoid shortcuts, an ability to say no when required. We need to lend our support to people of ethics and value in our country, and show them that they are not alone. When Justice Hegde commissions a report that exposes malpractices, we must clamour for attention to be paid.The last decade has seen some significant changes in our country. Today, nobody is exempt from the rigors of the law. This didn't happen 10 or 20 years ago. People today, are willing to pursue justice, wherever it's long finger may point. To see all those people clamouring behind Anna Hazare is a sign of the increasing transparency of our system, of the willingness of our society to correct itself. This is something we have to be proud of. This is the best treasure we can pass on to our next generation. The construction industry has an important role in play in this. You must help people to grow, must give them opportunities to work and participate in this mission of building a great nation. teach them the right values by setting the right examples. Let us therefore grow up in right way, do the right thing in the right way. Jai Hind!

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Hi There!

Now get regular updates from CW Magazine on WhatsApp!

Click on link below, message us with a simple hi, and SAVE our number

You will have subscribed to our Construction News on Whatsapp! Enjoy

+91 81086 03000

Join us Telegram