Question

Discuss economic reforms in India in the light of social justice and welfare.

Answer 1

The economic reforms have enabled India to access and compete in the international markets. This facilitated the movement of goods and services across the international boundaries. Further, the increased inflows of foreign capital and investment to India have eliminated the shortage of foreign exchange to finance the imports of sophisticated and advanced technologies to India. Moreover, the boom in the outsourcing and the service sector led India’s economic growth and GDP to increase by many folds. But on the other side, agriculture that employed a significant proportion of population, failed to be benefited by these economic reforms. Also the reforms favoured the high income group population at the cost of their poor counterparts. This resulted in wide and still increasing economic and social inequalities among different section of population. Further, the economic reforms developed the areas that were well connected with the metropolitan cities leaving the remote and rural area undeveloped. Consequently, there were wide regional disparities. The boom in the service sector, especially in the form of quality education, superior health care facilities, IT, tourism, multiplex cinemas, etc. were out of the reach of the poor section of the population. The population engaged in the agricultural and allied sectors has still not been able to share the fruits of advanced technology and modern techniques. Further, the high income group has experienced increase in income, thereby, appreciating the quality of their consumption basket, leaving the low and middle income group to fight hard to earn their livelihood. Thus, it can be concluded that the economic reforms failed to provide social justice and enhance welfare of the general public of India.