Comments on: Beyond Budgeting: The Rural Poor Need Practical Solutions http://www.jeannechen.com/2010/03/05/beyond-budgeting/ Thu, 08 Jul 2010 07:52:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: nikhileshsin http://www.jeannechen.com/2010/03/05/beyond-budgeting/comment-page-1/#comment-6 nikhileshsin Sat, 06 Mar 2010 12:30:48 +0000 http://www.jeannechen.com/?p=44#comment-6 One cannot argue with the fact that no government scheme has efficiently and reliably reached the majority of the poor in India. It is also true that private enterprise has the power to generate employment, and tackle issues like access to technology and localised infrastructure. However the role of government in providing nationwide infrastructure is crucial. The idea of a public good is one which precludes private profit. Some enterprises are into charity, but the kind of resources required are considerable. Yes the poor need food today, but expecting social entrepreneurship to shoulder that responsibility, may be a little bit optimistic. I had a conversation with Laura Parkin of NEN yesterday who believes the greatest stumbling block is not capital but infrastructre, and the institutional frameworks. <br><br>Rural-Urban migration is clogging up the cities and causing infrastructure to break down. There is an urgent need to build up the villages. Infosys can build its own roads, social entrepreneurs will need to wait for the bus. I have interacted with some administrators and govt officials, they're not all corrupt and incompetent. Some good work does get done. I think there are short term medium term and long term goals that need to be met. The truth is that people will continue to starve in India for some years to come. We need to ensure that that span of time is as short as possible, but that the solution feeds as many mouths as need feeding. One cannot argue with the fact that no government scheme has efficiently and reliably reached the majority of the poor in India. It is also true that private enterprise has the power to generate employment, and tackle issues like access to technology and localised infrastructure. However the role of government in providing nationwide infrastructure is crucial. The idea of a public good is one which precludes private profit. Some enterprises are into charity, but the kind of resources required are considerable. Yes the poor need food today, but expecting social entrepreneurship to shoulder that responsibility, may be a little bit optimistic. I had a conversation with Laura Parkin of NEN yesterday who believes the greatest stumbling block is not capital but infrastructre, and the institutional frameworks.

Rural-Urban migration is clogging up the cities and causing infrastructure to break down. There is an urgent need to build up the villages. Infosys can build its own roads, social entrepreneurs will need to wait for the bus. I have interacted with some administrators and govt officials, they're not all corrupt and incompetent. Some good work does get done. I think there are short term medium term and long term goals that need to be met. The truth is that people will continue to starve in India for some years to come. We need to ensure that that span of time is as short as possible, but that the solution feeds as many mouths as need feeding.

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