Pune: Ex-IAS Officer Sanjay Kaul Urges Focus on People in India’s Development Agenda
Pune, 5th November 2023: Encourage people-centric development rather than decisions imposed from the top, urged Sanjay Kaul, ex-IAS officer and development policy analyst, during a discussion organized by Pune International Centre (PIC) on his book ‘An Alternative Development Agenda for India’ at Navalmal Firodia Hall, ICC Trade Towers, SB Road, Pune, on Saturday, November 4, 2023.
Engaging in a conversation with Prof. Amitav Mallik, Trustee, PIC, and head of PIC’s Environment, Energy, and Climate Change research vertical, Kaul emphasized placing households, livelihoods, and jobs at the core of India’s development agenda, particularly in urban development.
He anticipated a shift of people engaged in agriculture to urban areas in the coming decades and stressed the importance of focusing on enhancing the quality of life in terms of housing, sanitation, water, and other facilities.
Kaul suggested that government development schemes should gain popularity among voters to be included in election manifestos, ensuring effective implementation for the benefit of the poor. Simplifying and concentrating on fewer development programs, rather than an abundance, would lead to more impactful outcomes.
Highlighting issues with the current growth pattern that contributes to inequality, Kaul stressed the need to identify and rectify inefficiencies in government welfare programs. He proposed incentivizing private builders for low-income housing and creating denser urban settlements with a focus on improving the quality of life rather than mere urban development. He argued against traditional plotting development in cities.
Expressing disapproval of the obsession with metro systems, Kaul suggested a more practical alternative—introducing air-conditioned buses for urban transportation.
Prof. Mallik criticized the fixation on GDP and underscored the importance of factoring in the environment in development plans, cautioning that the next calamity could be climate-related.
The discussion concluded with a lively question and answer session. Abhay Vaidya, Director, PIC, introduced the guest and provided insights into the key topics discussed in Kaul’s book.
Sanjay Kaul, a development policy analyst, former IAS officer (1979-2007), and corporate leader (2008-21), brings a wealth of experience from leadership positions across various sectors during his civil service tenure. He served as Chairman of the Government of India Task Force on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) and as an advisor on ECCE to the Government of Karnataka.
Currently, he serves as a member of the Managing Committee of five schools managed by the Delhi Public School Society and holds the position of Independent Director of SEWA Grih Rin Ltd. (SGRL), an affordable housing finance company.
