Would Niti Ayog position for chief economist welcome woman leadership?

Prof Mansee Bal Bhargava, entrepreneur, researcher and educator, who is with the SaciWATERS, Hyderabad, and is Environmental Design Consultant, Ahmedabad, has written an open letter to Niti Ayog and PMO insisting, “We need a chief strategist and not chief economist for the ‘Niti’ Ayog in its true meaning and to realign India’s growth”:

***

I’m writing with great passion regarding professional concerns over the vacancy position of chief economist cum sr lead at Niti Ayog which is also published now in regular news.
My concerns are two-folds with a concluding remark more as a suggestion:
Qualification sought for the Position: It is worrying that the qualification asked is biased asking for a PhD in Economics. Planning is not about Economics alone! We have seen over the decades since the inception of the predecessor of Niti Ayog, the Planning Commission, that doing only Economics has not brought us to a good state of Economy rather Development.
Therefore, here is a chance to Rethink! The position should rather call for a person with a qualification of Multi-Trans-Disciplinary Background (with a PhD) who has a Vision and Mission to Take India to a Right Path of Development, which at this moment should be GREEN GROWTH-DEVELOPMENT which India too is a signatory as an International Agenda and that needs to be reflected on national policies and on ground activities.
The person then a ‘Chief’ sought must have a Complex Thinking Approach unlike a Linear Thinking Economic Approach, so that the Country can be directed towards optimising (not maximising) its resources while including the human and bio-diversity wellbeing besides ensuring security for the future generation and environment.
Let the Vision-Mission of a Healthy and Happy State be the Goal of the nation-state and let the Economy be a Strategy to achieve so. As a Thinker-Visionary, you may agree that the Economy as the Goal for decades now has not succeeded in providing a healthy and happy society a. A lot of things are changing in the country at this moment, so turning the goal around should also be Discussed and a Choice for once since the Independence of India.
Gender in the Position: I like to start with congratulating Niti Ayog for making the call for the position a Gender Neutral thing to Chief Economist. The Chief Executive Officer also sounds a Gender Neutral position. I like to bring to your notice the position of Deputy ChairMAN. The Deputy ChairMAN position of the Planning Commission from the first, Gulzarilal Nanda, to the last, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, has been bestowed to MEN only for the reasons best known to the late Planning Commission.
NO WOMAN has had the opportunity to lead, among the 24 ChairMEN of the Planning Commission spanning from 1950-2014, the most important organisation of the country that is Charting a Path for its Development-Growth. Ironically, a similar pattern also seems to be prevailing in the Vice-ChairMAN and CEO of Niti Ayog so far. The word -MAN is the problem here as the recruitments and peoples psychology too have been manly. So, not only the nomenclature of the Vice-ChairMAN needs changing to something more gender inclusive, the appointment also requires to reflect that gender parity.

Mansee Bal Bhargava

I’ll be surprised if Women are not claiming Candidature. Since, India produces a substantial number of highly qualified Women Thinkers and Visionaries even after the massive brain drain we suffer. I shall refrain from naming any women for the position to respect all gender and at the same time claim thyself to be also competitive for the position. Meanwhile, there are ample examples all over the world now to justify that women leadership is crucial for economic revival, overall wellbeing and even health issues like addressing corona. I shall remain hopeful that Indian institutions like NitiAyog, Supreme Court, RBI, ED, EC, Defense, etc., show the gender parity in leadership positions sometime in my lifetime.
Combining the above two aspects, here I conclude with a suggestion and request that Niti Ayog and PMO call especially for more Women Visionaries with Multi-Trans-Disciplinary Background (with a PhD) for the position of Chief (not Economist but something else like Strategist) of Niti Ayog. I’m aware that by concluding with a gender biased suggestion is likely to weaken the above arguments. The matter of fact is that Women by default are complex thinkers and have more empathy towards the environment besides valuing cooperation over conflict which have made them better and progressive leaders since history till date. Such position requires a person who knows Economics indeed but importantly has a knack for Ecology and Empathy.
I’ll not be shocked but saddened if the concerns are interpreted from feminist perspective.
As we all know that the NitiAyog and PMO have long been masculine which is seen as Normal in the Highly Patriarchal and Hierarchical society that we live.
NitiAyog renaming itself from the Planning Commission is a good time also to redefine the vision-mission of NitiAyog, which can be done better by gendered leadership change into Woman Chief. Time to Try for a New Normal!
I shall be keen to know if the ‘Chief’ position is still calling for applications.
I shall be also keen to know how the NitiAyog plans to convey in the announcement that the position welcomes Women Leadership.
Thank you.
Sincerely, Jai Hind!

Comments

Abrogation of Art 370: Increasing alienation, relentless repression, simmering conflict

One year after the abrogation by the Central Government of Art. 370 in Kashmir, what is the situation in the Valley. Have the promises of peace, normalcy and development been realised? What is the current status in the Valley? Here is a detailed note by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties , “Jammu & Kashmir: One Year after Abrogation of Art. 370: Increasing Alienation, Relentless Repression, Simmering Conflict”:

Repeated failure to appoint Chief, other commissioners undermining RTI Act

By Anjali Bhardwaj, Amrita Johri* The post of the Chief Information Commissioner of the Central Information Commission (CIC) has fallen vacant with the retirement of Bimal Julka with effect from August 27, 2020. This is the fifth time in the last six years that the Commission has been rendered headless. Four posts of information commissioners are also vacant in the CIC. Currently more than 35,000 appeals and complaints are pending in the commission resulting in citizens having to wait for months, even years for their cases to be disposed, thereby frustrating peoples’ right to know. Since May 2014, not a single commissioner of the CIC has been appointed without citizens having to approach courts. The failure of the government to make timely appointments of commissioners is a flagrant violation of the directions of the Supreme Court. In its February 2019 judgment, the apex court had categorically stated that if the CIC does not have a Chief Information Commissioner or required strength

Sunil Gavaskar, G Viswanath rated Andy Roberts best fast bowler they ever faced

By Harsh Thakor The West Indies pace quartet or battery of the 1970’s and 1980’s truck terror to deliver a knockout punch, like never in cricket history. One was reminded of bomber raiding an airbase or a combing operation. Andy Roberts was the pioneer in orchestrating or propelling the most fiery and lethal pace bowling attack ever in the history of the game. Simply the godfather of Modern West Indies fast bowlers. He spearheaded the pack from the mid 1970’s .Without Andy the talent of Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Colin Croft would never have blossomed.Michael Holding credits Andy for shaping his great bowling career, by infusing vital elements.

Adivasi land rights question in Telugu states: Digitization process without transparency?

By Dr Palla Trinadha Rao This paper examines whether the Land Records Modernization Program initiated by the successive governments in Telugu States is beneficial to tribals in the Scheduled Areas in the light of special protective Land laws that are in force there. Digitization process or regularization of land records or land surveys without transparency will result in disempowerment of Adivasis. This can be tested in the case of Adivasis in the Scheduled Areas of Telugu States. British colonialism, through its land revenue policy and elaborate exploitative bureaucratic structure, made land alienable on a large scale especially in tribal areas. 1 Land and the forest produce remain the main source of tribals’ livelihood; but availability of land is restricted by forest reservation on the one hand, and non-tribal encroachment on the other. 2 In the Andhra Area, there were certain laws including the Agency Tracts Interest and Land Transfer Act, 1917 that existed before the inaugurati

Ultimate champion in crisis, arguably best ever skipper: Created history in Aussie cricket

By Harsh Thakor In the history of cricket few cricketers knit and propelled a cricket team or had such profound influence on the game as Ian Chappell. Ian Chappell was responsible for converting a bunch of talented individuals into a world beating side, giving a dramatic turn to Australian cricket. Few cricketers ever led such a renaissance.

Largest democracy in world has become weakest at hands of fascist Hindutva forces

Note on “The Nazification of India”, a report released By Justice For All: *** This report, the Nazification of India, compares how Hindutva ideology not only is inspired by Nazis and Fascists of Europe, but their treatment of the Muslim minority closely follows developments that resulted in pushing Jews to the gas chambers. Situation is indeed quite alarming. The report says that the largest democracy in the world has become the weakest at the hands of the fascist Hindutva ideology. India today is ruled not just by a political party the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but its mother organization the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Because the BJP’s government policies are linked to extra-legal enforcement by RSS paramilitary street power, this report has coined the term “The BJP-RSS regime” to reflect their intrinsic links and collaborative relationship. The Nazification of India report marks the anniversary of the Gujarat pogroms of 2002 against Muslims which propelled the BJP-RSS

BSF's unconstitutional, whimsical order violates life, livelihood of Dalits, minorities

Kirity Roy, Secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), writes to the Chairman, National Human Rights Commission: *** I want to attract your attention towards the illegitimate restrictions on the life and livelihood of the villagers of Paschim Sahebganj village under Dinhata - II Block and Sahebganj police station in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal by the Border Security Force personnel attached with Dharala Border Out Post under 138 Battalion BSF. The population of Paschim Sahebganj village is around 1480, where almost 75 percent of the villagers belong from Hindu Scheduled Caste (Dalit) and 25 percent from minority Muslim backgrounds.The main occupation of the villagers is agriculture. About 260 acres of cultivable land in the village that belongs to the villagers is located outside the border fencing, which is heavily guarded by the Border Security Force (BSF). The BSF regulates the ingress and egress of the villagers to their fields through the fencing gates that a

Varanasi social worker who has devoted her life for the ultra-poor and the marginalized

Passion Vista and its partners profile Founder and Managing Trustee Shruti Nagvanshi as someone whom women leaders look up to: *** Shruti Nagvanshi, a social worker and human rights activist based in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, has devoted her life to reaching out to the ultra-poor and marginalized communities in India. Born in Dashashwmedh, Varanasi on 2 January 1974, she married Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi on 22 February 1992 and has a son, Kabeer Karunik, a Business management Graduate who is also a national level snooker player.

An approach to lake/pond restoration by Ramveer Tanvar, Pond Man of India

By Monami Bhattacharya*, Mansee Bal Bhargava** Lakes/ ponds are often referred to as an elixir of life, a living ecosystem that adds incremental value to the larger biota. Across the tropical landscape of the country lakes/ ponds are a common sight. Lakes/ponds have always shaped the life and livelihood of those dwelling in and around it. The dependence of the local population on these natural resources of water is noticeable since time immemorial. However, they are fading fast in both rural and urbanscapes from the popular parlance with the advance of humanity. It has been a popular notion to value land more than the waterscape and hence these nurturers of life are under stress in several areas. In many instances, these once beautiful waterscapes referred as the ‘Eye of the Earth’ are mostly now only dilapidated garbage dump yards emitting foul smell with no sign of a healthy ecosystem.

Urban crisis: Impact of erosion of democratic framework on Indian cities

By IMPRI Team On 13th February, 2023, IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute, New Delhi in collaboration with ActionAid Association India arranged a book launch followed by lecture series under the title “India’s G20 Presidency & the Urban Agenda for the Developing Countries”. The event was held in Indian International Centre (IIC) Annex, New Delhi. The event began with the book inauguration session, under the honorary presence of Mr Sitaram Yechury, former Rajya Sabha member and General Secretary, CPI (M), accompanied by Mr Sandeep Chachra, executive director, ActionAid Association India. Session 1 | Book Launch: ‘Cities in Transition’ by Mr Tikender Singh Panwar The book launched was “Cities in Transition”, written by Mr Tikender Singh Panwar, former Deputy Mayor, Shimla and a Senior Fellow at IMPRI. Beginning with brief remarks on his book, Mr Panwar outlined the basic subject matter and the purpose behind writing the book, which he considers as a by-product of his experien

Search This Blog