A new paradigm of change
these institutions have [the] capacity and commitment to act as local agents of change and are [the] hub of poorcentric transformation in Thar. "Nonetheless, there is a growing realisation to redefine the role of these institutions in our times of palpable urgency [in] coping with the transition of Tharparkar into the new reality. The new reality entails a rapid transformation of culture, the means of production and socioeconomic relations. These newly emerging productive processes and relationships call for an informed analysis of the new reality along with an inclusive development strategy to enable the community institutions to lead from the front.
"If this happens, Tharparkar will see a new era of peace, prosperity and smooth transition into an inclusive and sustainable new economy for the poor and marginalised."
The sheer brilliance of the objec- tives delivered in a speech by Dr Allah Nawaz Samoo - the CEO of the Thardeep Rural Development Programme (TRDP) - during a conference organised by the TRDP in Mithi, Tharparkar outlines the contours of poor-centric development.
This speech provides the gist of a new development strategy for Tharparkar, which, in a way, is a culmination of the grassroots experience of a development practitioner. For an ivory tower development strategist, it could have taken decades of intellectual investment to arrive at the conclusions that Dr Allah Nawaz Samoo had summed up in a 15-minute talk. What he spoke about was validated by the representatives of the community institutions who shared stories of how their institutions undertook, managed and led people out of poverty in different villages of Tharparkar.
The local women members of community institutions in Tharparkar also shared their experiences of transformational journey during the conference and provided a new perspective of the future of this rapidly changing society. Their wisdom, courage and resilience are the real hope for a better future. It's time for development agencies to come forward to help these institutions of the poor grow as alternative voices against the likelihood of the top-down development. Privatesector investments must be leveraged for the benefit of locals through these community-led institutions. This is not only about corporate social responsibility. Instead, it must also be about mutually beneficial business propositions for the private sector and local communities. There is huge potential for micro-entrepreneurship for local communities to benefit from the business acumen of the private sector and it will be a viable solution for the pri- vate sector to utilise human, economic and social resources cost effectively. This requires business development and entrepreneurship trainings and skill development programmes for the local youth.
There are specialist organisations like the Hashoo Foundation that can help the TRDP and a network of other local organisations in providing relevant skills for the youth. Skills for the employability of the youth in an emerging economy will be key to poverty alleviation in Tharparkar. Soft skills in IT, life skills, entrepreneurship training and hospitality management skills will also be a relevant area for job creation in Tharparkar.
Amid pessimism that tends to dominate the regional political discourse on the transformation of Tharparkar, Dr Allah Nawaz Samoo and his development team provide a forward-looking and optimistic approach of inclusivity and pragmatism. The transformational process of Tharparkar looks murky primarily because it has been politicised like other mega projects in the history of this country. It is legitimate to raise concerns about the potential risks of top-down, human-induced changes to people, their economy and culture. But it must be intertwined with wellinformed analysis.
Local political voices are vital as an expression of the wishes of the indigenous people in the process of change. However, it must not be politicised for the parochial gains of dynastic politics. The transformational process in Tharparkar has economic, social, cultural and environmental dimensions and all of them are neither absolutely negative nor are they restricted to Thar alone. It is vital to understand the technical aspects of the forthcoming development prospects in Tharparkar lest we should turn it into another development fiasco like the Kalabagh Dam. The extraction of coal for commercial purposes may not be a cost-effective proposition for investors given its high level of moisture. If we are hell-bent on using coal as a source of power generation, it would be cheaper to import it rather than use expensive technologies of separating a high content of water in processing Thar Coal. Whether we like it or not, change is inevitable and even more so in the case of Tharparkar.
The real challenge is to engage with the new reality to make the best of the emerging opportunities. It would not be fair to whip up popular sentiments to resist change for parochial political interests. The wisdom lies in providing workable solutions for poor communities to make the most of this transformational process.