Inclusive Society Ensures a Dignified Role for All Citizens

By Suresh Kr Pramar

What is an inclusive society? According to the Expert Group on Promoting Social Integration, “An inclusive society is one that over-rides differences of race, gender, class, generation, and geography, and ensures inclusion, equality of opportunity for all members of the society to determine an agreed set of social institutions that govern social interaction.” The World Summit for Social Development (Copenhagen 1995) defines it as a “society for all in which every individual, each with rights and responsibilities, has an active role to play”.

Economic Disparities in India

India has still a long way to go to qualify as a really inclusive society. While the country has made outstanding economic progress and the number of super rich have increased, the gap between the rich and the poor has increased. According to latest figures the number of those living under the poverty line is estimated at 37 percent of the total population of the country. The strains of a non inclusive society are all too evident in the newspaper headlines every morning In last two decades income inequality has doubled in India according to a report by the Paris based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In 1990s the top 10 percent of wage earners used to earn 6 times more than the bottom 10 percent, which has now doubled and become 12 times. The top 10 percent of earners make almost five times more than the median 10 percent, but this median 10 percent makes just 0.4 times more than the bottom 10 percent. This rise of fiscal inequality has a relative rise in the rewards to well-educated individuals who have benefited from the advance of new technologies. The report found that this technological progress made in the manufacturing and service sectors, has mostly benefited highly – skilled workers, and left behind the little educated or trained Gandhiji was perhaps the first Indian leader to call for creating an inclusive society through his concept of Trusteeship. “Earn your crores but understand that your wealth is not yours; it belongs to society. Take what you require for your legitimate needs and use the remainder for society.” Mahatma Gandhi said while earning profit was right the businessman needs to show concern towards his less fortunate fellow beings

Corporate Social Responsibility in India

Over the past two decades, Corporate Social Responsibility has found strong support among Indian business houses. According to The World Business Council For Sustainable Development, CSR is “the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the work force and their families as well as of the local community and society at large.” CSR within companies can become an important driver of inclusive development.

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Industry’s Role in Inclusive Development

The present socio-economic environment necessitates that industry plays a more constructive role for achieving inclusiveness and complementing the ongoing efforts of Government and civil society in enhancing social equity. Poverty, employment, and sustainable development are the challenges facing the creation of an inclusive society. When we talk of industry’s efforts to promote inclusive development we refer mainly to the responsibility of business towards the community/society. Every business house which claims to practice CSR is involved in community beneficial projects. Studies indicate that a majority of these community investments are in the area of education, health, and livelihood creation.

Also Read: This is what social responsibility is all about

Critical Areas for Inclusive Development

There are several critical areas wherein industry/business can play a role in creating an inclusive society. I will take up only five which I feel are very important. These are Poverty Eradication, Education, Health, Livelihoods and tribal development. These are not the only issues which require attention but for want of space I will take up only these at present.

Industry’s Role in Poverty Alleviation

Poverty is the key challenge. It limits the access of people to the most basic levels of social inclusion, in the form of material deprivation, such as the inability to afford shelter and buy food. The poor often lack the will and capacity to act, are psychologically disempowered, as they feel excluded from the greater society, and discouraged from becoming visible, participating and contributing. Industry/business can help fight poverty by providing increased employment. In his address to the CII National Conference a few years ago Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, stressed on the need to generate increased employment. He said “Employment generation is one important pillar of any strategy of inclusive growth we must focus on creating far more jobs in manufacturing. It is imperative that we rapidly expand the creation of jobs in the manufacturing sector which alone can absorb the large surplus manpower in our rural areas.

Vocational Training and Skill Development

Industry can create opportunities for vocational training to enable job seekers acquire skills in different trades thereby making them employable. The common refrain among industries in new locations is that they do not get the right types of skills in the local community. Manufacturing units need to set up training programmes to train local youth to man some of the positions in the organization. Many organizations have started such training centres where different trades are being taught. GMR Foundation has a Training Centre located near the new Hyderabad Airport. The Centre offers short term training facilities in various trades. Called the Empowerment/Livelihoods it is designed to make youth employable and facilitate livelihood. In addition to providing in house training the project offers Educational loans, scholarships to professional courses. Running courses with industry and academic partners like Voltas, NAC, VLCC, Jain Irrigation, etc. Those trained at the Centre secure direct job opportunities with airport concessionaires. More than 800 youth from around the area placed at airport including candidates trained at the Centre. In addition, 60 youth trained for driving for their own enterprise.

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Inclusive Society Ensures a Dignified Role for All Citizens

Education as a Tool for Poverty Alleviation

Education: Education can play a very important role in the fight against poverty. It can empower those who are marginalized or excluded from participating in discussions and decision-making. Our literacy rate is about 61 percent. There are almost 50 million children still out of school. A majority of these are located in urban slums and our villages. All these children need to be given equal educational opportunity as well as an education of acceptable quality. A majority of companies involved in CSR are investing in education. These interventions are mainly in the area of constructions of school buildings or classrooms, providing teaching material, organizing sports and cultural activities. While these are necessary and welcome there is an urgent need to look into the real requirements of the village and poor children.

Innovative Approaches to Education

There is need to make education more interesting and closer to their needs. Some business houses, like the Premji Foundation, have started thinking out of the box and are bringing in new ideas and systems. They have begun to look at education in its totality from the curriculum, the training of teachers to increase their motivation. Child Friendly schools, drawn up by the Azim Premji Foundation, as a concept fosters democratisation of education. It promotes classroom activities and behaviour results in effective learning. It positively incorporates the involvement of children, families and communities in their children’s schooling CFS deals with issues both within the classroom and school, as well as the community. In-school intervention provides support to curriculum implementation, the teacher, teaching learning process and improvement of the school and classroom environment. The programme also supports positive school-community interface to ensure effective involvement and participation of the community. This concept has resulted in a marked difference in the punctuality of the teachers. The teachers attend school regularly and come on time. This helps create an atmosphere of seriousness and helps in children being engaged right from the morning. Children attend school eagerly and get engaged in learning activities at home.

Improving Healthcare Access

Health care available to a vast majority of people in India is still of a very poor quality. There is still a Lack of quality healthcare services, Inaccessibility, and Affordability. 73% of the population lives in rural India, whereas around 27% live in urban areas. 75% of health infrastructure, medical HR are concentrated in urban areas. Water borne & Tropical diseases are the commonest causes of morbidity and mortality in rural settings, mostly preventable

About the author

Suresh Kr Pramar, Speaker, Trainer, Writer,  CSR Consultant and the Executive Director, Centre for Training & Research in Responsible Business is a veteran journalist presently actively involved in promoting CSR through workshops on Corporate Social Responsibility.  He is regular contributor to INDIACSR.

(www.indiacsr.in)