Other Policies
It is really painful to find that even in highly scientific
and technical times workers, both at the desk and at machines, are required to
work a minimum of 8—12 hours a day. Finding no alternative, people are forced
to submit to this inhuman workload. Therefore Prout declares:
Hours of work, among all types of workers, will
be reduced to half the present amount, i.e. to 4—6 hrs a day, so that workers
are free to engage in higher pursuits such as art, literature or spiritual
practice for which they find no time at present despite keen interest.
Physical, mental and spiritual potentialities of
both individuals and society will be utilized to the maximum. No person will be
forced to sit idle for the want of employment. Boys and girls below 18 yrs. of
age will not be employed in service.
Communication policy
At present, both public and private agencies are
managing the most powerful means of communication i.e. TV and radio while other
effective means of communication, including newspapers and magazines, are
managed mainly by private or corporate people. Both wish to propagate their own
interests and thus, by and large, communicate and publish twisted, distorted,
even false, reports which become quite misleading and confusing to the people.
Therefore Prout proposes to establish a
completely autonomous and self regulating media authority, totally free of any
outside interference, for disseminating correct information to the people and
for providing a high standard of cultural and educational programming in place
of the large number of tasteless and degrading foreign programs which are
presently spoiling the impressionable minds of our children. The expenses of
the media authority will be borne by the government.
Energy Policy
Due to our present dependence on foreign
resources for crude oil and nuclear energy we are obliged to make many
compromises in our trade relations as well as in foreign policy. Proutists will
explore domestic resources in the former while for the latter, uranium and
thorium, available in our country, will be converted into high grade material
and utilized in full.
At the same time, Proutists will thoroughly
explore and utilize abundant renewable sources of energy such as solar energy,
wind energy, hydro-electric pan-chakkis (water wheels) and mini-dams.
With the help of election reforms, policies of
local employment, and village level management of education and health-care
significant energy savings can be achieved. Extravagant consumption of either
fuel or electric energy will also be curtailed creating additional constraints
on excessive demand.
Export Import Policy
Today we are engaged in import and export
primarily for profit. Proutists, however, will support import and export only
when there is shortage or excess of commodities. Luxury goods will not be
allowed to be imported. All efforts will be made to produce necessary
commodities in our own country. As far as possible even defense needs will be
met locally in order to be self sufficient. It is well known that those arranging
foreign defense contracts receive lucrative commissions. The attraction of
these commissions has resulted in the neglect of local research and development
in defense. Proutists will end this type of corruption and strengthen the local
defense industries.
Development Policy
The main aim of our development policy will be
all round progress and prosperity of our people. Construction of roads,
educational institutions, bridges, dams, canals, power generation plants and
creation of afforrestation projects will be undertaken by means of circulation
of money and by using our own indigenous technology and natural resources. No
loan will be taken from the World Bank, IMF or other foreign financial agency
for our basic development projects.
Presently all public works contracts are given
to contractors who, in conspiracy with the departmental staff and engineers,
have no qualms about using inferior materials or delaying and prolonging the
work and putting the public to great inconvenience. As a result very sub-standard
work is being done which requires frequent repairs and thus keeps benefiting
all concerned.
Proutists will not encourage the
tender/contractor system in public works. Instead, work-brigades of
approximately a thousand people, headed by senior, honest, hard working and
capable officers of the rank of at least a chief engineer or major–general
(chosen meticulously), will be created at the level of each division. These
work brigades, in addition to looking after the works in their division, will
also be entrusted with central projects whenever needed. They will be given
full autonomy and power in their work.
Through these work-brigades it will be ensured
that all works are finished speedily, even ahead of time, without putting the
general public to any undue inconvenience.
Protection of Biodiversity
In the name of development we have almost
destroyed biodiversity. Rivers have become dry due to innumerable dams and
diversions, mountains have been denuded and we are facing the specter of alpine
snow fields and glaciers melting away completely in the near future. Forests
have been indiscriminately felled and air and water are heavily polluted. It
appears that we have identified progress with the number of cars running on the
streets. Emissions of CFC are damaging the stratosphere and human civilization
is threatened by the greenhouse effect. Thousands of species have either
vanished or are near to extinction.
All this is due to thoughtless exploitation of
natural resources with no regard for the future – especially fossil fuels and
coal. Proutists recognize that everything in the universe has been created by
Parama Purus’a. As such, all beings, including inanimate objects such as earth
and stones, have an equal right to exist. Therefore, a policy which neither
halts progress nor endangers any kind of life on this planet will have to be
adopted. A rational and balanced outlook to the use of resources is required.
As the demand for energy is such a big factor in
the exploitation of resources, Proutists will make all efforts to develop
alternative and green sources of energy. Since vehicles are the biggest source
of hazardous emissions, long range electric vehicles will be developed and
utilized. The manufacture and use of public as opposed to private transportation
will be encouraged. Considering the situation it may be necessary to place
restraints on use of private vehicles. Convoys carrying VIPs will have no place
in Prout’s Economy
Forests, rivers, mountains and their flora and
fauna will be protected vigilantly. Mining will be allowed only after
thoroughly assessing its pros and cons and impact on the environment. If mining
is permitted rehabilitation of the adivasis or local populations inhabiting
such areas will be arranged.
An ombudsman will be appointed to supervise and
control all such activities. He/she will be given all powers necessary to
discharge such duties. His/her position will be safeguarded by the
constitution.
Rural Regeneration
So far only urban development has been
emphasized in India. Rural development has either been side-tracked or given
nominal importance merely to attract rural votes. Proutists will reverse this
situation and their main emphasis will be on developing rural areas. The
majority of development funds will be allocated for rural upliftment and
regeneration.
Innovative proposals will be invited for rural
development. Proutists will create and implement plans for grouping neighboring
villages into single blocks or clusters with a population of approximately one
lakh people, encouraging them to merge their lands and economic interests to
form viable agricultural cooperatives. Small cottage industries based on local
raw materials, agricultural produce and small agrico industries (tools,
fertilizers, etc.) will be established by the government from their development
budget and then handed over to deserving unemployed local youth who will run
them and pay back the investment in easy installments to the government.
One boys’ and one girls’ college up to inter
level will be opened in each cluster. A modern hospital with mid-level medical
and surgical facilities and separate wards for males and females holding 50
beds each will be set up in the central place of each cluster. Doctors and
staff employed there will be provided with free furnished accommodation with
modern facilities. Hospital staff will be given an extra rural allowance
equivalent to their basic salary plus all other remunerations. Two children of
each family whose mother or father work in the hospital will be allowed free
education and a reasonable boarding and lodging allowance up to intermediate
level in a school of their choice and academic standard. This will attract good
doctors and nursing staff who, up to the present time, have been reluctant to
join rural health-centers.
For security and allied matters, a police
station with sufficient staff and infra-structure headed by an officer not
below the rank of Dy. SP, will also be established with each such rural
cluster.
A stadium of reasonable size with proper
infrastructure for catering to the needs and aspirations of growing young men
and women in sports and athletic activities will also be established in each
cluster. This will go a long way towards bringing out talent athletes in
different disciplines and preparing them for national, international and
Olympic events.
Efforts will be made to modernize the villages
in each cluster but through awareness-raising and education rather than by
force.
Price Fixation Policy
The price of commodities is the biggest problem
facing today’s consumers. Prices are determined by supply and demand. Consumers
cannot be certain of the price of any commodity even within the span of a year.
Greedy and the unscrupulous people continually manipulate the market.
Proutists will not permit such volatility.
Prices will be fixed on the basis of inputs and costs of materials and labor.
Thus price stability for a reasonable time will be assured. Prices of fruits,
vegetables and agricultural produce will also be fixed on this basis. This will
protect the interests of both farmers and consumers.
Establishing Economic Democracy and Restoring
India’s Greatness
Despite India having adopted a democratic system
of government, due to wrong economic policies, mostly urban rather than rurally
focused, about 77% of our people live in dire poverty. Economic power and
wealth has become concentrated in the hands of a select few. As unemployment
rises the political vultures lure the poor and helpless with promises of
employment through various tantalizing schemes whose only real purpose is to
secure votes and keep their kursi intact.
They haven’t hesitated to divide society into
sects, classes or communities for their vested interest. Th right to vote has
become a mockery carrying no real substance. Once the votes are cast the game
is over!
People are deprived of the social, economic and
political justice enshrined in the constitution by our founding fathers. This
great betrayal of our original ideals has left the majority of the population
fragmented, torn, depressed and hungry.
Different political parties, with their
manifestos and supporters, have so far failed to fulfill the dreams of the
brave sons and daughters of mother India who sacrificed their all for the
freedom and prosperity of their beloved country. They have shown neither the
vision nor the character required to fulfill the aspirations of the people. In
light of this situation, Proutist Bloc, India has taken a vow to fulfill the
expectations and aspirations of the people through its well-developed cadre and
policies and through extensive and intensive schemes and projects summarized
briefly in the foregoing pages, especially in the grossly neglected rural areas
where over 70% of the people reside.
PBI will not only direct its energies towards
economic, social, political, administrative and judicial rejuvenation. It will
also focus on reviving the cultural, moral and spiritual ethos and values which
made India the light and leader of the world during a greater part of the
history of humanity.
