Better Than The Best
 |
| God's Own Country |
Kerala’s fight against COVID-19 has been remarkable. The efficiency with which the state managed the
pandemic is trending on social media.In the ‘covidian’ fight, Kerala has
proved to be better than the best. Miles ahead in many social indices, other Indian
states will take eons to catch up with Kerala.
Crumble Zones
Amidst euphoria of ‘success’ against
COVID, some disturbing headlines also appeared. These were about Karnataka sealing its borders, Tamil Nadu
controlling flow of goods, dumping
of 80,000 litres of milk, protest
by migrant workers, ‘nokku kooli’ (gawking charges) problems, impending return
of jobless expatriates, loss of revenue from liquor sales, death of
patients denied medical care and an estimated
loss of 80% GSDP, each a pointer to socio-economic
crumble zones integral to the state.
Fragile and heavily dependent food security, inadequate
industrial production, industry-unfriendly environment, ever looming return of
expatriates, native unemployment amidst plentiful opportunities, alcoholism and
alcohol dependent exchequer, ironic inadequacies of an efficient public health
system and high per capita debt burden are visible crumble zones of the state. Unlike
crumble zones in a car which absorb impact shocks and save occupants, socio-economic crumble zones can on impact wreak
havoc.
Vulnerable Existence
Hardly any agricultural or industrial production
to talk of, the rain-washed, ‘God’s own country’ is a consumer state dependent
on the rest of the country for survival. Kerala neither produces enough for its
own consumption nor provides environment conducive to industrial production.
Kerala's economy is driven primarily by expatriate remittances. Alcohol and
lottery earnings do help.
Tiller-Abandoned Land
While land reforms[1] transferred ‘land to the tillers’, it sounded death-knell to
profitable agriculture. Micro holdings of cultivable land and dearth of native
labour turned land fallow. Native dietary items like jackfruit and
tubers like tapioca, yam, once
abundant, are hardly cultivated. Kerala is dependent on others to fill its stomachs. Cash crops
like rubber, pepper, coffee and cardamom are on laboured breath. Coir industry, once
Malayalee monopoly and livelihood for thousands, is also almost dead. Incidentally,
the state derives its name from ‘Kera’ or coconut. Cashew industry, once
another monopoly, is on ventilator.
Hara-kiri,
Malayalee Style
Unreasonable demands,
unrelentingly bargained, along with ‘Nokku-kooli’ precipitated conditions unfavourable to industrial
and agricultural investment. Labour disputes, with political patronage irrespective
of ideologies, ‘locked-out’ many production facilities that eventually closed
shop. Kerala became land of ‘bandhs’ and ‘hartals’. While Malayalees in Kerala ‘enjoyed’
committing economic hara-kiri, Non-resident Malayalees, especially expatriates toiled,
many in inhuman conditions, to feed needs and greed back home.
Outward Migration
Education and literacy are not synonyms
and don’t necessarily make people employable or create jobs. In Kerala, literacy
created an environment where natives became reluctant to take up manual labour.
Literates discarded traditional occupations and the few who did, became unaffordable
and overbearing. Armed with useless degrees, Malayalees couldn’t find enough blue
or white-collar jobs of their choice, at home. Local opportunities, in plenty,
went unsubscribed.
Malayalees, aware of opportunities
elsewhere and managed foothold, migrated, first a trickle, then a torrent. Lured
by petro-dollars, they swarm the middle east, mostly doing the very work they
shunned doing at home. Doctors, engineers, nurses, paramedics, technicians,
anyone and everyone followed. By conservative estimates more than 25 lakh
Malayalees live abroad, more than 18 lakhs in middle east alone. Wherever
possible they become citizens.
Kerala finds itself in a very a
peculiar situation. Plenty of able-bodied natives are unemployed and live off others
while forty lakh migrants find work.
Dwindling Breed
One can easily take a Malayalee out of
Kerala but never take Kerala out of a Malayalee. Today there is no country in
the world without a Malayalee sweating it out, home sick and longing to
comeback albeit on vacation.
If migration was not enough, Kerala suffers
from the lowest decadal population growth
rate[2] (4.9 % against a national figure of
17.6 %). Pathanamthitta has already posted negative figures. In a decade, few
more will. Malayalee, natives of Sage Parasuam’s land, is now a dwindling
breed.
‘Vasudaiva kudumbakam’?
Outward migration and low birth rate have
created a population vacuum. This vacuum and plentiful opportunities for
unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled labour triggered inward migration of
labourers[3] from other states. Kerala is now a
miniature India.
‘Vasudaiva kudumbakam’ is a great philosophy,
as long as local and regional existence is not threatened. Four million people
of non-native ethnicity packed into the small geographical confines will have serious
impact on societal life. Cloistered in ghetto like communities for
safety in numbers, migrants pose serious law and order challenges.
Signs of irrevocable demographical
change, is openly visible on the streets. Native customs, traditions and
culture are already stressed. Sooner than later, it could assume serious
socio-ethnic and political tones. Assam-like situation in Kerala is not unlikely.
It just needs a trigger.
But for now, most
have fled the pandemic. Those who could not, will, as soon as travel is
permitted. Though the exodus will temporarily cripple Kerala’s economy, serious
thoughts needs to go into the matter.
Kerala Can
Given the
conditions currently prevailing, if Karnataka and Tamil Nadu seal their
borders, Keralites[4] could starve.
Despite
death of few critically ill patients and interventions by the centre, Karnataka
refused to open national highways. This won’t be the last time, it happened. Armed
with precedence, closure of all routes to and out of the state, in future crises,
can’t be ruled out.
Inadequate
food production and poor local employment opportunities has made Kerala a dependent
consumer. Promotional sales of white goods and branded apparels in other states
if compared would reveal that Kerala is a sellers’ delight, a hapless buyer. Goods
and services, when profit driven, will flow.
Markets will force open even stubborn blocks. Even if it doesn’t, it is
not an existential issue.
Food
grain is a different issue. States can’t achieve self-reliance in everything,
but adequacy in native food grains is achievable, especially when blessed with
fertile lands. Given its abilities, if it resolves, Kerala can.
Food
for Thought
In crisis
situations, Kerala must NOT find itself short of grains and pulses.
Impoverished can at best bargain alms. Self-sufficiency in food must be
achieved. Terrace grown vegetables and symbolic farming cannot replace
sustainable and profitable agriculture. Food adequacy can come about only if the
entire bank of cultivable land comes under the plough. With eco-friendly technology
under control and political will, Kerala can produce native food grains, enough
and more for its population.
Agro-industry
especially, those processing locally grown items must be promoted. If the state
had adequate capability to collect, store and process milk, colossal wastage of
milk could have been avoided during COVID. Opportunities for eco-friendly
ventures are immense in Kerala. Societal support is what is required.
While
tourism is a big-earner, it is difficult to sustain
 |
| Backwaters remain the most favoured location Photo- courtesy Chemicos(76-79) |
it without long term
ill-effects on local environment, customs and traditions. Money, however plenty,
can’t buy food if there is nothing to eat. Moreover, with covid raging and
re-infecting the world, when tourism would pick up remains a question. There is
an urgent need to regulate tourism and look for alternative sources of income.
Regulated tourism, is niche tourism and can earn more.
Labour
Activism
Trade
union serve as guardians against exploitation but collective bargaining beyond
reasonable limits become counter-productive.
Eradication
of parasitic activism can help create industry friendly environment. Contrary
to official declarations, ‘nokku-kooli’ persists. Despite killing many a golden
goose, few still venture home to roost.
Conducive
environment helps germination of ideas and creation of wealth. If provided, many
expatriates would return to invest and set up ventures. Public must understand that
creation of wealth is not always at someone else’s cost. On the other hand, it creates
opportunities and accrues wealth to many.
Adversity or Opportunity?
Migrant labour
is inevitable for Kerala’s survival. Agriculture, construction, hospitality, housekeeping,
tourism, in fact every aspect of economic activity, organized and unorganized, legal
and illegal, has a large component of migrant labour. Industrial output of the
state today is mostly moved by migrants, while local unions remain relevant lending
brains to disruptions.
For 25 lakh Malayalees
who migrated out for work, about a lakh or so busy in queues outside liquor
vends and few lakhs living off the benevolence of others, there are about 40
lakh migrants in Kerala earning more than 25,000 crores annually. Even if all
expatriates return, Kerala can absorb all of them, provided conditions become
industry friendly and there is attitudinal change in the society.
A large number
of expatriates, especially from the middle east is expected to return having
lost their jobs. If the state administration accepts the challenge posed by migrant
exodus as an opportunity, Kerala can kick-start the process of redemption, productively
absorbing many returnees.
The crisis
provides ideal conditions for change on a platter.
Decoding NREGA
Average daily
wages for unskilled labour in the state hovers between Rs 600 to 800. National
Rural Employment Guarantee Act provides limited days of work at much lesser
wages. If four million migrant labourers can find daily work and remit home Rs
25,000 crores annually, why natives have to line up for NREGA doesn’t need much
intellect to decipher. Windfall awaits
Kerala if it deploys NREGA initiatives to reclaim fallow lands.
Reorganizing
Infrastructure
The state’s
response to the floods and Nipa virus attack was commendable. Responsibility of
loss of lives cannot be solely rested on insensitivity of a neighbouring state
but must be accepted as symptom of deficiency in public health infrastructure.
State’s public
health infrastructure must achieve self-sufficiency at district level itself. It
will also eradicate ambulances flying on the roads, from one end of the state
to the other sirens blaring, endangering many lives for saving one.
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is
an issue that Kerala needs to address. This social problem stems from easy
money and free time. Winding orderly queue outside liquor vends is not
indicative of inherent discipline but of helpless dependence.
Keralites drank
more than Rs 14,508 crore worth liquor in 2018-19, sending Rs 2,521 Crore into
the coffers. While this may seem substantial, it amounts to just about 2.4% of
the state income (compared to the projected revenue of Rs 103136 crores
excluding borrowings).
The social cost
inflicted by alcoholism is terrible and irredeemable. Prohibition is not the
answer. It is time for Malayalees to tighten their belts (or mundu) to meet the
challenge head on.
Hope Ahead
While it is
easy to find faults and lament about the past, it is better to create history
looking forward and putting in place appropriate policies. While geographical
limitations can't be wished away, vulnerable dependence can be minimized. While
population decline yields excellent social outcomes, inward migration should be
controlled to safeguard native culture. While outward migration reaps economic
dividends, encouraging natives to take up local opportunities may yield better
economic dividends. Current situation requires great planning and greater societal
participation.
Kerala is the
best administered state in the country. It can also become the best place on
the earth, truly Gods own country.
[1]
Kerala Land Reforms Act,1969.
[2]
Economic Review 2016, spb.kerala.gov.in .
[3] 2.5
million according to a study by Gulati institute of finance and taxation 2013.
A recent estimate pegs the figure at 4 million (V B Unnithan; Mathrubhumi.com )
repatriating to the tune of Rs 25,000 crores per annum to their states from Kerala.
[4] Population
residing in Kerala inclusive of migrants.
