Practical before utopian

THE decision by the Cabinet to appoint a high-level committee to exclusively focus on doubling the per capita income is welcome even though it was made about a year from when the idea was first mooted in the 2010 Budget.After being included in the Budget speech, the idea gained more ground during the presidential campaign and subsequently in the Independence Day celebration speech, the general election and perhaps most recently during an address delivered by the Central Bank Governor.

On Wednesday, the Cabinet decided to appoint a high-powered committee to formulate strategic plans with assistance from the private sector to achieve the goal of doubling the per capita income to US$ 4,000 by 2015. They have been selected to specifically focus on the priority needs for rapid economic development in the next five years. The committee is tasked with evaluating the project proposals submitted by line ministries and formulate a coordinating structure that would include the private sector wherever possible.    

The main focus of the committee is to concentrate on upgrading goods and services so that they are on par with international standards. As a result, the Cabinet decided to approve the drawing up of a National Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for 2011-2015. Secretaries to the President, Prime Minister, Cabinet of Ministers, Finance and Planning Ministry and Technology and Research Ministry will work on implementing this programme.

However, it must be considered that this committee alone can do little to achieve this challenging goal. Improving exports is a good starting point, but there are many other sides of the multi-headed economic dragon to deal with before it can be tamed to obey the policymakers. What the committee can concentrate on is building private and public partnerships to increase the research and development within the different organisations so that technology infusion can happen faster. It would also set up a broader platform for inclusive development that would tie rural business to the larger economic framework.

Technology can also assist to attract foreign direct investment, speed up the approval process and create more room for transparency. Free access to information would give more confidence to investors and they can easily gain confidence from the improvement in good governance that this would necessarily bring about. If the different ministries were to adapt to a paperless system, the entire system could be streamlined for more efficiency.

Even though some of these committees have overlapping powers with little clarity of their results to the general public, this set of individuals can actually change that trend and ensure that what they have recommended or achieved is set out for public absorption – An unusual idea but nevertheless a worthwhile one.

The greatest assistance that technology can achieve is in improving the daily activities of people. Recently ICTA introduced the option for Government servants to get their pension or gratuity on the very day the pensioner reaches the date of retirement. Similar services can be provided to increase the standard of life. Students and professionals as well as senior citizens would benefit immensely from schemes designed to make humdrum activities such as paying bills and making other transactions easy if technology does its duty.

So while this committee will probably not have the impact of doubling per capita income, it can serve as important a role by infusing technology to a range of Government functions so that it will have practical use for everyone.