Dr. Sambhu Prasad Srivastava, Organiser, Lok Awaz, a non-political organisation dedicated to the cause of people. At the outset, he recalled his association with Late S.S.SInghania and expressed his deep regard for the legendary personality. He said, "We were working on the same wavelength, and he championed the cause of employment generation". Dr. Srivastava also recalled that Singhaniaji was invited to submit the blue print of his strategy on employment generation through SSI. He believed that SSI sector was capable enough to take on the challenge posed by the globalisation. He felt employment could be created within the framework of existing policy. He urged to bridge the gap between policy decision and its implementation. In this context, Dr. Srivastava recalled that earlier the Government had constituted a Task Force under the Chairmanship of Dr. S.P.Gupta, member, Planning Commission on 'targetting ten million employment opportunities per year'. And Dr. Gupta submitted a wonderful report, which is a piece of valuable document, it should have been circulated as a guidance to all authorities concerned. However, the report has lost its track. Dr. Srivastava recalled that 'Lok Awaz' very recently organised a convention on 'Do Reforms need course correction?'. And it emerged that Reforms is not an end in itself, rather it is a means to achieve the end. We have to accept 100% if it gives 40% to 60% result, otherwise we have to discard it.

He further maintained that no course is constant. It is subject to change. He clarified that if any course adopted remains constant, the same is to change; there is no 'mantra' and the change is in terms of social justice.

"Look at the scenario, a vast army of drug traffickers, starting from Nepal to various corridors through Mayanmar, are coming to India, and who are those vast army engaged in the nefarious trade? They are frustrated and disgruntled - they are a band of unemployed youths. We couid provide them job and bring them back to the mainstream of life when there is a percolation of the benefits of the GDP in various strata of the economy", he said. Dr. Srivastava further maintained that by adopting the 'trickling down' GDP policy, a small section is benefited, but not those in the lowest rung of the ladder. "It may be observed that in the present scenario, income of certain groups are growing in leaps and bounds, while the income of a large section of the people is failing down". So the question of trickiing the benefits of GDP or the theory of probability poses fundamental problem. We are opening up with competition, and the question remains how people are getting into the process. Citing an example he said that Southern States are known for growing cocoanuts and the price of each cocoanut is Rs.I0/-. Ironically, Indonasean cocoanuts costing Rs.2/- each have flooded the market and pushed the economy of the southern states out of gear. "If this is the trend, how will the economy survive in the 21 st century?", he quipped.

Dr. Srivastava lamented that in the name of empowerment, huge money has gone down the drain. He further pointed out that if the Government is unable to run the Public Sector, it may strengthen private sector, tiny sector, Cottage Industry sector and SSI sector where there is scope for mass employment. Instead of abdicating responsibility, the Government should "take the lead for modernising the SSI sector, and assist them by providing equipments, financial assistance, marketing the products and doing away with the 'Inspector Raj'. These steps would, in the long way, create employment as well as help in boosting the GDP".

Concluding his address, Dr. Srivastava said that reforms should be so guided that it could unshackle the economy, since uncertainty is the main problem. But the economy is constant and therefore, the prime need is to settle our' economy so that its full potentiality is realized. Therefore, with that end in view, the role of the Government should be not of shackling the economy but of unshackling it with the purpose of harnessing the full potential of the SSI sector for maximising its contribution to the growth of GDP.