Recrafting Indian Industry: A Note

Aseem Shrivastava, Independent Researcher

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Abstract

After independence in 1947, India embarked on an ambitious path of industrialisation, following the standard modern developmental prescription drawn from the experience of the so-called developed countries. Since the inauguration of the reform era in 1991, this model of development, duly globalised, has been reinforced by the decisions made by metropolitan policy elites both within and beyond India. Under this policy paradigm, the expectation (following the experience of industrialised countries both East and West) is that, over time, the processes of development prompt large numbers of people (if not the overwhelming majority) to leave primary sectors like agriculture in rural areas and move towards the secondary and tertiary sectors in the cities. This assumes not only that productivity in agriculture rises fast enough to release labour for industry and services, but that the secondary and tertiary sectors will grow rapidly enough to absorb the labour thus released.

Suggested Citation:

Shrivastava, Aseem. 2018. “Recrafting Indian Industry: A Note.”, Centre for Sustainable Employment Working Paper #10, Azim Premji University, Bangalore.