Articles by T S Papola

February 16, 1985 Industrial Spurt in Uttar Pradesh Myth or Reality?
T S Papola Fahimuddin THE proverbially backward and slow growing economy of Uttar Pradesh is believed to have turned the corner during the last few years and the recent official statements and documents go to suggest that it is now poised for fast growth. Two phenomena form the basis of and are referred to as evidence for this optimism. First, the agricultural economy of the eastern part of the state, characterised by low and stagnant yield levels, has experienced a jump in productivity, particularly in the production of wheat. Second, the state which has lagged behind mainly due to its industrial backwardness has experienced a fast growth in the number of large, medium and small industrial units during recent years. Overall, the state is likely to achieve the growth rate targeted in the Sixth Plan. With 1979-80 as base, the growth during the Sixth Plan is estimated to be 7.9 per cent per annum; and even if 1978-79, a very good year, is taken as the base, the average annual growth rate is likely to be about 4.4 per cent. Annual growth rate in agriculture is likely to be 3.2 per cent and in industry 7.4 per cent, with 1978-79 as base.

T S Papola V N Misra The rationale for the emphasis on rural industrialisation in the development policy in India lies primarily in the following objective conditions. First, agricultural growth, even if rapid to the extent feasible, is unlikely to be able to provide productive employment to all the labour force in the rural areas. Second, underemployment among even those engaged in agriculture would continue following from the very nature of agricultural activities. Third, the organised industrial sector, mainly concentrated in urban areas, has not been growing fast enough to absorb the growing labour force in the cities, let alone the rural workers migrating to seek work in the urban industrial sector.


Facts and Fictions on Incomes Policy T S Papola Report of the Study Group on Wages, Incomes and Prices, Government of India, Ministry of Finance, May 1978.

The Exploited Industrial Worker T S Papola Wages, Mobility and Savings of Workers in India by V B Singh; Lalwani Publishing House, Bombay; pp 212, Rs 28.00.

Employment by Spending IN SPITE of the considerable growth of the various sectors of the economy during the last two decades, all available evidence suggests that the magnitude and intensity of the unemployment problem have increased. The government assigned the task of assessing the extent of unemployment and underemployment and suggesting suitable remedial measures to a Committee in December 1970. The Committee submitted its Interim Report in February 1972. As the sub-title of the Report indicates, the Committee has recommended certain short-term measures for employment. Basic issues likes strategies of development and techniques of production, which are of fundamental importance for a programme of employment generation on a sustained basis, are reported to have come up for consideration before the Committee (as is indicated in the Chairman's letter to the Minister presenting the Report), but they do not find a place in the Interim Report These and other related issues are now being examined by Working Groups of the Committee. While more detailed information and analysis to evolve a fresh approach to the problem would be available to the Committee only after the Reports of these Working Groups arc submitted, the Committee in the meanwhile felt it necessary to submit an Interim Report recommending merely enhancement of expenditure on some of the "labour intensive" programmes of the Fourth Five-Year Plan during the next two years.