Many believe that the economic liberalisation process initiated in 1991 would somehow find answers to our governance crisis. Economic reforms, while they are necessary, are by no means sufficient to resolve our national dilemmas. Even if the role of the state is redefined with sharper role in a narrower area, an efficient and just state in a free society is a vital precondition for economic growth and human happiness. Even in a liberalised economic environment, the state still has the duty to discharge vital responsibilities. Public order, crime investigation, speedy justice, good quality school education accessible to all children, universal primary healthcare, maintenance of minimal standards of sanitation and civic amenities, and building of vital infrastructure like roads and facilitating economic growth through other infrastructure development like power and ports - all these are the legitimate functions of the state irrespective of the economic system we choose.
This situation is
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