5
Private enterprise:
The nature of our economy, and the role of the Government in it, has
undergone a paradigm shift as well. Driven by an increasingly open and liberalized structure,
our private sector has matured into a vibrant and dynamic force, operating not just at the
international cutting edge, but also with a global scale and reach. This changed economic
landscape requires a new administrative paradigm in which the role of Government must
evolve from simply allocating resources in a command and control eco-system, to a far more
nuanced one of directing, calibrating, supporting and regulating a market eco-system. National
development must be seen beyond the limited sphere of the ‘Public Sector’. Government must
thus transition from being a ‘provider of first and last resort’ and ‘major player’ in the economy,
to being a ‘catalyst’ nurturing an ‘enabling environment’, where the entrepreneurial spirits of
all, from small self-employed entrepreneurs to large corporations, can flourish. This
importantly, frees up the Government to focus its precious resources on public welfare
domains such as essential entitlements of food, nutrition, health, education and livelihood of
vulnerable and marginalized groups.
Globalisation:
The World at large has also evolved. Today, we live in a ‘global village’, connected
by modern transport, communications and media, and networked international markets and
institutions. As India ‘contributes’ to global dynamics, it is also influenced by happenings far
removed from our borders. This continuing integration with the world needs to be incorporated
into our policy making as well as functioning of government.
