--- Selma Carvalho wrote: > > Dear Philip, > > Newsweek this week had their lead story as "The > problem with India". It seems that for now atleast > India has to put its "emerging superpower" status on > hold. India has not adequately invested in > infrastructure since 1960, and is a couple of > decades behind china in this respect. Its crumbling > infrastructure is putting a severe strain on > development. Companies are wary about committing to > investment in India, given power and water > shortages, lack of proper roads, airports and the > complete lack of political spine to address any of > these issues in the determined manner that is > needed. > > If India does not make the required investment in > infrastructure and assuming the very best scenario > that it will catch up with China within two decades, > its new-found emergence could very easily fade away, > with countries such as even Vietnam posing strong > competition. > ---Mario Goveia adds: > I wish the obstacles to true superpower status for India were restricted to the failure of the government in the past to evenly invest in the infrastructure. Instead, untold crores were wasted in massive, unwieldy and inefficient government corporations masquerading as businesses, sacrifices made on the altar of extreme and mindless socialism and economic xenophobia. Fortunately, this is now changing, and rapidly. > However, who is going to address, and when, the virtual lack of any civic sense or sensibility, the cavalier use of public spaces to urinate and defecate, the appalling condition of the few public toilets that exist, the spit balls launched in all directions, the cynical and callous disregard for public spaces where garbage can be thrown without a second thought while keeping one's own space clean, the total lack of courtesy and complete disregard for any civilized rules of the road, the total disregard for an entire neighborhood when earsplitting loudspeakers can blare during some personal celebrations? > No one in India seems to even be aware that such crumbling "civic" infrastructure also needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. >
