We often talk about change and call it a must in life. But in certain cases, this seems to exist only in theory, and we become so used to it that we have to accept it. For instance, we may take the Hindi film industry. Even before the time of independence, it has been based in Bombay, now Mumbai. Years back, when there was an attempt at setting up an industry in Noida in Uttar Pradesh with the construction of one or two cine studios, one senior actor commented, “I will never leave this big, big place,” referring to Mumbai. Despite the initiative, Noida does not seem to have picked up much in cine production. In recent times, there has also been talk about sharing the same with other places because of the heavy rush in Mumbai. But it seems to be a difficult proposition, and only time will tell what is going to happen. Similar is the case with certain other places. The way one goes to Mumbai to become an actor or movie star, one goes to Haridwar, Mathura, or Vrindavan to become a sadhu or sanyasi, to Mumbai, Bengaluru, or Hyderabad to become a company executive, and to Delhi to become an Indian Administrative Service Officer. Thus, places or areas with a specialty developed over the years have defied the concept of change.
Even before independence, Mumbai had started off with minimum facilities for cine production, which have grown considerably. Cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune have offered extensive job facilities in their companies and production houses. Delhi, as the national capital, has been an education hub with reputed universities and colleges. The students get the best library facilities, books, journals, and coaching, and are therefore naturally drawn towards it for the preparation of the civil service examination. The Union Public Service Commission, having its head office in Delhi and conducting the examination, is an added advantage for the students. So the places mentioned make it difficult for us to find their substitutes.
Recently, the death of a few students in Delhi who were aspirants for the civil service examination and studying in coaching institutions has put the whole country on high alert. Similarly, the heavy rush and other problems in big cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, and others also make us think hard over the matter. Now the question arises as to what we can do about it!
Thirty-five to forty years ago, when we were in college, students preferred to switch over to Delhi after graduation so that they could prepare for the Indian Civil Service Examination in a conducive atmosphere. It was taken for granted that unless and until one studied in Delhi, one could never become an IAS officer, and the idea was not wrong. Most meritorious students who switched over to Delhi could get into the service, and those who could not make it used to appear for the state civil service examination and come out successful. Even now, the trend continues, and students from all over the country rush to Delhi for a sure berth in the civil service. There is no harm in going to Delhi. But everybody cannot afford it. Moreover, to avoid the rush and events like the death of students, we can take the following steps:
- Raising the standard of universities and colleges: It is true that Delhi is equipped with the best universities and colleges. But there are equally good and reputed universities and colleges throughout the country. In addition to the state capitals, other big cities boast many such colleges and universities. The state governments and the University Grants Commission should ensure that they get the best teaching staff, library, and other facilities so that a good study atmosphere is created and the students do not feel neglected and handicapped.
- Computer and internet facilities: Colleges and universities should provide the best computer and internet facilities so that the students get easy access to knowledge from around the globe. They should also be well-equipped with the latest magazines and journals to keep the students up to date.
- Coaching facilities: Both the government and private organizations should come up with good coaching institutes so that even poor students get the opportunity. It is seen that everybody cannot afford to go to Delhi and other big cities for higher studies and coaching, and those students from poor families who manage to go are doing it with great difficulty. There is no dearth of talent in the country, and all the students should get the chance of appearing for the best examinations and coming out successful. It is good that even in smaller towns and cities, coaching institutes are coming up, and certain colleges and universities provide coaching for UPSC and state public service examinations. After the Delhi incident, one owner of a coaching institute made it clear that since land is not given to the coaching institutes and the rent of buildings to run coaching classes is very high in Delhi, they would like to move elsewhere and give service to the students. But the coaching institutes must keep the fees minimum so that everybody can afford it.
- Checking the brain drain: There must be a change in the thought process of the students and their guardians. Can we not create a congenial study atmosphere in our towns and cities? This is possible only when the meritorious students stay back instead of moving to big cities. Nowadays, no place can hardly be called remote. Good colleges and universities for general and technical education are coming up both in the private and government sectors. What to speak of Bhubaneswar, the state capital of Odisha, even cities like Rourkela and Sambalpur have turned out to be education hubs. Recently, the Indian Institute of Management has come up with its new building in Sambalpur. So if the students think highly of their areas, the rush to big cities will be much less.
As far as the Hindi film industry is concerned, it is so deep-rooted in Mumbai that it will really be a Himalayan task to shift the same to some other place or places. But in case places like Noida, Lucknow, and others own facilities of studios and laboratories for cine production, the pressure will be less on Mumbai. Since it will not be much of a problem for established actors to go and shoot there, local junior artists will have a source of earning. Since cine studios are mostly private, their establishment in nearby cities like Pune and Nasik and suburban areas of Mumbai like Thane, Virar, and Kalyan will ease the pressure on Mumbai. Though in each state capital the regional film industries are located, nothing much has been done for the same. In Odisha, for instance, though the film industry is very old, as of now, there is only one studio in Bhubaneswar covering the whole state, that too with minimum facilities. Since the film industry has got the status of an industry and brings revenue in the form of entertainment tax, the government should come out with better packages. Earlier, most films were shot within India. But now foreign locales are being preferred. Keeping this in view and the presence of beautiful spots around the country, the government should encourage the industry to shoot here for revenue and the development of tourism. In the south, though cinema is mostly produced in four languages in the four states, the pressure seems to be more on Chennai and Hyderabad because of better facilities. So if facilities are made available to the producers and film cities are developed in Karnataka and Kerala, it will definitely ease pressure on Chennai and Hyderabad. Similarly, if better facilities are available in the states, there will not be a rush to Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai for the production of regional films, whose producers flock to these places for better studio and production facilities. It is reported that better facilities are coming up in Noida in addition to the existing ones to provide healthy competition in cine production. The rumor is also turned down that an attempt is being made to shift Bollywood from Mumbai.
Flocking to big cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, and others in search of jobs is also a difficult thing to check. These cities have national and multinational companies with their offices and production houses which employ mostly technical personnel and add to the economic growth of the country. In the absence of sufficient government jobs for the educated youth of the country, these companies are playing a pivotal role in creating job opportunities. Consequently, rapid population growth and other urban problems are cropping up. In view of population explosion and unemployment, the problem appears to be far from being solved in the near future. The probable solutions may be the following:
- Creation of jobs: The government should concentrate on creating jobs for the youth, which will stop them from flocking to the big cities in search of jobs.
- Shifting of company offices and production houses: The companies concentrated in big cities may move to smaller cities or open branches so that the population gets scattered. Production houses of the companies may also be shifted to suitable locations.
- Creation of facilities in urban areas: Since it may not be possible to check the influx of people into the big cities immediately, urban facilities like housing, medical care, sanitation, and others must be created by the authorities. It is seen that even in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, flood-like situations are created during the rainy season, disturbing day-to-day life.
- Government Schemes: Government schemes for agriculture and the rural sector must be upgraded, and as per requirement, new ones must be brought about. Government schemes for the urban and rural youth must be attractive enough to make them stick to their areas. The development of agriculture and the rural sector on a grand scale can only put a check on rural-to-urban migration in the long run.
The spiritual atmosphere of holy places like Haridwar, Rishikesh, Varanasi, Mathura, Vrindavan, and others attracts spiritual-minded people and devotees alike, and there can be no substitutes for these places. But better facilities and infrastructure can be created for the living and fleeting population in these places. It is good that the government is taking many steps for the holy places and rivers and should see to it that the plans are properly executed and people get the benefits.
Change is a must and part of life, and this change should always be for the better. But the process of bringing about a change is not that easy. For this, a strong mindset and the circumstances are essential. Big cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Bengaluru, touching the population mark of one hundred and fifty to two hundred crores with problems like housing and drinking water, is a matter of concern. In the coming hundred years, the situation may be out of control when the urban population of the country will cross the fifty percent mark. So changes may be difficult. But it is essential, and efforts at all levels are a must.
(The views expressed are the writer’s own)
Mr. Prafulla Kumar Majhi,
Retired Asst. Director, A. I. R, is an eminent Scholar and freelance writer in English & Odia. His areas of interests are sociocultural, economic, literary, historical and analytical studies and writings.
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