1. RELATIVE ECONOMICS : THE BROADER
FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
By :
Dr. Trilok Kumar Jain
Chairman, C3W 2013 (www.c3w.in)
Dean, ISBM (International School of Business Management)
Suresh Gyan Vihar University
Jaipur
www.gyanvihar.org
Isbm@gyanvihar.org, jain.tk@gmail.com
Mobile : 9414430763
abstract :
This is a conceptual paper on the present economic policies and on the fundamentals of relative
economics. This paper is intended to promote a wholistic thinking and a broader framework for
our development.
Keyword:
Economic planning, Plans, Progress, development, growth, economics, relative economics,
sustainable development
Introduction : -
Acharya Mahapragya is well known in many fields like philosophy, meta-physics,
religion, linguistics etc. His one of the most important contribution has been to raise our
awareness about relative economics. His assertion that relative economics is the solution for the
problems of tomorrow is the message for all economists and policy makers. Relative economics
enables us to give a broader framework to our economic indicators. Relative Economics should
definitely evolve from India only as this is a broader framework in comparison to the present
day economic indicators. The present economic system looks at material resources and overall
production as indicators of prosperity. Relative economics looks at the following issues : -
a. the development of countries and regions should be studies not just on a few
indicators, but on broader parameters.

2. b. impact of our policies on the overall happiness and overall well being of people must
be studied
c. impact of our acts on other living beings should also be noticed and we should go for
a balanced development, with focus on sustainable development
d. impact of our plans and policies on the long term survival and sustainance of our
planet.
Problems with the Present Economic Planning : -
The present economic planning ignores the plight of the other living beings. The is only
one being - human being. Not just that, we totally ignore the impact of our plans on our planet,
its ecology, its temperature, its overall balance. The impact of the present economic plans will
be visible much after the damage (when it will be too late to repair the damage). The present
technologies will cause material loss to the ecology and eco-system, which will raise the overall
temperature of the Earth by as much as 5% in the next century (which will make this planet un-
livable for many species). The present economic policies have taken the soul out of our planning
and made us completely materialistic. It is unfortunate that the great country, which once
followed the policies of non-violence, is today promoting non-veg food and animal slaughter
houses just because it makes economic sense. The present economic plans are in favour of
those who promote mass production technologies which ultimately ignore the environment and
surroundings and cause material loss to the overall well being. There is a need of a new thinking
about economic planning and economic developmental framework. Relative Economics has
come as a branch of study, which takes economics from being just indicator of money and
wealth to indicator of overall happiness and well being. The present pace of development
ignores other living beings. In fact, the present rat race considers only money. We are worried
about GDP growth or issues like per capita income (which is an average indicator). We are not
worried about the distribution of wealth. We are not concerned about poor getting more poor.
We are not concerned about impact of our technology on the other living beings on this planet.
The present economic progress has ignored small projects, small businesses, cottage
industries, labour intensive businesses, house-hold businesses, and traditional businesses. There
is emphasis on large projects, large businesses, large organisations and large industries. These
large units are mammoth, they can get the policies converted in their favour. The financial
analysts also favour the large projects. Huge resources of the country (and borrowed resources
also) are diverted towards these large projects, which ultimately proove to be a burden on the
economy, but it is always too late and by that time, the negative impact on the country is
already there.
Look at some of the recent projects : Barmer Refinery Project - will cost more than Rs.
35000 crore rupees. The Jaipur Metro Project will cost more than Rs. 10000 crore at the present
prices. So is the case with other projects. Rs. 10000 crore is a huge money. Each Indian could
have started a mini-project withing this amount, which would have converted that person into

3. an entrepreneur and also provided him an opportunity to create employment for others. But
who cares for this.
Till now, the desert areas were safer for the other species (other living beings) because
they were less populated by human beings. Arid and semi-arid regions spread over ten states,
cover 38.80% of India’s total geographical area, thus this 38% area was safer for the other living
beings. The cold arid zone located in Trans-Himalayan region covers 5.62% area of the country.
Thus large number of animals, birds and rare species could survive there. Of the 140 species of
birds known, the Great Indian Bustard is a globally threatened species. It was able to survive in
the Thar Desert of India. The flora of the Indian desert comprise 682 species with over 6% of
total plant species as endemics. The cold desert is the home of rare endangered fauna, such as,
Asiatic ibex, Tibetan argali, Wild yak, Snow leopard, etc. Now when large projects would be set
up in desert areas, humans will not allow the other species to survive there also. Other living
beings will find it difficult to survive and grow with the present attitude and approach of human
beings. Our country has tried to save only one animal : Tiger - that too due to tourism and other
associated reasons, mostly coming from other countries - not from the voices of the common
Indians.
Traditionally, India has always followed the path of non-violence and pursued the
economic system which considered the nature as supreme. The traditional practices followed by
villagers in India have given due respect to nature and therefore different species of animals and
birds were able to survive in India. Traditional practices and systems have enabled India to have
a very rich heritage (of plants, animal and birds species) today. India has 91200 species of
animals and 45500 species of plants (which are reducing every day)in ten biogeographic
regions.India has 413 globally threatened faunal species (which is 4.9% of the world). Over
91000 faunal species have been recorded in India so far (which is 7.4% of the world). India has
over 50000 varieties of rice, 5000 of sorghum, 1000 varietires of mango etc. Thus India has a
very rich resources. National Genebank holds 3,66,933unique accessions of plant genetic
resources. India also has vast and diversified forms of domesticated animal genetic resources.
India has 327 fresh water species listed in International Union for Conservation of Nation (IUCN)
threat categories and 192 endemic fishes on over 2000 fishes found in India's coastline.
However, the present policies and practices are encouraging non-veg food, and cruelity towards
animals, which will ultimately damage the rich bio-diversity of our country.
There is a need of giving back to the society. We know how to cut a tree, but we dont
know how to plant a tree. There are companies, which cut thousands of trees every year to
prepare paper or other such material. These large companies are causing unreparable damage
to the environment. There is a need of concerted action to recover the damage. India must have
at least 33% of its geography in forest areas as per national forest policy, however, 16 major
forest types and 251 subtypes, the total forest and treecover of the country constitutes 23.39 %
of the geographical area with most north-eastern states maintaining more than 75% of the
forest cover. The forest cover in Uttarakandh has depleted considerably in the recent past due
to industrialisation, which caused havoc during rainy season this year. This is a lesson about the

4. impact of the present economic policies. There is a need to revise our policies towards our
forests, our resources and our industries. Relative economics gives us the solution, which can
help us in raising our face in international community also.
Conclusion: -
There is a need of a fresh thinking about our developmental plans and policies. If only
the present economic systems are followed and other branches of studies are ignored, it will
cause lopsided development. We need to raise the overall happiness and well being of people in
the long term. We need to raise the overall presperity for the people. Which requires us to have
a fresh appraisal about our developmental yardsticks. Fortunately, there are now indicators like
human development indicators, which are now being used as broader measures in comparison
to just GDP.