India -- History -- British occupation, 1765-1947; India -- Politics and government -- 1765-1947
glass is evidenced by the fact that in 1913-1914 this was valued at Rs.
164 lakhs. Porcelain insulators, good enough for low tension currents,
are manufactured, but India does not produce the higher qualities of
either porcelain or china....
"The list of industries which, though their products are essential alike
in peace and war, are lacking in this country, _is lengthy and almost
ominous_.[2] Until they are brought into existence on an adequate scale,
Indian capitalists will, in times of peace, be deprived of a number of
profitable enterprises; whilst in the event of war which renders the sea
transport impossible, India's all-important existing industries will be
exposed to the risk of stoppage, her consumers to great hardship, and
her armed forces to the gravest danger."
In discussing the part played by Indians of all classes in the
industrial development of the Country the Commission observes:
"It is obvious that the great obstacles are the lack of even vernacular
education and the low standard of comfort. The higher grade of worker,
the mechanical artisan, in the absence of adequate education has been
prevented from attaining a greater degree of skill. He finds himself
where he is, less by deliberate choice than by the accident of his
obtaining work at some railway or other engineering shop, or by the
possession of a somewhat more enterprising spirit than his fellows.
There is at present only very inadequate provision for any form of
technical training to supplement the experience that he can gain by
actual work in an engineering shop, while the generally admitted need
for a more trustworthy and skillful type of man is at present met by
importing charge-men and foremen from abroad."
In short, the industrial deficiencies of India are directly due to
(_a_) lack of education, general, scientific, and technical.
(_b_) lack of encouragement by the Government which has so far
deliberately purchased most kinds of stores needed for government
requirements from England.
The agricultural deficiencies are due to the same causes plus the
poverty of the ryot and his inability to secure the capital necessary
for improvements on reasonable terms of interest. Yet, in spite of this
we find the Commission laying unwarranted emphasis upon the creation of
new posts divided into Imperial and Provincial branches for Industrial,
Agricultural, and scientific experts. One should have thought that the
first recommendation should be the immediate inauguration of general
education throughout the country with adequate provision for technical,
scientific, agricultural and commercial instruction.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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