Arunkumarazad

Liberalization, Voluntary Action and Environment: A Paradox
The issues of liberalization of Indian economy and environmental conservation have gained a lot of momentum during the recent years The thrust of liberalization has been to minimize the role of state in economy which leaves a gap between the economic growth under this model and long cherished goal of development with equity and social justice. The social sector of development obviously needs some alternative institutional devices in this situation. A shift in the paradigm of development under the names of participatory, sustainable and /or environment friendly development has vigorously favoured the voluntary action.

The present study is an attempt to discover the interrelation of the above issues and underlying interests pursued by them.

The discussion has been started in the first section with the notion of development, western biases in the notion and its inherent lack of sustainability. The second section provides the context of international relations where the interests of already developed nations prevail. It has been argued that interests of developed nations oppose the sustainable development which is environment friendly. The third section discusses the lack of attention paid to environment in liberalization process and pressures likely to emerge from the process which will push the whole process of competitive growth in the direction diametrically opposed to environment protection. Section fourth and fifth explore the nature of support available to voluntary agencies and their role, which are supposed to fill the gap left by liberalization process in the related fields. Finally conclusions have been given.