Page:SELECTED ESSAYS of Dr. S. S. KALBAG.pdf/218

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Productivity Production of Surplus; Building up Assets is the ability All civilization and human progress is based on to increase production of surplus, which is converted into the assets assets or capital. If any activity does not build up with the given assets, it becomes difficult to sustain - it resources. becomes a subsistence activity. Also, we need to stress the difference between a linear growth and an exponential growth (simple interest and compound interest). Our efforts must earn compound interest. Donations/ subsidies/ charities produce only linear growth. Activities producing surplus earn "compound interest". Our nation is fortunate in having a high rate of savings. Unfortunately, these savings are frittered away in non-productive or low productive ways by individuals and groups. Drudgery v/s Employment We have both these as our national objectives-removal of drudgery and generating employment. Unless we are clear about the boundary between the two, we may be working at cross-purposes. I would like to define drudgery as non-productive or poor/low productive employment. Therefore, it is productivity that distinguishes drudgery from employment. The same activity could be drudgery if carried out at low productivity and good employment if operated at high productivity. So, to eliminate drudgery, we need not eliminate the activity but raise the productivity. Productivity Productivity is the ability to increase the assets with the given resources. The assets and resources can be in any form - not necessarily money. Capital and Labour-intensive Activities The true capital of a nation or an individual is the human resource (weighted for skill) and time. We always carry the impression of < Rural Development Through Education System 205