A Chartered Accountant, an entrepreneur, an Animal Welfare Officer, a believer of self-Sustainability and a caring mother, Payal Garg is a dynamic, results-oriented and a determined leader with a strong track record of high performance. With over 10 years of rich experience in Business Management, Finance and Auditing, Payal Specialises in Accounting, Banking, Tax Compliance, Returns and Assessments.
We are facing an economic crisis and may lead to a crisis of the human spirit very soon. During this period of COVID -19, we can see how dependent a nation is on International trade and how we are affected for not being self-sustainable. Do we really feel that the debt economy is alarming for all of us and forced to raise a question WHY NOT LOCALISATION? We need to implement policies which measure the economy in Gross National Happiness where it measures prosperity and wellbeing of the citizens, and one such measure is GPI, Genuine progress Index. It takes into account human, social, community, natural wealth in addition to material wealth. I believe local economies and communities are key to restoring happiness, democracy, and ecological health around the Globe. Transnational corporations are increasingly able to bargain with national governments for lower tax rates and higher subsidies by threatening to ‘offshore’ their operations. An important point to note is that localisation does not mean total isolation. It isn’t about eliminating all trade; communities can still export surpluses once local needs are met, and they can still import goods that can’t be produced locally. But localisation allows local, regional, and even national self-reliance to replace dependence on distant, unaccountable corporations.
Another key point is that any systemic shift towards localisation will need to be driven by a combination of bottom-up grassroots initiatives and top-down policy changes.
But as those initiatives build a new economy from the ground up, we also need to pressure our governments to make policy changes, such as:
- Shifting taxes and subsidies to support local, sustainable businesses instead of global corporations.
- Renegotiating trade treaties so that they protect the rights of countries to support their local business sectors and conserve natural resources.
- Changing regulations in the finance sector so that our financial security, as individuals and nations, is not dependent on the risky gambles of financial institutions that are falsely considered “too big to fail”.
- Modifying food, health, and land-use policies so that they support local projects rather than multinational corporations.
At this point, you may be wondering how it is possible to turn this vision of a localised future into reality. Of course, it will not always be an easy process, but by applying the principles of ‘bottom-up’ and ‘top-down’ organising, we can sow the seeds of the new economy even as we deconstruct the old.
More About Payal Garg
Payal runs successful ventures, including Payal Garg and Associates, and Arshparth Consultancy Services Pvt Ltd, which are the true reflections of her impeccable leadership. A true visionary and a people person, Payal has been known to lead her teams with absolute dedication and honesty. She has been associated with several social welfare groups and organisations.
Her affiliation with the International Alliance Localization has made a significant impact in exploring radically new visions of development and progress. Her association with Kamdhenu Aarogya Sansthan, an NGO & a Cow Research Centre, has brought a massive improvement in the conditions of cows at home and the ones who are homeless.
She believes in self-sustainability not only at an individual level but also in the national Context. Her deep love for mother nature led to her strong inclination towards the fundamentals of waste management and its significance. She currently heads the Waste Segregation Department at Woodstock, Nirvana Country in Gurugram.
Payal Garg only preaches the benefits of Yoga, but also religiously practices it. As an avid reader, she is passionate about reading Hindu Scriptures and books related to Management. Blessed with two lovely children of ages 15 and 10, Payal aims to be the true reflection of strong & self-empowered women.