Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been talking about developed India for a long time. Modi has also reiterated this in his recent visit to America. The country's dream is to become a developed nation and the purpose behind the campaign being run for this is to accelerate India's economic, social and technological progress. There is no doubt that the main objective of the developed India campaign is to ensure the overall progress of the country so that all citizens can get equal opportunities and facilities. Under the campaign, focus is being given on many major areas like infrastructure, education, health, agriculture, industry, science and technology etc.
Modi repeatedly reiterates his resolve to make India developed but the big question is whether the people of the country are involved wholeheartedly in realizing this dream? The government's efforts are in their place but what contribution are we people making to realize this dream? Do we really have as much involvement in this campaign as is being felt? There is a need to think deeply on these questions. No work can be completed without public participation. For us, the dream of a developed India is important not only from an economic point of view but also from a social, educational and cultural point of view. This dream can be realised only when every person is involved in it. A mass movement is required for a developed India. Only when a mass movement is formed, it is possible to ensure the participation of every citizen in it.
If we look at the past, we see successful examples of public participation. There was a time when there was no grain production in our country even to feed the people. Import of grain was inevitable to feed the countrymen, but remember, when the country decided to become self-sufficient in grain production, and every person participated in it, that dream did not take long to come true. The dream of milk revolution is also one such example. There has been widespread public involvement behind the success in grain and milk production.
From time to time, the government makes many plans, prepares development programmes, advocates for many reforms, many laws are made but is it possible to do all the work on the basis of government efforts or laws alone? When coordinated efforts are needed for every small and big work, then the mission of making India developed is a very big idea. How can it be brought to reality without making it a mass movement?
To make the country developed, people have to be made aware. It is necessary to make citizens aware of their duties. Only when people understand the problems and needs around them, they will be able to take steps towards change. For this, the important role of all the youth, people associated with social and political organizations and educational institutions will be inevitable.
Developed India can stand only on the foundation of social justice and equality. Mass movements are necessary against casteism, discrimination and inequality. Participation of youth will be especially necessary in such movements. Along with this, it is also necessary to ensure equality in education and employment opportunities. For this, there is a need to improve the education system so that children of all classes can get quality education. It will be equally important to increase employment opportunities. Education is the basis of development of every country but India's education system still needs a lot of reforms. Although the government has started working in this direction by making a new education policy, the imbalance of education between rural and urban areas, lack of high quality teachers, and lack of infrastructure are big problems that need to be solved. At the same time, along with school education, focus will also have to be laid on vocational and technical education and skill development of the labour force. Improving the global ranking of our universities is the most important task, which should be taken as a special campaign.
Environment should also be seen as an important aspect of developed India. It is very difficult to imagine developed India without industrial revolution. Now steps will have to be taken to establish small and big industries. The right use of modern technology will strengthen the spirit of developed India. Lack of health facilities in rural areas and high prices of better services in urban areas are a big problem. Providing adequate health services to the large population of India is a challenge.
Economic inequality is a big obstacle in India. The gap between the rich and the poor is increasing rapidly. While on one hand the income and standard of living of people has increased in some areas, on the other hand a large number of people are suffering from poverty. The economic disparity between rural and urban areas is also evident.
No matter how much we do for a developed India, it is still less. Infrastructure is essential to become a strong and developed nation, but India is still far behind in this area. Lack of basic facilities like medical, roads, electricity, water, and internet hinders development in many parts of the country. The availability of these facilities is even less in rural areas. If India has to join the list of developed countries, it will have to improve its infrastructure rapidly. More efforts will have to be made in the field of technology and innovation to compete globally.
To realize the vision of a developed India, reforms are also required in the administrative structure of the country because corruption, bureaucracy and delay in decision making create obstacles in development projects. The lack of effective implementation of various policies and schemes of the government also affects the growth rate. If transparency and efficiency is increased in political and administrative processes, then it can play an important role in the development of the country.
A large population of our country is dependent on agriculture, so it has to be ensured that the income of farmers is increased and they are equipped with modern agricultural techniques. To improve agricultural production and quality, it is equally important to encourage innovation and scientific research in the agricultural sector and to accelerate rural development by expanding basic facilities in rural areas.
India's rapidly increasing population is a major challenge and obstacle in the development of the country. Due to the increasing population, there is a lot of pressure on the resources of the country. At present, the population of the country is 140 crores, which is estimated to reach 167 crores in 2050 according to the United Nations. On the contrary, China's population will remain at 130 crores because China is rapidly controlling its population. On the contrary, we have left China behind in the population comparison. Due to population pressure, the demand for health services, education, employment, and other basic facilities is increasing, but the available resources are not able to increase at the expected pace as compared to the growing population.
We are facing many problems due to population pressure. In any developed country, high per capita income, quality of life, better education and health, standard of living are important but our country's GDP is not even five trillion while America's is 30 trillion and China's is 20 trillion. Per capita income in America is 77 thousand dollars and in China's is 13 thousand dollars, whereas in India per capita income is 2400 dollars i.e. about ninety thousand rupees only. In the coming years, per capita income in India should be 15 to 20 thousand dollars, only then we can talk about standard of living. Right now our quality of life is weak. There is no standard of living. India ranks 134th among 193 countries in the Human Development Index. If the population continues to grow at this pace, we will never be able to become a developed India.
To make India a developed nation, an increase of eight to nine percent in our GDP is necessary. In the last ten years, we have succeeded in bringing 25 crore people above the poverty line, but still a large number of people are living below the poverty line. Whatever obstacles are in the way of becoming a developed India, they will have to be removed. Where policy reforms are necessary, the government will have to come forward. Where there is a need for public work, the public will have to stand up spontaneously. Only when this happens, India will be able to join the category of developed countries and use its full potential. Everyone should realize that the dream of a developed India is being seen by the people of India for the people of India.
(Views are personal. Email: profmcguptadelhi@gmail.com)
