“India can be a developed country in the next 25 years”, these were the words of our honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Independence Day, 2022, while he was addressing the nation.
Backdrop
India got its independence after 200 years of slavery by the Britishers on 15th August 1947. At that time, we were a backward country. Since then, we have made a lot of efforts to become the fastest-developing economy in the world. The new industrial policy (LPG Policy) has contributed a significant portion towards this goal. But a lot more is yet to be achieved to gain the status of a developed country.
A deep dive
How countries are defined as developed or developing?
There is no definition of it. Many international organizations like the World Bank and the United Nations have their indicators to categorize a country into developed or developing nations. However, GDP, GNP, and per capita income are the standard indicators. Countries having low unemployment and poverty rates, low infant mortality rates and death rates, high industrial growth, and dominant services sector are commonly defined as developed economies.
Azadi ka Amrit Mohotsav
Independence Day is not just a day but an emotion for every Indian. And the Independence Day of 2022 was even more special because that day marked India's 75 years of independence.
The celebrations of this Independence Day Began 75 weeks before 15th August 2022 and these celebrations were named “Azadi ka Amrit Mohotsav”.
Since independence, successive prime ministers of India have hoisted the flag at the red fort In Delhi and addressed the nation. In the year 2022, Mr. Narendra Modi addressed the nation and urged every Indian to envision India, and how they want it to be in the next 25 years.
Prime Minister on addressing the nation
Prime minister in his speech said the next 25 years will be very crucial for India as it will be moving towards its 100 years of independence in the year 2047. We are now entering the ‘Amrit Kaal’ which will be 25 years and India can be a developed country in this Amrit Kaal. For this, he highlighted the “5 Pranas” or 5 pledges that every Indian must keep in mind while envisioning India in its 100th year of independence. These are:
- Bigger targets: There is a need to move ahead with bigger targets for a developed India. Cleanliness, stopping open defecation, and electricity connection to 25 million people are some campaigns are the primary areas that will help India to become a developed country.
- No slavery: There should be no slavery in the minds of people. According to PM Narendra Modi, the National Educational Policy (NEP) will help remove the mindset of slavery.
- Legacy our Pride: India need not to copy developed nations to be a developed one. India is very different from the western countries; it is a labour-intensive country and therefore it must utilize its unique resources. “We can fly high only when we are connected with our earth,” said the PM.
- Unity: Even though India is a diverse country, its people should live in unity. A country with lots of protests and violence cannot grow faster. Everyone should unite and work towards the betterment of society and social issues.
- Responsibility of citizens: PM Modi also emphasized the duty of every citizen towards the country including prime ministers and chief ministers. He emphasized the role of the common man that paves the way for progress.
Are these “5 Pranas” sufficient to declare India a developed country?
These five pledges are just an outline of the vision of India@2047. However, India needs a lot more to invest and carry out to develop infrastructure in every sector to be a developed country. That doesn’t mean that India achieved nothing. We have come a long way and have become the fifth-largest economy in the world.
India’s achievements:
As per recent data in various reports and rankings
- India has become the top tech hub after China.
- Its GDP has risen to around Rs. 272.41 lakh crore in FY 2022-23 from Rs. 2.79 lakh crore in FY 1950-51.
- India ranked 40 out of 132 countries in the Global innovation index.
- India ranked 3rd in the 16th wealth report stating that it has the largest number of billionaires after the USA and China.
Challenges Ahead
Many challenges may hinder the pace of being a developed country
- Unemployment and poverty: These are the most serious concerns for the Indian economy. Around 65% percent of the Indian population is below 35 years. So, there is a strong need to generate employment opportunities for the youth so that they can contribute to the economy.
- Rich and poor gap: Indian government is doing a lot to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor but still the percentage of rich people is just 2-3% of the total population and the rest comes under the middle- and lower-income groups.
- Female participation: 50% of the population in India is female. Their contribution to the economy has seen a substantial increase. But the hidden part is, they are not paid equally to their male counterparts. As per recent reports, Women spend 5.5 hours daily on unpaid labor while men spend less than an hour on unpaid labour.
- Technological and infrastructural challenges: India has come a long way to become a tech hub of the world but the cost of developing a technology is a bit higher when compared to the other developing countries. Moreover, India spends a very small proportion of its budget on infrastructural development in the fields like education and health. And both play a crucial role in developing an economy.
All these challenges need to be addressed to become a developed economy by 2047.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that this is a very difficult target to achieve as other countries are also improving at their own pace, but it is not impossible. India is the fastest growing economy in the world and 25 years is a sufficient time to achieve this target. Female participation is also required. They constitute 50% of the Indian population but their contribution to the economic development is not up to that mark. Moreover, there must be inclusive growth ranging from economic to human development. Citizens also play an important part in gaining the status of a developed country. In simple words, this target is achievable only with the help of the citizens of India.
