Focusing solely on infrastructure while neglecting the social sector could create a fragile foundation for India’s journey toward becoming a developed nation.
Viksit Bharat: A Vision for 2047
The vision of Viksit Bharat represents the government’s ambitious goal of transforming India into a developed country by 2047. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has popularized this aspiration, fueling hopes that India will achieve developed-nation status within the next two decades. However, the key question remains—can India realistically attain this milestone by mid-century?
The Infrastructure-First Approach: A One-Sided Growth Strategy?
The government’s aggressive push for infrastructure development has been central to this vision, with heavy investments in roads, bridges, ports, and railways. While these efforts are crucial for economic progress, can physical infrastructure alone drive sustainable and inclusive growth?
Over the past decade, the government has projected India as an emerging economic giant, often citing high GDP growth. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar recently claimed that the country has witnessed unparalleled economic expansion, raising public expectations. Prime Minister Modi has also set an ambitious goal of making India a $10 trillion economy within the next decade. However, persistent issues such as high unemployment and stagnant wages raise concerns about whether this vision is realistic or merely aspirational.
Comparing India’s Growth: Why China is a Better Benchmark
A major flaw in India’s economic outlook is the frequent comparison with smaller developed nations like the UK, France, and Germany—countries with populations under 100 million and shrinking workforces. Given India’s 1.4 billion people, surpassing these nations in sheer economic size was inevitable. However, a more relevant comparison is China, which has a similar population but is far ahead in economic and social development.
In 1980, India and China had comparable economies. But China embraced bold reforms, achieving an average growth rate of 10% annually between 1980 and 2014. Even after India’s liberalization in 1991, it could not match China’s rapid economic ascent. By 2000, China’s per capita GDP had already tripled that of India’s, a gap that has widened significantly. While India has climbed to become the world’s fifth-largest economy and is projected to be the third-largest by 2030, GDP alone does not guarantee prosperity for all.
Growth Targets: Are They Achievable?
India stands at a crucial juncture where it can propel itself toward sustained growth. If the economy expands at 6% annually over the next 23 years, the GDP could reach $13 trillion by 2047. However, to meet the ambitious $30 trillion target, an annual growth rate of 9.2% is required—a challenging feat demanding bold reforms and innovative policies.
But beyond economic figures, a fundamental question arises: Should GDP alone define success when it does not necessarily ensure better education, healthcare, jobs, or wages for all citizens?
Infrastructure vs. Social Investment: An Unequal Focus
Both physical infrastructure and social development are vital for sustainable growth. Yet, the government’s current approach places disproportionate emphasis on infrastructure, often at the expense of investments in human capital.
The National Infrastructure Pipeline, with its ₹111 lakh crore investment between 2020 and 2025, highlights the priority given to transportation, energy, and sanitation projects. While these investments are essential, they must not come at the cost of education, healthcare, and welfare programs—sectors that directly improve quality of life.
Budget Allocations: A Clear Skew Towards Infrastructure
The Union Budget 2023-24 allocated ₹11.1 lakh crore for capital expenditure, primarily infrastructure-driven. In contrast, healthcare and education received significantly lower allocations of ₹89,115 crore and ₹1.12 lakh crore, respectively.
The 2024-25 budget follows a similar trend, with ₹10.18 lakh crore set aside for infrastructure, while education and healthcare received only ₹1.28 lakh crore and ₹99,858 crore, respectively. This imbalance underscores the government’s preference for infrastructure-led growth while sidelining crucial investments in human well-being.
The Need for Higher Social Spending
India’s low Human Development Index (HDI) ranking—134 out of 193 countries—signals an urgent need for increased public spending on social welfare. Globally, nations allocate around 6% of their GDP to education and healthcare, while India lags at just 3%.
The New Education Policy recommended raising education spending to 6% of GDP, yet progress has been slow, leading to poor learning outcomes. Similarly, healthcare remains underfunded, while essential programs for food security, rural employment, and affordable housing struggle with inadequate resources.
Why Social Development is Key to Sustainable Growth
Ignoring the social sector while prioritizing physical infrastructure risks creating an unstable foundation for India’s future. In a country where nearly 10% of the population lives below the global poverty line of $2.15 per day, and millions remain undernourished, undereducated, and underemployed, economic growth alone cannot guarantee prosperity.
To achieve Viksit Bharat, India must adopt a balanced development model—one that integrates economic expansion with investments in human capital. This means ensuring access to quality education, healthcare, skill development, and fair wages alongside infrastructure development.
Conclusion: A Holistic Path to Development
India’s journey toward becoming a developed nation requires more than just highways, bridges, and skyscrapers. True progress lies in creating a society where every citizen has the opportunity to thrive, supported by quality education, healthcare, and equitable economic opportunities.
For Viksit Bharat to become a reality, India must strike a balance between physical and social infrastructure—only then can the nation achieve sustainable and inclusive growth.
Author: This news is edited by: Abhishek Verma, (Editor, CANON TIMES)
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