Daily Times

There are several issues in the Pew survey that has not been addressed, especially the ones that relate to human development issues. In the Social Progressive Index 2016 released recently, China and India has both been ranked 84 and 98 respectively, and have been placed under the category of “Low Middle Class Progress” and “Low Social Progress” respectively. The study takes into consideration various indicators such as basic human needs (nutrition, water and sanitation, shelter and personal safety); foundation of wellbeing (access to basic knowledge, access to information and communication, health and wellness and environmental quality); and opportunity (personal rights, personal freedom and choice, tolerance and inclusion, and access to advanced education). Even smaller countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Nepal have fared better than India when it comes to the Human Development Index.

The findings show that “the economic growth has lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty and improved the lives of many more over the last half century. Yet it is increasingly evident that a model of development based on economic progress alone is incomplete.”

The recent findings by the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2016 of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), India has been ranked 97th out of 118 countries. The GHI report has highlighted the seriousness of the prevailing hunger situation in India. Even countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have been ranked higher than India. The GHI findings should act as a wake-up call for India to address issues relating to inequity in all dimensions, including region, caste and gender if India has to be considered as an emerging global power.

The study shows that “at the end of 2016, around 15 percent of the country’s population was undernourished, although down from 17 percent at the end of 2009.” The report highlights that the prevalence of wasting and stunting in children continues to be a serious issue. India has scored 28.5 on the GHI index, which is below all other neighbouring countries, barring Pakistan and Afghanistan. Further, the report argued that “even if hunger were to decline at the same rate as it has since 1992, India will still have ‘moderate’ to ‘alarming’ hunger scores in 2030.” China, despite the sheer size of its population, has been placed 20th with a “low hunger level” rating.

In a report published by UNICEF, India has over 61 million children of which many children under five years are stunted as a result of malnutrition. The report says that lack of adequate food has been the primary cause of death, under-nutrition and stunting. This, coupled with lack of water, sanitation and hygiene practices has led to illnesses and life-threatening diseases like diarrhoea. The report goes on to say that as much as 50 percent of malnutrition is caused not by a lack of food or poor diet, but due to poor water, poor sanitation facilities and unhygienic practices.

The World Bank in its recent publication “Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2016; Taking on Inequality” has shown a wide disparity between states in India. For example, the per capita income of two of India’s most populated states, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, is three to four times lower to India’s average annual per capita income of $1,410. India has been found to be the poorest among the world’s middle-income countries.

The United Nations General Assembly in its recent report “Measuring the health-related Sustainable Development Goals in 188 countries: a baseline analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015” shows that India, despite its economic growth, has been ranked 143rd out of 188 countries covered in the survey. India’s achievement in health care has been found dismal. This seriously raises questions about India’s approach of only tracking growth in terms of GDP, with little or no efforts of tracking outcomes in both health and education sectors.

Among the Asian countries, India (SDG 42:Rank 143) has been rated far below Singapore (SDG 85:Rank 2); Japan (SDG 76:Rank 27); Korea (SDG 3:Rank 35); Malaysia (SDG 69:Rank 46); Indonesia (SDG 60:Rank 91); China (SDG 60:Rank 92); Thailand (SDG 56:Rank 112); Myanmar (SDG 46:Rank 135), Philippines (SDG 50:Rank 127). Among BRICS Nations (Brazil, Russia, India and China), India has made the least progress in Sustainable Development Goals.

If we collate the information from both the UNGC and Social Progressive Imperative, we find that a model of development based on economic progress alone will translate into wellbeing of people. There is an urgent need to track both GDP of a country and the social indices for measuring the performance of a country.

Although, Modi’s response to the Uri terror attack is a feather in his cap, but such attacks have the potential to escalate into a full-fledged war with Pakistan. In the modern world, with countries possessing nuclear weapons, war is no longer an option. As India has far more important and critical issues to tackle — like alleviation of poverty, improving access to health care and education for the poorest of the poor — New Delhi should continually engage with its neighbours for ensuring peace in the region. Moreover, Pakistan’s growing relations with both China and Russia are worrisome for India. India should step up its diplomatic efforts in reaching out to these countries in the interest of peace in South Asia.

Lastly, one can question the Pew findings as the poll was based on a very small sample size. They interviewed only 2,464 respondents, which by no stretch of imagination can be a representative sample for a large country like India that has more than a billion people. Bruce Stokes, director of global economic attitudes at the Pew Research Centre, in a recent interview with a leading Indian newspaper, said that as per their experience the design of a survey and not the number of people interviewed is what matters. He supported his claim by stating that his organisation has consistently predicted the final outcome of US elections. Even in the case of India, he said they were able to predict a landslide victory for Narendra Modi in the 2014 general elections.

Modi should take advantage of the tremendous goodwill the people have shown in his leadership. The time has come to push for big bang reforms if he wants India to be a serious contender to be amongst three leading economies of the world by 2025. Further, as revealed in the Potter’s survey, he should give equal emphasis to both growth and social progress. Emphasising just on growth at the cost of social progress will only promote inequality. Ultimately, Modi’s leadership will be proven only when he is able to bring a difference to millions of Indians who have been deprived of the benefits of education, health, housing and other issues that can bring a qualitative change in their lives.

(Concluded)

The writer is a freelance columnist and political commentator