The idea of “Making India a developed nation by 2047” (one of the five resolutions that our countrymen were asked to take) is embedded in the clarion call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Independence Day 2022. There are very many indications which bear ample testimony to this well founded and legitimate expectation. India might well be within a striking distance to attain the status of a developed nation, an honour bestowed on select nations. There are plenty of examples to drive home the point that India has become a force to reckon with, in the global context.
Let me only analyse some of these developments to get a clear picture. India is in an exalted position in the world in the agricultural sector, producing quite significantly the food grains comprising rice and wheat, cash crops like sugarcane, cotton, maize and pulses and oil seeds including sunflower, sesame, groundnut, mustard, etc. The production of food grains is around 316 million tonnes during 2021-22. The vast hinterland of India nurturing animal wealth and resources and the long coastline of around 7500 km have enabled our farmers and fishermen to bring about white and blue revolutions.
What is indeed heartening to note is that India has emerged as the world’s largest producer of milk fetching approximately Rs 8.5 lakh crore annually to our farmers. India’s fish production is roughly 15 million metric tonnes annually.
Coming as it does, the export of agricultural, marine and plantation products from India stood at Rs 3.05 lakh crore during 2020-21 registering a phenomenal increase over the previous year. Of course, the reasons are not far to seek.
True to the tradition created by Agastya, Charaka, Sushrutha and a large number of saints and seers of the hoary past, India continues to remain in the pinnacle of glory in the realm of traditional medicine. It is an ideal situation for India to capitalise on this situation
Though a belated awakening, world nations have realised that spices, organic products, herbs and millets have a healing touch and remedial effects. This realisation gets stronger day-by-day, on seeing the Indian populace remaining immune to diseases like COVID-19. The number of affected persons is much less proportionate to the total population in India. This is because of the immunity developed due to continued intake of home grown grains, spices, millets and vegetable oil. People have become increasingly health conscious world over, after the spread of this pandemic. Therefore, the countries across continents now turn to India for the supply of spices, herbs and millets. True to the tradition created by Agastya, Charaka, Sushrutha and a large number of saints and seers of the hoary past, India continues to remain in the pinnacle of glory in the realm of traditional medicine. It is an ideal situation for India to capitalise on this situation.
Personal hygiene and environmental sanitation are no doubt development indicators for any nation. In this regard, the Swachh Bharat mission is understood to be the largest in the world in recent times to have achieved behaviour modification among people numbering several millions. Construction of well over nine crore toilets between 2014 and 2019 exemplifies the commitment to the task.
While safely managed drinking water supply looks grim globally for well over two billion people, India has made a big headway. Ensuring protected water is yet another milestone reached by the Government of India. This is understood to be again a massive scheme considering the magnitude of the task undertaken in contemporary India. Supplying piped clean water to 7 crore occupied rural households in the last three years is no mean achievement and India has taken upon herself this mammoth task and accomplished it.
The fact that great achievements are possible through faith and sustained hard work has been proved in the way India scripted history by conquering COVID-19. Preventive, curative and rehabilitative dimensions of the health care delivery system are no doubt indicators of societal development. Administering one billion doses of vaccine by October 21, 2021 (in just 279 days after initiating the scheme) and crossing two billion doses on July 17, 2022 are accomplishments of a tall order in recent times given the geographical and demographic immensity of the country. This has been possible because of the determined national leadership and conducive administrative ambience. The scientific fraternity, medical doctors, allied health care personnel and frontline workers also need to be congratulated for this stupendous task.
There are reasons to cheer on the economic front also. India’s growth prospects look quite impressive for the year 2022. On the eve of emerging as the world’s fifth largest economy, India can be proud of many bright spots. India’s GDP stood at 3.18 trillion US dollars during 2021 and it is estimated to reach 3.54 trillion USD when the year 2022 draws to a close. What is more, India has received world’s highest foreign direct investment to the tune of USD 84,835 million during the financial year 2021-22. Prospects are also looming large for India to emerge as the world’s third largest consumer economy shortly. The latest projections by different growth monitoring agencies have placed India way ahead of other economic giants in the world.
If the number of visitors from overseas to receive medical attention is any indication, no doubt India is clearly emerging as a global doctor. This fact has been reaffirmed when India willingly came forward to supply vaccines to many countries to mitigate the hazards created by COVID-19
India is now in an enviable position as regards entrepreneurial initiatives. With the third largest start-up ecosystem in the world, our nation has one hundred and seven unicorns as on September 7, 2022. With 471 start-ups in 2016, India has registered a massive growth in the next six years with 72,993 establishments as on June 30, 2022. This great achievement has generated confidence and enthusiasm among youth comprising entrepreneurs and employment seekers alike.
Global Doctor
India marches ahead on many fronts. If the number of visitors from overseas to receive medical attention is any indication, no doubt India is clearly emerging as a global doctor. This fact has been reaffirmed when India willingly came forward to supply vaccines to many countries to mitigate the hazards created by COVID-19. The reasons why patients from other countries choose India are quite obvious. Affordable cost, availability of modern medical equipment and presence of highly skilled health professionals in various systems of medicine have made India the most sought after treatment destination.
India has made rapid strides in the last few years in all the vital areas of developmental significance, promising the expected status of a developed nation by 2047.
