How is India developing strong policies towards the realization of sustainable development goals?
The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it u00eds important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030.India with constitutes 1/5th of world population adopted following policies to achieve the sustainable development goals by 2030.Zero HungerEradicating poverty in all its forms remains one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. 80% of people living in extreme poverty (earning 1.25$ a day) are in Sub-Saharan region and South Asia.In India, more than 271 million people moved out of poverty between 2005-06 and 2015-16, said the estimates released by the UN Development Programme (UNDP). India has made giant strides in reducing multidimensional poverty, bringing down its poverty rate from 55 per cent to 28 per cent in ten years. The report, however, stated that India still has the largest number of people living in multidimensional poverty in the world, pegging the figures around 364 million people.[1]India is no more the country with most number of poorest people, says the report. Nigeria has overtaken India with the largest number of extremely poor people at 87 million in early 2018.[2]2. Zero Hunger:The 2024 National Food Security Act prfor food and nutritional security,ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices . The Act covers 75 per cent of rural households and 50 per cent of urban households are entitled to subsidised grain. Food Corporation of India procures essential crops from farmers at MSP and supply the food in 5 Lakh Fair Price Shops in India which is known as Public Distribution System.[3]Antyodaya Anna Yojana, Mid-day meal scheme, BPL and APL schemes are under this food security act [4]3. Good Health and Well Being:The ambitious Ayushman Bharat or National Health Protection Scheme aims to cover over 10 crore vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) and prhealth cover up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year. A beneficiary covered under the scheme will be allowed to take cashless benefits from any public/private empanelled hospitals across the country for all the secondary and tertiary diseases. [5]4. Quality Education: This is the area where we are laggingMore than 50% of population are under the age of 27. Quality education and skill development is the most important to take full advantage of Demographic Dividend which otherwise might turn into a disaster. Though Sarva Sikhsha Abhiyaan increased the enrollments in schools and colleges, the quality of education havenu2019t improved much. Outcome based learning should gain the prominence now. Positive are the increase in quality institutes like AIIMS and IIMs 22 new AIIMS coming up across the country: JP Nadda - Times of India7 new IIMs to get permanent campus by June 20215. Gender EqualityIn India, indoor air pollution is the second biggest killer after high blood pressure, with two people dying prematurely every minute due to indoor pollution, according to the 2024 Global Burden of Disease.Ujjawala Yojna (PMUY) was fairly successful in replacing the dirty coking fuel with LPG connection. About 3.8 crore connections were given by at the end of 2024 and target is to acheive 8 crore connections by 2024. Success Story: Spurt in number of LPG applicants under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala YojanaA survey shows that Girls dont attend to schools during menstruation as bathrooms and sanitary incinerators or atleast dustbins with lids are absent in schools. [6]In the absence of toilets at home, women usually go to outside the village in datk and thus susceptible to animals or rapes.The construction of 9 crore toilets through Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan is obviously empowerment of women.Nearly 70% of beneficiaries of Mudra scheme was women through which upto 10Lakh loan was given at lesser interest. How PM Narendra Modi's Mudra Yojna is encouraging women to be entrepreneursPradhan Mantri Matritva Vandana Yojana is conditional cash transfer scheme of Rs.6000 for pregnant and lactating women of 19 years of age or above for first live birth. 1 year of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, 1 year of helping mothers: Facts on the schemeThe other initiatives like Beti-Bachao, Beti-Padao are also aimed at improving the status of women in India.6. Clean water and sanitation:Rural sanitation coverage has increased to a phenomenal 92% from 39% 4 years ago. More than 10 crore toilets are built under the scheme and Swachh Bharat schme aims at making India u2018open-defecation freeu2024 by the time we celebrate 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on October 2, 2024.?This involved a behavioral change of the people. [7]7. Affordable and Clean energy:Annual solar power generation in India in 2013-14 was only 3.35 TWh and after two years in 2015-16, it was 7.45 TWh; and, after another two years, in 2017-18, it was 25.87 TWh. Further, the Governmentu2019s target for renewable energy is 175GW by end of 2024 out of which solar power comprises 100 GW. India added more energy capacity from renewables than coal last year.8. Economic Growth:India is the fastest growing economy among the major economies and averaged a growth rate of 7.5% in the past 10 years. The growth rate of 2024 is projected at phenomenal 7.8% ,at the time where world economy is in decline due to trade wars and protectionism. [8] Moreover the fiscal deficit and inflation of the economy is also under control.9. Industry, Infrastructure and Innovation:FY18 witnessed highest road construction pace of 27 km per day, almost twice than that in the FY14.Infrastructure expenditure has increased by 134% and the road sector itself has witnessed an increase by 189% when compared to 2013.Before UDAN or the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) was introduced in April, 2024. India had a total of 75 airports connected by scheduled commercial flights. In the 13 months since, 25 new airports and airstrips, belonging to states and privately-held, have been added to the aerial network[9]In the past two days, Sikkim got its first airport at Paykong[10] and Orissa got a second airport in Jharsuguda which is an industrial town.After a long wait, India has started work on its first high speed rail project. Honu2019ble Prime Minister of India and Japan laid the foundation stone for the High Speed Rail (HSR) project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, a distance of 508 km, out of which 55.6 km of the proposed alignment falls in Maharashtra, 350.5 km in Gujarat and 2 km in UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.[11]Project Bharatmala is building 35,000 km highways across 16 states, including 9,000 km of economic corridors, which will enable faster movement of goods and drastically reduce supply chain costs from the current average 18% to 6%[12]Project Sagarmala is modernizing 12 major ports and 185 minor ports along the entire 7,500 km long coastline of India, which would stimulate trade stimulate trade and prlogistic costs savings of over Rs. 35,000 crore per yearDedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) : Currently, same railway tracks are shared by passenger trains and goods train. 3,300 km u201cfreight-onlyu201d Railway Tracks are being constructed for goods trains . It will decongest the tracks for passenger trains, increase passenger safety and prevent train delay. First stretch to be operational by mid-2024 and full corridor by 2024. This project will enable double the train lengths, carrying 2.5 times the load at triple the current speed (from 25 km/h to 75 km/hr)10. Reducing Inequalities:This is area where India is under performing though the poverty levels are continuously falling. In 2024. top 10% of people earns as much as 56% of total income of country. [13] The Gini-Coefficient, which measures the inequality is also continuously rising.[14]11. Sustainable cities:The metro rail network in the country is increasing with the mass rapid transit system emerging as one of the best solutions for urban transportation. Even as eight metro rail networks covering a length of 370 km are operational in the country, over two dozen more projects are lined up.[15]Express Highways [16] Bio-Fuels[17] , National Electricity Mobility Plan[18] Smart Cities Mission [19] are other initiatives12. Responsible Consumption and Production:This is the other area where we are lagging behind.India supports 15 percent of the worldu2019s population, but has only 4 percent of the worldu2019s water resources.Encouraging water-intensive crops along with irrational usage of fertilizers is causing depletion of ground water resources and pollution.According to the agriculture ministry, Rs. 50,000 crore worth of food produced is wasted every year in the country. Food Wastage In India A Serious Concern - The CSR Journal13. Climate Action:India is likely to achieve the self declared Sustainable Development Goal of lowering fossil fuel share in the energy mix earlier than committed.[20]Ethanol blending Programme is aimed at reaching the target of 20%blending of petrol with ethanol by 2030. This policy will reduce the emissions, food wastage and dependence of fossil fuels. Ethanol blending programme to get policy boost as crude oil prices soar14. Life on Land:At the time when Project Tiger was launched from Corbettu2019s Dhikala range the Bengal Tiger was literally facing extinction in its home turf with just 268 big cats in the wild according to the first nation-wide tiger census conducted in 1972.India's Tiger Population Has Gone Up By 1300% In 44 Years Since It Was Declared National AnimalThe total number of wild tigers has risen to 3,890 in 2024 according to World Wildlife Fund and Global Tiger Forum.Similarly the Project Elephant is also successful in India15. Life on Water:This is one area where we are lagging. Rivers and oceans of India are being polluted due to the industrial effluents and sewerage.According to estimates, about 80% of the sewage in India flows into rivers, lakes and ponds. This sewage is untreated and pollutes water bodies. It also often seeps underground, which is a cause of concern, since drinking water is primarily sourced from groundwater.The Ganga Rejunevation schemes did little to purify Ganga. Namami Gange a major failure of NDA?govt, says Magsaysay awardee?Rajendra Singh16. Peace and Justice:India always stands forefront in combating terrorism in the world. India has lost the highest number of its peacekeepers in various UN peacekeeping operations in the last 70 years. Highest UN peacekeeper deaths in last 70 years from India - Times of IndiaIndia also stands forefront in rescuing and rehabilitation programmes of UNO. India stuns world with brave Yemen rescue mission, US, France, Germany seek help - FirstpostMy other Best Answers:Sowmithri Vinay's answer to How was the BJP able to create a large organisation all over India, when no other political party, except Congress, was able to achieve this feat? How many years will it take the AAP to have a cadre base similar to that of the BJP?Sowmithri Vinay's answer to What are the lessons you have learned from the Kerala flood?Footnotes[1] India brought 271 million out of poverty between 2005-16, similar to China: UNDP-Oxford report[2] India no more a country with most number of poor people as Nigeria fares worse[3] https://neoias.com/index.php/neo...[4] We Have The Food Schemes In Place To Solve The Hunger Problem. Then Why Do We Lag Behind?[5] http://The ambitious Ayushman Bh...[6] India made rapid progress in increasing access to sanitation in schools: UN report[7] Success of Swachh Bharat[8] Fitch Raises India's GDP Growth Forecast For 2018-19[9] http://Before UDAN or the Region...[10] PM Modi to inaugurate Sikkimu2019s first airport Monday[11] HIGH SPEED RAIL PROJECT STARTED IN INDIA[12] Shashank Goyal's answer to What is an unbiased review of the 4-years of Modiu2019s government?[13] Cost of Inequality in India May Be High, but Doing Nothing About It Is More Expensive[14] All you wanted to know about...Gini Coefficient[15] How metro rail networks are spreading across India[16] https://www.indiatoday.in/educat...[17] Cabinet approves National Policy on Biofuels[18] Blueprint In Place to Boost Electric Vehicles In India: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari[19] SMART CITIES MISSION,Government of India[20] India to achieve COP 21 goals before deadline
