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UNIT-IV MEANING ISSUES AND CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPMENT
PROCESS
TOPIC-I Development and Its Dimension
UPSC GS Paper-II Development Processes and Development Industry.
What is Development and Development Process?
A multitude of meanings have been attached to the term development. It is mostly
confounded with economic growth. Also, larger meanings
such as social development, sustainable development and human development are
attributed to it.
In simple terms, Development is ‘bringing about social change that allows people to
achieve their human potential’.
Development is a process rather than an Amartya Sen has given the concept of
outcome: it is dynamic in that it involves a development a new dimension. He views
change from one state or condition to development as a political process. According to
Sen, Development consists of the removal of
another. Ideally, such a change is a various types of unfreedoms that leave people
positive one - an improvement of some with little choice and little opportunity of
sort. exercising their reasoned agency.
Dimensions of Development
Development as a political process: It is regarded as the something that is done by
some agency (state or development organization) for others (such as farmers in a
developing country). It is called political process as it raises questions about who has
the power to do what to whom.
Human Development: Amartya Sen has been advocator of this approach. It considers
economic growth as measure of development a deeply flawed and inadequate
approach. It redefined the development in terms of human rights as a constitutive
part and all worthwhile processes of social change are simultaneously rights-based
and economically grounded. This approach focuses on the well-being of those at
bottom of the society, not on the efficiency of those at the top.
Sustainable Development: “Our Common Future”, also called Brundtland Report
defines Sustainable development as development that meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs. To achieve it, UN has established Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – a
wide ranging targets – to be achieved by 2030. The goals and targets are universal,
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meaning they apply to all countries around the world, not just poor countries.
Reaching the goals requires action on all fronts – governments, businesses, civil
society and people everywhere all have a role to play.
Economic Development: Economic development is the process by which a
nation improves the economic, political, and social well-being of its people. It is
different from economic growth in a sense that it involves both quantitative and
qualitative change. Also, it is process by which low-income national economies
transform into modern industrial economies.
Social Development: Social development means investing in people. It requires
the removal of barriers so that all citizens can journey toward their dreams with
confidence and dignity. It is about refusing to accept that people who live in
poverty will always be poor. It is about helping people so they can move forward
on their path to self-sufficiency. In India context, it becomes very important as social
barriers like caste system proves to be fetters to realize one’s potential and enjoy
social freedom. Removal of such barrier through state action is important part of
social development.
Development Indicators:
According to the Human Development Report 2021-22, India’s rank on the Human
Development Index (HDI) has slipped from 130 in 2020 to 132 in 2022, in line with a global
fall in HDI scores in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Theme: The theme for Human Development Report 2021-22 is Uncertain Times,
Unsettled Lives: Shaping our Future in a World in Transformation.
It's published by the Human Development Report Office for the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP).
The idea of humanity lies at the core of human development. Human development
goes beyond the notion of economic growth with wealth maximisation of the
economy. The concept of human development is more about expansion of freedom,
enhancement of capabilities, providing equal opportunities to all, and ensuring a long,
healthy and prosperous life.
Towards 2030, India is expected to reach a total population of 1.5 billion, becoming
the world's most populous country. While India has multiplied its economy by many folds, it
has not made much progress on HDI. The Human Development Report 2021-2022 has
signalled an alarming situation for India. In the global ranking of HDI, among 191
countries India slipped to 132 in 2022. (129 in 2019 and 131 in 2020)
Dr Lakshmaiah IAS Study Circle
20B,Opp: HDFC Bank, Main Road, Old Rajinder Nagar
New Delhi-110060 Ph No: +91 9773731858
What is the Human Development Report?
Amartya Sen and Mahbub Ul Haq, conceptualized the human-centric approach
to development in the first Human Development Report published by
the United Nations Development Programme in 1990.
Indices Covered in Human Development Report:
o Human Development Index (HDI)
o Inequality-Adjusted HDI
o Planetary Pressures-Adjusted HDI
o Gender Development Index
o Gender Inequality Index
o Multidimensional Poverty Index
Dimensions and Indicators of Human Development Index:
What are the Challenges For India Regarding Human Development?
Gender Inequality: Prevalence of gender stereotypes and lack of upward
mobility of women (due to glass ceiling) has traditionally sidelined women
from development. The Covid-19 pandemic has also exacerbated gender
inequality.
o In terms of women’s economic participation and opportunity,
the Periodic Labour Force Survey’s 2020-21 report states that the
labour force participation rate among Indian women is just
23.15%, in contrast to 57.75 % in men.
o The World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap
Report 2022 ranks India 135 out of 146 countries.
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Low Gross Enrolment: Every year, a large number of students dropout of
school in India that hinders their economic and social well-being and creates
a non-innovative environment.
o The reason for
o this, reported by the National Sample Survey Office, is not only
the financial constraints and engagement of children in domestic
or economic activities but their increasing lack of interest in
education.
According to the District Information System for
Education, students’ disinterest towards education is
due to the lack of educational and vocational
counselling at the school level.
Lack of Effective Education Infrastructure: A great deal of the quality of
education is determined by infrastructure, such as classrooms, water and
sanitation facilities, digital learning facilities, and sports facilities.
o However, India lags behind in providing quality education
uniformly across the country because of insufficient funding,
regional disparities, and a lack of strict regulatory mechanisms.
Inadequate Health-Care Facility: Although, healthcare system is improved,
there are considerable quality differences between rural and urban
areas, between public and private providers and investment in the healthcare
sector is not uniform ( as health is a state subject).
o Low and middle income population of India faces out-of-pocket
(OOP) expenditure on health, preventing their upward mobility
and pulling them into poverty.
Malnutrition: Due to poverty, inequality, improper child care and food
insecurity, India faces the problem of malnutrition that costs India around 10
billion dollars annually retarding improvements in human development and
further reduction of child mortality.
o India ranks 101st out of the 116 countries in the Global Hunger
Index 2021.
Lack of Social Security: Around 88% of India's labour force are employed
as daily wage laborer’s without contracts, landless farm laborer’s and gig
workers. The majority of these informal workers and their families have no
access to social security.
o Informal workers in rural and urban areas were massively affected
due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, because of the seasonality of their
employment and lack of formal employee-employer relationship.
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What Should be the Way Forward?
Nexus Between Environmental Social and Economic Development: Economic
growth, social and environmental development are tightly correlated and play
a major role to improve the basic living conditions in India.
o Socio-economic and environmental problems cannot be addressed
in isolation anymore. Therefore, it is necessary to nest economic,
social and environmental aspects in homocentric
planning through nature-based solutions.
Reach, Range and Reason Based Policies: Amartya Sen contended that to
achieve development’s objective the government policies must focus on the 3
R's:
o Reach (reach of the reason to be achieved)
o Range (ways and means to be used)
o Reason (priority to pursue).
Social-Economic Inclusion: There is a need for concentrated efforts
to streamline the marginalized section of the society who are currently not
free to expand their choices and achieve a decent standard of living.
o Equality of opportunity (Article 14 of Indian Constitution) must be
ensured closing the gender gap and moving toward participatory
democracy that will take the country on the path of
achieving National Development Goals and Sustainable
Development Goals.
Investment, Insurance and Innovation in Social Infrastructure: A universal
education and health care system can be a broad umbrella effort to solve a
plethora of issues in the country to sustain and improve its quality of life and
deal with major emerging challenges such as urbanization, housing shortages,
power, water and disaster management.