India needs political will, not a document, to join developed nation’s league

NITI Aayog, the Prime Minister-headed premier think tank, is preparing a vision document with the objective of making India a developed country. For this, the country’s economy will have to touch $30 trillion in 2047 with a per capita GDP of $17,590. It is undisputedly a noble objective. But do we need a document for that? NITI Aayog estimates that in order to attain the desired goal, the country’s GDP needs to grow at a rate of 9.2 per cent during 2030-40 and 8.8 per cent during 2040-47 for an average of nine per cent between 2030 and 2047. The vision document, Viksit Bharat @ 2047, which was envisaged in December 2021, will prescribe the prerequisite structural changes and reforms. NITI Aayog CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam has said that the document, which to be made public in three months, will be prepared by 10 sectoral groups of secretaries (SGoS) drawn from various ministries. They will focus on critical themes like infrastructure, welfare, commerce and industry, technology and governance. Each of them has prepared a vision document in the last two years.

The SGoSs have reportedly consulted a wide range of individuals, think tanks, research institutions, business chambers and export promotion councils, among others. The government has engaged consulting firm BCG for assistance in the preparation of Viksit Bharat @ 2047. Evidently, harmonizing the information, data and recommendations of 10 exhaustive vision documents and crystallizing them into one coherent whole is a gigantic task. Yet, a few questions can be raised about not just the process but also the entire endeavour. First, is the entire political class ready for any plan of action that is rolled out by the current Central government? Are all political parties part of the endeavour? Earlier, Modi had called upon all Chief Ministers to work towards the goal of a developed India by going about with a Team India approach. But, given the acrimony between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Opposition, no non-BJP party or leader of consequence has said anything substantive about the developed India vision. How can any vision document, however insightful and pragmatic, be translated into reality without the active participation of all political parties?

After all, it is politicians who take the final call in a liberal democracy like India. Second, what can the Viksit Bharat @ 2047 document say that has not already been said in dozens of economic surveys that are authored by chief economic advisors to the government since liberalization? Besides, there have been innumerable policy papers, reports and lectures by noted economists who have suggested reform measures. The powers that be just have to cull out the most important measures that have been prescribed over the years in order give fillip to the economy. Can India grow at the rate of nine per cent for decades? Yes, it can. If India’s GDP could grow by 5.6 per cent in the 1980s—that is, in the decade preceding economic reforms—it can certainly expand at nine per cent with a strong dose of liberalizing measures. The need of the hour is political will and not any other document.