Amrit Kaal: India must focus on infra, agri, health and education

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav – celebrating 75 years of India's independence – will come to an end on August 15, 2022. Thereafter, India will enter into 'Amrit Kaal' – the crucial 25 years before we celebrate 100 years of our Independence in 2047. As a nation, India has made rapid strides in its fight against poverty, unemployment, starvation, malnutrition, anaemia, tuberculosis, school drop-out rates, untouchability, caste and religion based discrimination and exclusion and so on during these years. Its military prowess has also multiplied.

Electoral democracy has become more vibrant while inclusive growth has become a kind of buzz word in the country thanks to a slew of affirmative and welfare measures having been initiated by successive governments at the Centre and in the states since Independence. There is a significant development on the front of infra upgradation in general and roads in particular, while health and education sectors have seen remarkable expansion. The ease of life and doing business has improved manifold. Global indices and rankings may not be so encouraging but things have undoubtedly improved, giving the people some kind of solace though professional pessimists love to crib and think otherwise!

However, there is a broad agreement among all stakeholders that the pace of development has left behind an endless number of socio-economic and political patches and potholes on our road to development. Income disparities have worsened primarily because of unevenness in accessing quality health and education facilities, and job opportunities. Barring exceptions, most of cream jobs and facilities are being usurped by the urban elites, who are also the key policy influencers with regards to 90 per cent of the country's people comprising those who are socially, educationally and economically backwards along with the members of scheduled castes and tribes who have suffered the trauma of untouchability for decades.

They had a fresh whiff of air in free India. Notwithstanding the best of efforts but for want of intent, discrimination against them on the basis of their caste, class, region, religion and ideological affiliations persists howsoever mature India might have become as a nation. Yet, there is no need to be pestered at all. Gaps are both a challenge and a great opportunity. Let there be a roadmap in place to plug some of these key loopholes during 'Amrit Kaal' to make India inclusive and resilient as a nation in the real sense of the term.

Expansion and upgradation of infrastructure is of great importance. One is glad to see the speed with which national and state highways are being built along with flyovers and widening of roads. Expressways are giving a new kind of experience to commuters. Old airports are being upgraded in public-private partnership mode, while new airports are being built up. The time is not far off when the majority of major towns across the country will boast of air connectivity. Bullet trains and wide spread of metro trains are going to add resilience to India's infra strength. However, what is needed and urgently is the infra facility being used by 90 per cent people of the country.

Micro quality infra facilities will not only improve their ease of life but will also be a big boost to rural economy, which caters to the needs of nearly 80 crore poor countrymen. During next 25 years, efforts must be made to fill up gaps to ensure they have seamless and easy access to every vital point like primary health centres, schools, colleges, police stations, banks, block, sub-division and district headquarters. Similarly, public transport facilities should be of the best quality and affordable. Ease of travel from local to national should be drastically improved for the masses.

Health and education should not only get budgetary allocations of Central and state governments but should also undergo a sea-change to become ethical, affordable and of immense quality. From primary to tertiary care, efforts should be made to ensure that 90 per cent patients coming from rural areas get their treatments in government facilities for which will be required a fine-tuned network of healthcare infrastructure with adequate number of doctors, paramedical staff and medicines. It will not only reduce their dependence on private sector facilities but will also help them save a lot of their hard earned money.

Well-equipped primary and secondary healthcare in the public sector also means minimal expenses of the government at the tertiary level as the majority of ailments will be treated before they snowball into a serious disease, requiring interventions at tertiary level. Similar arrangements need to be in place in matters of education as well. India can no longer afford different kinds of health and education facilities for haves and have nots. There is a need to deviate from elitism and create a kind of 'one nation, one health and education' facility. At present, there are steep variations in reach and quality of such facilities in public and private sectors. It is one of the reasons that majority people cannot avail of the best health and education facilities in the private sector. The common people always find themselves at receiving ends.

Agriculture is the backbone of the country's economy and lifeline for the masses. Rural economy and inclusive development is all about sustainable growth in agriculture and betterment of labourers. Small and marginal farmers account for nearly 85 per cent of the country's total farming population. They need to be propped up with multiple enabling measures. From easy sale points for their produce at remunerative prices to quality education facilities for their children should be the country's priority during 'Amrit Kaal' so that India's odyssey towards inclusive empowerment fructifies.

Effective inroads of education among the people engaged in farming directly will reduce undue pressure on agriculture to be the only source of livelihood for them. At the same time, efforts should be made to ensure farmers and farm labourers have other gainful engagements when they are free from agricultural work. Cottage industries will be a big boost to their finances. No hand should be left idle in rural areas. Let 'Amrit Kaal' be the time of total transformation and empowerment of rural India.

(The writer is a senior journalist and author. The views are strictly personal)