SUSTAINABILITY INDEX: INDIA

A native American proverb correctly states, "We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."

India, a rapidly growing economy, is on a journey to reclaim its long-lost title as a "prosperous" nation. However, prosperity and wealth alone are not the true markers of a developed nation. Imagine living in a nation that is wealthy and developed, but one where the gender pay gap is wide, the air is polluted, and clean drinking water is scarce. In such a scenario, the terms "prosperity" and "wealth" lose their meaning. Would the people, especially women, in such a nation truly experience happiness?

Countries that focus solely on increasing wealth or defence capabilities, such as North Korea, may never achieve true and lasting prosperity. Real prosperity can only be attained through a balanced approach, one that prioritizes sustainability, equity, and the well-being of all citizens. Recognizing the multifaceted nature of prosperity, the United Nations established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address global challenges and ensure peace, prosperity, and a sustainable future for all by 2030. These goals provide a framework for tracking a nation's progress in addressing these critical issues.

In India, the NITI Aayog publishes the Sustainable Development Report, which highlights the country's progress toward achieving these goals. This year's report shows significant improvement, with India's rank rising to 71 in 2023-24, compared to 66 in 2020-21 and 51 in 2018. Despite this progress, India still faces several major challenges on its path to becoming a truly sustainable nation.

Let us explore the highlights of the 2023-2024 report on India's sustainability index:

Since 2018, India has made considerable strides in areas such as poverty alleviation, decent work, economic growth, climate action, and life on land. These achievements have been driven by key government interventions to support SDG progress, including:

• A strong focus on renewable energy, which has increased solar power capacity from 2.82 GW to 73.32 GW over the past decade.

• The construction of 11 crore toilets and 2.23 lakh community sanitary complexes in rural areas.

• The successful opening of 53.13 crore bank accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, 29.56 crore of which were opened by female beneficiaries, bringing previously unbanked individuals into the formal financial system.

• The construction of 4.21 crore houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, with an additional 3 crore rural and urban households still to be built.

• The Skill India Mission, which has trained 1.4 crore youth, while reskilling 54 lakh individuals.

These are just some of the notable achievements India has made. However, it is concerning that the country still lags in areas such as hunger eradication and gender equality.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

India is classified as "serious" in the Global Hunger Index, ranking 105th out of 127 countries, with a score of 27.3. This underscores the government's failure to address the most basic of human needs—access to sufficient food and nutrition. The country's struggle to eliminate hunger highlights inefficiencies in the public distribution system, income inequality, and significant food losses due to inadequate storage and transportation infrastructure. Although several food securities programs have been implemented, such as the National Food Security Act, Poshan Abhiyan (National Nutrition Mission), PM Garib Kalyan Yojana, and the National Mission for Natural Farming, there is still considerable room for improvement.

SDG 5: Gender Equality

Despite India's many achievements, it remains the only large country where more girls die than boys. Discrimination against girls begins even before birth. India also holds the record for the highest number of child brides globally—one-third of the world’s total. According to a 2017 analysis of demographic data, India is projected to maintain the worst sex ratio in South Asia until 2050. These alarming statistics have prompted the government to launch initiatives such as Swadhar Ghar, One Stop Centre, and Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, aimed at empowering women through education, survival, and safety. While these programs have made progress, challenges persist. Women continue to face discrimination across all levels of the workforce, and one in five women report experiencing sexual harassment by their partners. India will not achieve full prosperity until it eradicates the social evil of gender inequality and empowers both boys and girls to reach their full potential.

Summing It Up in the nine years since the adoption of the SDGs in 2015, India has made commendable progress in several areas, but significant challenges remain. The government must continue to focus on addressing food insecurity, gender inequality, water management, and air pollution through improved policies, public-private partnerships, and increased emphasis on education and awareness programs.

While government policies and schemes are essential for shaping a sustainable future, citizen participation is equally critical. The everyday decisions made by individuals can have a profound impact on sustainability. Simple actions such as choosing reusable materials over plastic bags support sustainability. Similarly, social evils like gender inequality can be eradicated if people alike begin to question societal gender norms. Indian youth also play a pivotal role in building a sustainable future. With small yet impactful steps, we can create a better, greener, and more equitable future.

With a steadfast commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals and the collective efforts of citizens, India can achieve its goal of becoming a truly sustainable nation and can lead the way in social, economic, and environmental progress for the benefit of its people, planet, and future generations.