Title: Major issues affecting India today
India could be 40 times
bigger by 2050, and may also have the potential to be larger than the US by
that time. To achieve this, however, India needs to implement many changes. Despite
being the 4th largest economy in the world, India is still classed
as a developing country. When the term ‘Developing’ is used, we mean in terms
of – economic strategies, structure of the economy, caste system and environmental
issues. However, as our country is so large and diverse, some of the problems
do not apply to all states. With a population of 1.21 billion people and
counting, we are the world’s largest electoral democracy. With a large
population base, one would feel the power of the Nation to be stronger than
others, but in our country, our population is one of our biggest problems.
Apart from over
population, there are other major issues being faced on a daily basis by almost
every Indian. They are:
1.
Weak Infrastructure:
The lack of sound and safe roadways, reliable electricity, clean water and basic sanitation are glaring issues in the majority of India. Considering the population explosion and the high social pressures on the few available amenities in India today, this major problem seems worse in certain parts of India than even in Africa’s 10 poorest countries.
The lack of sound and safe roadways, reliable electricity, clean water and basic sanitation are glaring issues in the majority of India. Considering the population explosion and the high social pressures on the few available amenities in India today, this major problem seems worse in certain parts of India than even in Africa’s 10 poorest countries.
"...Many Indians lack basic amenities like
access to running water. Indian public services are creaking under the strain
of bureaucracy and inefficiency. Over 40% of Indian fruits rot before they
reach the market; this is one example of the supply constraints and
inefficiencies facing the Indian economy".
2.
Poverty:
There is a huge disparity between high technology companies thriving in the global market and a large percentage of the population who maybe earn enough to eat. Tin many ways, the latter had become part of the backward masses that are usually ignored by state authorities. The wealth distribution in India, is unequal, to say the least.
- Top 1%: 16% of wealth
- Top 5%: 38% of wealth
- Top 10%: 53% of wealth
- Bottom 80%: 30% of wealth
-Bottom 50%: 8% of wealth
- Bottom 20%: 1% of wealth
- Bottom 10%: 0.2% of wealth
Poverty haunts us and simply slows down the rate of improvement. Along with poverty, comes along illiteracy, politics, threats
There is a huge disparity between high technology companies thriving in the global market and a large percentage of the population who maybe earn enough to eat. Tin many ways, the latter had become part of the backward masses that are usually ignored by state authorities. The wealth distribution in India, is unequal, to say the least.
- Top 1%: 16% of wealth
- Top 5%: 38% of wealth
- Top 10%: 53% of wealth
- Bottom 80%: 30% of wealth
-Bottom 50%: 8% of wealth
- Bottom 20%: 1% of wealth
- Bottom 10%: 0.2% of wealth
Poverty haunts us and simply slows down the rate of improvement. Along with poverty, comes along illiteracy, politics, threats
3.
Over Population:
If a group relies on a local area for its sustenance, then its population will be limited by the productivity of that area. If productivity does not meet the demands of the group, the group’s numbers will decline to the point of sustainability, or the group will move to find more productive land. As population rises, problems are worsened. But beyond this, growth rates are a big deal for a country with a huge population. India adds more people to the world each day than any other country adding up to about 12 million people per year and 18 million by another. Each added person increases the number on the side of the ratio that should decrease if needs are going to be met. And this brings us to the heart of the problem. No matter how small a population is, its government may be inadequate to suit its needs, and no matter how good a government is, if a population is to large, it does not matter how good distribution is.
If a group relies on a local area for its sustenance, then its population will be limited by the productivity of that area. If productivity does not meet the demands of the group, the group’s numbers will decline to the point of sustainability, or the group will move to find more productive land. As population rises, problems are worsened. But beyond this, growth rates are a big deal for a country with a huge population. India adds more people to the world each day than any other country adding up to about 12 million people per year and 18 million by another. Each added person increases the number on the side of the ratio that should decrease if needs are going to be met. And this brings us to the heart of the problem. No matter how small a population is, its government may be inadequate to suit its needs, and no matter how good a government is, if a population is to large, it does not matter how good distribution is.
4.
Discrimination:
Discrimination can be of many forms. It can be of castes, genders, classes, races and so on. In India, there is abundance of discrimination n terms of gender and caste. The Constitution of India provides for Fundamental rights, which include freedom of religion. Clauses also provide for Freedom of Speech, as well as separation of executive and judiciary and freedom of movement within the country and abroad. With this said, even though practices such as Sati, Female Infanticide, Child Marriage are abolished officially, unofficially our country still faces these problems on a relatively large scale.
Discrimination can be of many forms. It can be of castes, genders, classes, races and so on. In India, there is abundance of discrimination n terms of gender and caste. The Constitution of India provides for Fundamental rights, which include freedom of religion. Clauses also provide for Freedom of Speech, as well as separation of executive and judiciary and freedom of movement within the country and abroad. With this said, even though practices such as Sati, Female Infanticide, Child Marriage are abolished officially, unofficially our country still faces these problems on a relatively large scale.
5.
Un-reconciled
Border Lands:
While the majority of Indians are proud to call themselves Indian, there are few people from states like Kashmir, Nagaland and Manipur, who are more inclined towards converting these states into independent nations. This causes instable situations in the border lines and usually causes violence and terrorism.
While the majority of Indians are proud to call themselves Indian, there are few people from states like Kashmir, Nagaland and Manipur, who are more inclined towards converting these states into independent nations. This causes instable situations in the border lines and usually causes violence and terrorism.
6.
Decline and
corruption of democratic centre and Conversion of Political parties into family
firms:
No person in our country is a stranger to the corruption that prevails in our country today. We may be trying to set everything right using tools like LokPal but the required efforts go much beyond that. At the same time, everyone is familiar with the family business called ‘Political Party‘. While, these Parties were born with genuine problems to be addressed, their heirs seem to have somewhat lost track. (e.g. Kanimozhi, suspect in 2G Scam, is the daughter of DMK supremo M. Karunanidhi).
No person in our country is a stranger to the corruption that prevails in our country today. We may be trying to set everything right using tools like LokPal but the required efforts go much beyond that. At the same time, everyone is familiar with the family business called ‘Political Party‘. While, these Parties were born with genuine problems to be addressed, their heirs seem to have somewhat lost track. (e.g. Kanimozhi, suspect in 2G Scam, is the daughter of DMK supremo M. Karunanidhi).
These are the major issues,
I feel, are faced by India.
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