​Chronicle Year Book 2022

Since Independence, India has achieved tremendous growth in terms of income, wealth, and standards of living. Since 1980s, the nominal GDP has increased by more than 16 times from $0.189 trillion to $3.1 trillion. There has been a structural shift in the economy with Agriculture contributing to just 20% of the Gross Value Added (GVA) whereas Services contributing to nearly 53% of GVA in 2021.

During the Pandemic, Agriculture has been a bright spot in maintaining the resilience of the economy, ensuring food and nutritional security for the country. India is world's largest sourcing destination for the IT industry, employing 4.5 million people. The country is at the forefront of a fintech revolution, led by the banking and insurance industry. New technological developments such as digital currencies, blockchain and 5G will give a new lease of life to the service and manufacturing sector. Social and Women Entrepreneurship are going to shape new paradigms of development.

After being battered by the Covid Pandemic, the Indian economy is on a sustained recovery path. But issues of rising inequality and informality may lessen the potential of economic recovery, which calls for advocating the idea of Economic Democracy. Increasing the pace of reforms would require building resilient infrastructures, strengthening channels demand and supply, reducing inequalities and empowering the marginalized.

The ability to forge unity despite its diversity and build a functioning, vibrant and pluralistic democracy is, perhaps, the single most important achievement of democratic governance in India. In contemporary times, there is an ever growing need of people-centric approach to governance with a pro-active, responsive, accountable, sustainable and efficient administration for the country at all levels of government. Good public governance is about a system where there is accountability, transparency, impartiality, fairness and integrity.

The changing dynamics of society and economy necessitates bureaucratic reforms, removing regulatory cholesterol, mitigating political instability, addressing violence and corruption, and giving space to people’s voices while promoting accountability of government and the rule of law.

Public Policies should be pro-reforms and people & outcome oriented. Government should act as a facilitator rather than a regulator. Under-regulated sectors such as social media, OTT, e-commerce, etc. need effective regulations with a view to promote their development. Agile governance, increased citizen engagement, and increasing the use of technology in administration will require shunning traditional approaches and mechanisms. Reforming tribunals, using technology in the judicial system, remodeling democratic institutions, revamping the health governance, and walking on the path of cooperative federalism are indispensible for fulfilling the dream of a new and vibrant India.

The Indian Constitution, adopted on 26 November 1949, came into force on 26 January 1950, is a living document having substantive and procedural achievements. It embodies the philosophy which is liberal, democratic, egalitarian, secular, federal, and sensitive to the needs of religious and linguistic minorities as well as historically disadvantaged groups and is committed to building a common national identity. The Constitution strives for securing justice, liberty and equality, promote fraternity, and national unity and integration.

The living nature of Indian Constitution enables it to accommodate new and emerging ideas, and changing dreams and aspirations of the society. Every society goes through a phase of transition, characterized by rising conflicts which is reflected in new and emerging legal and constitutional questions. Accommodating new aspirations requires changing political deliberation and spirit of compromise and adjustment.

The year 2021 witnessed numerous instances where a need for constitutional reform and accommodation arose.The role of Governor in a federal polity was questioned; increasing defections were criticized; scope of fundamental rights was curtailed; tussle of power between centre and states was witnessed; and the very basis of Indian federalism was questioned. A thought was given to conduct simultaneous elections; establishment of All India Judicial Service and implementation of Uniform Civil Code. All these events have brought several constitutional provisions into question.

Indian society is a cultural mosaic of different religions, faiths, castes, creed, languages and arts. The most discernible feature of Indian society is its Unity in Diversity, considered as the cornerstone of India’s ancient culture and civilization. The modern Indian society has largely been shaped during the colonial rule, which led to development of an Indian consciousness that unified all of India. Colonialism gave rise to the forces of Nationalism, which mobilized various sections to sacrifice and work for the betterment of others.

The middle classes, being educated in western education systems, have played a significant role in taking the country forward on the path of progress and development. The socio-religious reforms of 19th century led to emancipation of women, and challenged the caste orthodoxy. The society witnessed a rise in participation of youth, women, and socially marginalized communities, which enriched India’s social and human capital and lifted millions of people out of a life of hopelessness.

The India of 21st Century is witnessing a new wave of social change and development. The marginalized communities do not perceive themselves as passive recipients of the fruits of development, the women are speaking against patriarchal notions and citizens demand more rights. On the other hand the Indian society is challenged by rising drug abuse, child marriages, regional consciousness, marital rape, rise in instances of trafficking, and challenges of digital divide amidst a raging pandemic.

With the help of achievements in the field of science and technology a country can find its way out of socio-economic challenges and achieve ambitious goals of universal healthcare, , political representation, hunger and malnutrition, financial inclusion and inclusive development.

New technologies such as blockchain, 5G telecommunications, big data, data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, nanotechnology, etc. can be a game changer for a developing economy such as India. In contemporary times, technology has embraced the daily lives of people, leading to enhancements in productivity and efficiency. Indian public policy has also acknowledged the technological developments.

Scalable innovation is essential to fulfill the aspirations and realize the potential of 1.3 billion citizens. New India has been witnessing a technological expansion. Policy makers and regulatory bodies must substantially facilitate innovation and value technology for socio-economic development. As the economy and society have been battered by the Covid pandemic, technology would help in bringing about a transformation in the techniques, tools and approaches in the ways crisis are managed.

Also, to tackle challenges emanating out of new developments in the technological framework, the state should ensure principles based governance with a strong data security framework and ensuring transparency around the use of technology. Comprehensive citizen engagement shall be ensured in framing policies.

Anthropogenic activities such as transportation and energy generation have increased environmental degradation to an extent that is manifested in form of rising carbon dioxide emissions, increasing pollution, rise in waste accumulation, threats of global warming, sea level rise and changing patterns of climate.A clean, green and healthy environment is needed to support higher and inclusive economic growth through sustainable utilization of available natural resources. For this, the need of the hour is transition to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy resources. This will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions and pollution, manage waste and tackle climate change.

In Indian policy framework, environmental activism can be traced to India’s participation in United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in 1972. According to the principles agreed in the conference, India enacted the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1974, The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1981, Environment Protection Act, 1986. Environmental Protection was incorporated into the Constitution by the Constitution (Forty Second Amendment) Act of 1976.

The Constitution gives space to environment conservation under Article 48 A of the DPSPs and Article 51A (g) under the Fundamental Duties. For realizing the vision of a carbon neutral economy, India is taking concrete efforts in developing and promoting hydrogen fuels, biofuels, e-vehicles, waste to energy technologies, and reducing the use of conventional energy resources.

After independence, India adopted the goal of establishing a socialist pattern of society with economic growth, self-reliance, social justice, and poverty alleviation. These goals were to be achieved within a democratic political framework through a mixed economy where both public and private sectors co-exist to achieve national interests. The country has achieved immense success by building a self-reliant modern economy, a substantive democracy and has also become a space, defense and nuclear power. It has been able to sail through global crises due to prudent policies and actions. Indian athletes have made every citizen proud by winning medals at the international stage. Be it sports, science, arts or the IT sector, Indian women have led the country to new heights.

But the unity of India is being threatened by hate speech, fake news, increasing caste and religious conflicts, refugee crisis, cybercrimes, inter-state disputes, terrorist attacks, etc. They have also put domestic security mechanisms in peril. The security forces too are overburdened due to lack of manpower; long working hours and inadequate facilities.

Facing today’s challenges demand a new and broader understanding of national interests and security – one that facilitates coordination between domestic and foreign policy as well as among traditional national security, economic security, health security, and environmental security. To safeguard the unity and sovereignty of the country, strong institutional mechanisms should be put in place and a culture of peace, harmony and brotherhood be created.

The increasing population, rising mismatch between demand and supply, resource scarcity and disparity in technological development, infrastructure and resource distribution have all paved way for the countries to integrate with other countries of the world. Further emerging issues of trade wars, terrorism, cross-border threats, cyber threats, rise of non-state actors and environmental degradation have all raised new challenges which cannot be handled unilaterally. With increasing globalization it has become necessary to be a part of global supply chains and international groupings.

All these factors strengthen the need for a sound foreign policy to develop strong and resilient bilateral and multilateral relations with other countries. This will ensure that a country survives the changing global environment and maintain their clout in the dynamic world order. Such diplomatic relations can be built utilizing soft power, economic diplomacy, infrastructural projects, free trade agreements, and strengthening global institutions, maintaining a rules based world order.

Realizing this India has shifted from the policy of Non-Alignment to Multi-Alignment, which is largely portrayed as an issue based engagement for maintaining strategic autonomy in international affairs. This enables India to have a greater flexibility in pursuing its de-hyphenation policy with many nations. Thus, the foreign policy of India has taken a new trajectory whereby instead of being the “balance of power”, it has turned towards “being a leading regional and aspiring for becoming a global power.”

The word ‘ethics’ is derived from the original Greek term ethikos, meaning ‘arising from habit’. It refers to a set of standards that society places on itself and which helps guide the behavior, choices and actions of people in the society. These standards are universal values and they do not vary according to cultures and social structures.

Values are the individual principles that guide judgment and behaviour of a person or a community. Values are needed to serve as guiding stars in times of adversity. Values are an inbuilt mechanism which enables people to distinguish between right and wrong.

The values of integrity, impartiality, commitment, dedication, accountability, objectivity and exemplary behavior not only help to run administration smoothly but effectively as well. Such values also improve human behavior and provide strength to face adversities with courage and audacity.The family, society and educational institutions play a major role in inculcating these values.These values are dispositions and habits that enable us to act according to the highest potential of our character and in an ethical manner.

The rich heritage of India, one of the world’s oldest civilizations, is the confluence of religions, traditions and customs. A country as diverse as India is symbolized by the plurality of its culture. India has world’s largest collections of songs, music, dance, theatre, folk traditions, performing arts, paintings, etc. The finesse of Indian handicrafts, the richness of silk and cotton textiles, the ethnicity of jewellery, everything has come down as a heritage from ancient times and is being kept alive generation after generation.

People of different cultures have interacted with each other, learnt to respect different customs, creating a sense of care and social responsibility which has promoted cross-cultural linkages.

According to the United Nations, social justice can be defined as the fair and compassionate distribution of the fruits of economic growth to all the citizens without any discrimination on the basis of race, caste, gender, religion, place of birth, etc. Social justice involves access to resources, equitable distribution of resources, recognising diversity, ensuring participation of all and respecting the fundamental human rights. For ensuing social justice and empowerment, state shall ensure that each and every citizen has access to all resources and opportunities, especially historically marginalised and deprived communities.

According to Socio Economic Caste Census, 2011, India consists of 2.68 crore Person with Disabilities (PwDs), 10.4 crore elderly, 27.1 crore victims of drug abuse, etc. Special policy directives are required to ensure social justice for these communities. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment was created in 1988 for implementing various programmes/schemes for social, educational and economic development of the marginalised. The Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Ministry of Minority Affairs were created in 2006 and 2008 respectively.

Due to extensive programs and policies of these ministries there has been considerable improvement in the conditions of the Women, Children, SCs, STs, Transgender persons, and Senior Citizens. Programs like Jan Dhan Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana, Jan Aushadhi Yojana, Kaushal Vikas Yojana, Garima Greh, etc. have significantly improved the social development metrics of these sections, yet India is far from achieving high levels of human development and empowerment.

Challenges faced by these communities cannot be easily empathized with, and hence people from these sections must be included in policy making. Policy measures centered on changing mindsets, making infrastructures friendly and ensuring universal social security must be framed. These policies must have quantifiable targets and there should be proper performance audit to ensure its effectiveness.

The process of acculturation and assimilation of minorities is linked to the emergence of modern states. The modern Indian state adopted the principles of a modern democracy with the enactment of the Constitution in 1950s. The Constitution consists of the provisions for assimilation of minorities. Article 29 and 30 of the Constitution provides for protection of interest of religious as well as linguistic minorities. As per the Census 2011, the percentage of minorities in the country is about 19.3% of the total population of the country. Muslims constitute 14.2%; Christians 2.3%; Sikhs 1.7%, Buddhists 0.7%, Jain 0.4% and Parsis 0.006% of the population. These six communities have been notified as minority communities under Section 2(c) of the NCM Act, 1992.

India, as a pluralistic, diverse as well as a secular democracy has been successfully able to accommodate the aspirations of minorities in the country, even though new challenges have constantly emerged. Government initiatives such as Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram, Jiyo Parsi, Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development (USTTAD) scheme not only ensures empowerment of minorities but also ensures conservation of their culture & heritage. It ensures equal treatment and protection of rights of the minorities.

Policy initiatives by state must ensure conserving the traditions of minorities’ along with empowering them socially, economically and politically. This is not only an imperative of political wisdom, but also of moral considerations.

Though the modern legal and judicial system in India emerged during the British Rule, yet India has centuries old legal systems in the world. It has been able to evolve like a living entity, constantly adapting to changing times. The total sanctioned police force strength in India is 26,23,225 and there are 16,955 police stations. Women make up 12% of police force in the country. Over 672 district courts and 25 high courts in India, dispense justice to millions of people. Supreme Court is the highest judicial forum in the country with a sanctioned strength of 34 judges.

Indian constitution has established an integrated judicial system with the Supreme Court at the top, the high courts below it and a hierarchy of subordinate courts below the HCs. This system of courts aims to ensure timely justice to all the citizens in the country. Yet, Indian law and justice system has been marred by complexity of laws, conflict of interest, expensive and delayed justice, high pendency of cases in judiciary, continuation of outdated laws, etc. Judicial reforms are needed for ensuring last mile delivery of justice.

Children are the hope and future of India and women are the carrier and protector of future. Women and children represent 67.7 per cent of the country's total population. Empowerment of women and development of children are intrinsically linked to each other. Health and nutritional status of children is linked to the welfare and wellbeing of their mothers. Women in India got adult suffrage in 1947.

The first Five Year Plan focussed on the development of ‘Mahila Mandals’ and women education was put at centre stage under the third Five Year Plan. Women related metrics have significantly improved since independence, as according to the NSO’s Household Social Consumption: Education report, the countrywide female literacy stands at 70%. The maternal mortality rate has declined to 113 per lakh of live births from 2000 per lakh of live births during independence. The infant mortality has declined from 145 per 1000 births during independence to 30 per 1000 in 2019. Gross Enrolment Ratio has increased to 89.7 per cent in 2019-20 at Upper Primary level, 97.8 per cent at Elementary Level at Secondary Level and 51.4 per cent at Higher Secondary Level.

The government has focused upon ensuring child health and women empowerment (with schemes like Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, promoting women cooperatives, etc.) yet women and children continue to be the worst sufferers of poverty, inequality, patriarchy, nutritional deficiencies, gender disparities, etc. Improving women’s empowerment is one potential strategy to help provide the nutrition and early learning inputs children require to reach their full developmental and growth potential. Targeted policies in a mission mode, social audit of welfare schemes, ensuring gender sensitivity in policy formulation, women participation in decision making, etc. are few but important measures that the state can adopt to ensure that women and children of India can realise their aspirations.

Poverty is a condition that deprives people of a minimum standard of living and hunger is the state which deprives people of adequate quantity and quality of food, causing undernourishment and malnutrition. Often, it is poverty that leads to hunger, causing a vicious cycle of poverty, hunger and malnutrition.

After Independence, India adopted novel goals of improving the lives of millions of poor people in the country through economic prosperity. Land reforms were enacted and laws were passed to prevent alienation of land. Programs such as Food for Work, Integrated Rural Development, housing for the poor, etc. were enacted for economic and social development of the poor.The goal of ‘Garibi Hatao’ was adopted in 1970s (5^th Five Year Plan period). Providing subsidies on food and basic necessities, access to loans, improving agricultural techniques, promoting education, etc. prevented food scarcity and helped millions of people to come out of poverty. After the liberalization reforms of 1991, the pace of poverty alleviation increased.

According to the United Nations, India lifted 271 million people out of poverty between 2006 and 2016. Green Revolution and White Revolution improved access to food and nutrition in the country. Even after years of development and achievements, 25% of India’s population lives in poverty, and about 15% of the population is malnourished. Thus, efforts are required to end poverty in all its forms and end hunger and malnutrition.

“Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world”

- Nelson Mandela

Education is one of the most important tools for fostering economic development and bringing social transformation. Education, along with skills, is a prerequisite for reaping the great demographic dividend that India possesses.

The education sector in India is expected to reach to $4 billion by 2025. India has 37 million students enrolled in higher education in about 1000 universities. Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education has reached 27 per cent in 2020. The country now has become the second largest market for e-learning after the US. India is witnessing a digital shift in its education sector, with the onset of online classes, digital heavy curriculum and also the great digital divide that India possess.

Globalization and the demands of a knowledge based economy and a knowledge society call for emphasis on acquisition of new skills by learners. It is vital that the students in 21^st century ‘learn how to learn’ and become lifelong learners. Young learners today belong to a generation that is born and raised in technology-rich environments. They will use technologies that haven’t been invented so far and enter jobs that don’t exist at present.

Even after various government policies and interventions such as the Right to Education Act, New Education Policy, Skills India program, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, etc. lacunas exist in elementary education with respect to learning outcomes and in higher education with respect to lack of job oriented skills. Today there has been a quantum leap in the impact and reach of digital education yet access to digital means of education has not been inclusive. Until and unless these deformities are addressed, India’s dream of reaping in the demographic dividend and becoming ‘Vishva Guru’ would remain in oblivion.

India is the second most populous country of the world with more than 1.3 billion people. Good Health provides person freedom from illness and expands ability to realize one's potential. Ensuring access to good quality primary healthcare to each and every citizen is the duty of the state. Initially health received low priority in the Five Year Plans and Health being a state subject led to every state having its own plan. The primary healthcare sector became more accessible, affordable and acceptable with the launch of Community Development Program. India, since independence has made long strides in the health and healthcare sector. Life expectancy has increased to 69.5 years for men and 72 years for women. Over the years, healthcare infrastructure has gradually improved at a slow pace. The role of private healthcare sector in improving the quality of health services cannot be neglected.

Yet, the rapidly increasing population of India has put undue strain on the health infrastructure of India. Primary healthcare is still out of bounds of millions of Indians, India is under the double burden of infectious as well as lifestyle diseases, rural-urban health infrastructure gap is increasing, out of pocket expenditure is soaring, and still the much required focus on preventive healthcare is lagging. India is in the 3^rd decade of 21^st century with a median age of 28 years. The healthcare sector needs a comprehensive overhaul which enables innovative changes in public health, medical research and education as well as the regulatory framework. Integrated medicine, which blends the modern health systems with traditional system, could be first step in modernizing our health care for advancing our health and capabilities.

Almost 9% of India’s population consists of Schedule Tribes (STs), according to the Socio Economic Caste Census, 2011. The total number of individual ethnic groups notified as Scheduled Tribes is 705.Ninety per cent of tribal population resides in rural areas and 10 % in urban areas. These communities are generally characterized by geographical isolation, presence of a distinct culture, relative economic backwardness.

Owing to their historical isolation, they enjoyed autonomy in management of land, forest and its resources. With the advent of colonialists and passage of various regressive policies like Land Acquisition Act (1894) and Indian Forest Act (1927), these tribes were deprived of their traditional rights over land, forest and other natural resources. After independence, the primary responsibility of the government was not just to ensure restoration of these Rights but also to conserve the forest and use it efficiently for the development of the country. Various policies were formulated to address tribal issues of illiteracy, social alienation, mainstreaming tribal culture, ensuring healthy lifestyle and at the same time conserving the tribal ethos and practice along with using forest resources for national development. The struggle to balance these aspects still continues.

Tribal cultures have ancient roots yet the lack of development has led to prevalence of illiteracy, poverty, lack of health facilities and lack of integration, among other issues. To preserve the unique Tribal socio-economic and political systems, tribal development should be achieved without disturbing their identity and culture.

‘The ballot is stronger than the bullet.’

-Abraham Lincoln

The electoral system is a political device through which the modern states create a sense of involvement and participation amongst their citizens and associate themselves in the formation of a genuine representative government. The credibility of any democracy depends upon its ability to conduct free and fair elections.After India attained Independence in August 1947, the first General Elections to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas were held between October, 1951 and March, 1952 with universal adult suffrage.

‘We must recognize the fundamental rights of man. There can be no true national life in our democracy unless we give unqualified recognition to freedom of religious worship and freedom of education.’

-Franklin D. Roosevelt

In India, Fundamental Rights have evolved over time. The Right to Privacy judgment has opened the contours of Fundamental Rights, thereby widening the scope and understanding of the concept. The Fundamental Rights have intrinsic value and hence in true sense reflects the picture that individuals possess basic Human Rights independently of any Constitution by reason of the basic fact that they are the members of the human race. Their purpose is to withdraw certain subjects from the area of political controversy and to place them beyond the reach of majorities and officials and to establish them as Legal principles to be applied by the courts. They are also considered as a limitation on the power of the state.

‘Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.’

-Helen Keller

Co-operative federalism is defined in terms of federal-regional co-operation and interdependence, especially with reference to the schemes of development, predominantly financed by the federal government and administered primarily by provincial governments. It has become a norm in all federations around the world. For India though, the concept is still in its infant stage. Events like replacing Planning Commission with NITI Aayog, passage of GST, project SATH-E, programmes like Aspirational Districts inducing sense of healthy competition amongst states are few but important steps promoting the notion of co-operative federalism in India.

‘The village is the cell of the national body and the cell-life must be healthy and developed for the national body to be healthy and developed.’

-Sri Aurobindo

Rural development is imperative in India as majority of population lives in villages (almost 69%) and also it lags far behind in development mainly due to historical reasons. Hence, post-independence, the priorities of the government have been to revive ancient rural model of self-sustained economy.

To ensure proper development, various programmes like Community Development Programme (CDP) and National Extension Service (NES) were launched but they failed miserably due to poor mobilization of people by district administration. The failure of district administration in ensuring developmen led to the urge of reviving the ancient notion of the third tier of administration in villages i.e. Panchayats.

First step was with the establishment of Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957) to study community development programme. It recommended panchayati raj institutions at the local level and since then various committees and their recommendations finally led to the passing of 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts resulting into the formation of Panchayati Raj Institutions.

Even after getting the Constitutional status, due to inefficiency of the PRI systems and the inability of district administration, issues like poverty & hunger, rural distress etc. are still widely prevalent in the society. The socio-economic conditions in rural area are such that the rural problems are exceedingly complex with multiple dimensions and hence the efficient delivery system of services to rural communities in turn depends on effective organization and determined leadership at the community level.

Various reforms like making social audit mandatory, performance audit of welfare schemes etc. have been mooted to overcome the deformities of prevailing PRIs and ensuring rural development. Thereby no single institution/organization can solve these issues on its own. The need of the hour is of decentralized and participatory approach to rural development where apart from an efficient administrative setup, active involvement of self-governing groups and beneficiaries is required.

As per the Socio Economic Caste Census 2011, 31.1% of the Indian population is concentrated in urban areas. India ranks third in the world with regard to urban growth (first China and second U.S.A.) even though it stood second in the size of population.

Desire for an urban way of life and quest for better living has accelerated the pace of urbanization and the municipal institutions have been finding it difficult to face the challenges posed by the urbanization.

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, thus has been entrusted with the responsibility of countering the ills plaguing urban areas like overcrowding, waste disposal, pollution, traffic congestion, growth of slums, housing needs etc. The policy, measures and schemes thus are built on the theme of ensuring ‘sustainability and prosperity for all’.

Indian urban growth is complex as it is marred by both regional and global issues. The solutions thus cannot be plain and simple. Any future policy initiatives must be based on the following principles – compact and phase wise development, development of highway corridors, focus on low cost housing, ensuring proper regional development, green norms based transportation system, ground water conservation, proper solid waste disposal, universalizing health and education, development of green spaces etc., ensuring ‘improved quality life for all’.

‘Rights of true citizenship accrue only to those who serve the State to which they belong.’

- Mahatma Gandhi

Citizenship has been defined as full and equal membership of a political community. Citizenship denotes the link between a person and a state or an association of states.It is also about citizen-citizen relations and involves certain legal and moral obligations of citizens to each other and to the society. Citizenship Amendment Bill and the nationwide protests have brought the notion of citizenship back into news. In India, Article 5 to Article 11 of the Constitution talks about various aspects of citizenship. Apart from it, Citizenship Act, 1955 and its various amendments list down the manner in which citizenship could be acquired and revoked in the country.

‘The life of a man consists not in seeing visions and in dreaming dreams, but in active charity and in willing service.’

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have emerged as a major player in the development of the country by supplementing the efforts of the Government. These organizations advocate community participation for provision of basic social service, promote interests of poor, protect environment and create awareness about basic human rights. Thus they work to build better, inclusive, sustainable and resilient community.

India has a long history and tradition of voluntary action based on the concepts of daana (giving) and seva (service). Providing services to the sick, needy and destitute is a part of Indian cultural heritage and way of life.

During the second half of the 19th century, self-help emerged as the primary focus of socio-political movements resulting in establishment of numerous organizations like the Friend-in-Need Society (1858), Prathana Samaj (1864), Satya Shodhak Samaj (1873), Arya Samaj (1875), the National Council for Women in India (1875), and the Indian National Conference (1887).

A firm foundation for voluntary action was laid in India with establishment of the Servants of India, a secular NGO, in 1905. Mahatma Gandhi reinvigorated civil society in India by stressing that political freedom must be accompanied by social responsibility. After independence, the Government of India increased its presence in social welfare and development but recognized the potential for civil society to supplement and complement its efforts. This is evident in the first Five-Year Plan; establishment of the Central Social Welfare Board in 1953 and decentralization initiatives of government. Finally, the Association for Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) was founded in 1958 and People’s Action for Development of India around 1970s. With community participation as a defined component in a number of social sector projects during the 1970s and 1980s, NGOs began to be formally recognized as development partners of the state.

Self-help groups are community based informal microfinance institutions. The origin of concept of SHGs can be traced back to project ‘Grameen Bank (1976)’ launched by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Professor of Economics in Chittagong University of Bangladesh who wonNobel Peace Prize in 2006 for the same. India had adopted Bangladesh’s model in a modified form.

In 1970, Ila Bhatt, founder member of ‘SEWA’ (Self Employed Women’s Association) in Ahmadabad, had developed a concept of ‘women and micro-finance’ which was followed by numerous other NABARD- sponsored groups. In 1991-92 NABARD started promoting self-help groups on a large scale which was the real take-off point for the ‘SHG movement’. In 1993, the Reserve Bank of India also allowed SHGs to open saving accounts in banks which gave a major boost to the movement. Currently, NABARD led Self Help Group-Bank Linkage Program - which is the largest microfinance program in the world - touches 13.8 crore households through more than 112 lakh SHGs with deposits of over Rs.37,477 crore and annual loan off-take of more than Rs.58,000 crore and loan outstanding of over Rs.1,03,289 crore. The government began a formal programme - Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana - to encourage self-help groups in 1999 but the programme failed to achieve its aims and was revamped by National Rural Livelihood Mission. SHGs are an initiative to inculcate responsibility, sense of ownership, self-confidence and self-esteem in people by building their capacity, giving them a channel to function and providing them access to larger pool of resources. Thus they contribute in self-employment, rise in income level, women empowerment, self-reliance, poverty alleviation and improved standard of living.

Constitutional and non-constitutional bodies are established for efficient functioning of government. At federal and state levels, some administrative agencies derive their power from the Constitution while others enjoy the power they have by delegation i.e. they don’t have inherent, constitutionally mandated powers to act. An agency may only exercise authority within the delegation of authority provided for in its enabling legislation, or subsequent legislation granting specific additional powers.

‘We are under a Constitution, but the Constitution is what the judges say it is, and the judiciary is the safeguard of our property and our liberty and our property under the Constitution.’

-Charles Evans Hughes

Indian Constitution has established an integrated judicial system with the Supreme Court at the top, high courts below it and subordinate courts at the bottom. The Supreme Court of India is guardian, custodian and final interpreter of the Constitution. Through ages, judicial pronouncements have led to the evolution of the Indian Constitution. Be it the Keshavananda Bharti case or the Minerva Mill case, each of these pronouncements had profound impact in the manner laws were interpreted and authority exercised by executive. These judicial pronouncements are not immune to criticism and are often being criticized on the grounds of judicial overreach.

Internal security refers to maintenance of security within the entire country. India’s internal security problems are influenced by historical and geographical factors, colonial legacy, a burgeoning population, sharp social and economic disparities and complex socio-cultural and ethno-religious traditions.

India has been facing increasing internal security threats since the past and, even today, the country is seriously affected by insurgencies, terrorist activities or political extremism. Some of the more serious threats have emanated from Pakistan’s unceasing efforts to seize J&K and its sustained strategy to create chaos and disorder to de-stabilize India. The illegal immigration from Bangladesh has led to a demographic upheaval and generated serious communal, political, social and economic tensions and conflicts in several areas of the NE region. Several organised crime and mafia groups involved in the smuggling of weapons, RDX and other materials for causing death and destruction, have been carrying out large scale ‘hawala’ and money laundering operations which are used to fund radical activities.

On the internal front, the spread of ideology of naxalism and the increase of red corridor districts especially in backward areas points to a stark reality of unequal development which has had a different growth trajectory than mainstream India. The government of India is hard pressed to address these issues on a national level to ensure an economically stable growth to maintain the tag of ‘fastest growing nation in the world’.

It is important to realize that “Internal Security” and “National Governance” are linked. If Internal Security is not maintained Governance cannot be delivered and there would be grave threats to the very unity and integrity of the country. Likewise, Internal Security cannot be safeguarded if Governance is delivered by an inefficient and corrupt administration.

‘The first requirement in the country was external and internal security. You cannot have any plan unless there is security.’

-Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

The nature of terrorism today is shifting from “traditional international terrorism of the late 20^th century into a new form of transnational non-state warfare.” An arc of extremism now extends across the Middle East and touches countries far outside that region including India. India has 15,106.7 km of land border and a coastline of 7,516.6 km including island territories.Securing the country's borders against interests hostile to the country and putting in place systems that are able to interdict such elements while facilitating legitimate trade and commerce are among the principal objectives of border management. Proper management of borders, which is vital to national security, presents many challenges and includes coordination and concerted action by the administrative, diplomatic, security, intelligence, legal, regulatory and economic agencies of the country, to secure the frontiers and to serve its best interests.

‘The national defence is one of the cardinal duties of a statesman.’

-John Adams

India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Due to its peculiar location in South Asia, internal and external security threats, cyber security threats, and its objective of maintaining peace in the region, defence and security is of utmost importance for the Indian state. The geographical and topographical diversity, especially the 15,000 km long border which India shares with seven neighbouring countries poses unique challenges to the Indian Defence Forces.

After Independence, Ministry of Defence was created under the charge of a Cabinet Minister and each Service was placed under its own Commander-in-Chief. In 1955, the Commanders-in-Chief were renamed as the Chief of the Army Staff, the Chief of the Naval Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff. In November 1962, the Department of Defence Production and in November, 1965, the Department of Defence Supplies was created which were later merged to form the Department of Defence Production and Supplies. In 1980, the Department of Defence Research and Development was created.

The Government has opened up the Defence industry for private sector participation to provide impetus to indigenous manufacturing. The opening up of the industry also paves the way for foreign original equipment manufacturers to enter into strategic partnerships with Indian companies.

A Defence Acquisition Procedure has been formulated by India to transform its originally import-led defence industry into one that is self-reliant in nature.

‘I dream of a Digital India where cyber security becomes an integral part of our National Security.’

-Narendra Modi

Cyber Security is the practice of protecting our cyber space (critical infrastructure) from attack, damage, misuse and economic espionage. These attacks are usually aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive information; extorting money from users; or interrupting normal business processes.

The Cyberspace as an independent theatre of war is about attacks that compromise the capability to use these facilities and cannot be prevented by the security services in isolation. According to estimation, the cyber security market in India is expected to grow from $1.97 billion in 2019 to $3.05 billion by 2022, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.6%—almost one and a half times the global rate. While many factors are contributing to this high growth rate, three factors are significantly driving the cyber security demand market in India—digital growth, increase in cyberattacks and stringent regulatory mandates.

India, as a country, needs to invest in R&D and developing skills for IoT & OT Security as the repercussions can be hazardous for everything from businesses to government bodies and the ongoing digital adoption within the country. This becomes critical as Digital India aims at transforming India into a digitally empowered society.

The defence of cyberspace necessarily involves the forging of effective partnerships between the public organisations charged with ensuring the security of cyberspace and those who manage the use of this space by myriad users like government departments, banks, infrastructure, manufacturing and service enterprises and individual citizens.

‘Information is the oxygen of the modern age. It seeps through the walls topped by barbed wire, it wafts across the electrified borders.’

- Ronald Reagan

Social media is a form of electronic communication (such as websites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content. In today’s times social media is not merely a tool for exchanging messages but is a means for dissemination, interaction and global participation.

With 250+ million social network users, India has the second highest number of social media users in the world. Indians, on average, spend about 2.25 hours on social media daily. In India, the number of social media users has been growing in 2021 at a steady rate of 448 million due to deep penetration of internet connectivity among people. According to the statistics, the number of social media users began to rise, the annual growth in active social media users is 32.3% with more than 78 million new users added last year.

Social media offers challenges and opportunities in equal measure. On one hand, it is a powerful instrument to broaden one’s horizons while on the other hand there is a risk of social media addiction, breach of privacy, fake news and cyber bullying. Thus, suitable measures should be taken to reap the benefits of social media and reduce the risk associated with it.

By linking science more closely with society, it aims to ensure that citizens are kept informed of developments in science. It also underscores the role scientists play in broadening our understanding of the remarkable, fragile planet and in making our societies more sustainable. Humans have always been greatly affected by the developments in new technology. It is a prevailing fact that new information technology not only benefits programmers, database managers, hardware engineers and network analysts but it also benefits the common user. Also, the new developments in science never stop and it continuously evolves as per the need and the betterment of the human being. The World Science Day 2021 has been observed with the theme- 'Building Climate-Ready Communities.'

The Indian space sector has been globally recognised for building cost-effective satellites, launching lunar probes and taking foreign satellites to space. The global space economy is estimated at ~US$ 423 billion. Currently, India constitutes 2-3% of the global space economy and is expected to enhance its share to >10% by 2030 at a compound annual growth rate of 48%.

The current place of prominence which India enjoys had humble beginning during late 1960s when INCOSPAR (Indian National Committee for Space Research) was initiated under the leadership of Dr. Sarabhai and Dr. Ramanathan.

Making rapid strides in multiple space domains, India has created several significant milestones in space technology. Indian institutions engaged in space research have demonstrated their technological prowess, earning global recognition for the country. In recent years, India has concentrated more on complex application satellites and advanced rockets.

Over the past two decades, private enterprises such as Virgin Galactic, SpaceX, Blue Origin and Arianespace have revolutionised the space sector by reducing costs and turnaround time in other spacefaring countries. However, in India, private enterprises have been limited to being merely suppliers to the government’s space programme.

The optimal utilisation of space technology can revolutionise the delivery of governance services; enhance developmental efforts; create a vibrant ecosystem for start-ups and private enterprises and inspire the young populace with scientific curiosity and encourage them to pursue a career in STEM. Being one of the few spacefaring countries, India is increasingly encouraging private sector participation through various reforms that are expected to help India achieve a market share of more than 10% in the global space sector by 2030.

India has the second largest military in the world being the sixth largest military spender in 2020. India is also one of the largest importers of conventional defence equipment and spends around 30% of its total defence budget on capital acquisitions.

Today India’s Armed Forces are well-equipped and are growing stronger with scientific and technical support of Defence Research and Development organisation (DRDO) which was set up in 1958. It aims to make the country self-sufficient in technologies needed for defence. It is actively engaged in well planned projects in the field of science and technology, it also supports saving of foreign exchange as indigenisation in armament technology is the major motive of DRDO.

At present, DRDO is a network of more than 50 laboratories located in different cities of the country. The DRDO specializes in the following fields − Aeronautical Engineering; Electronics; Armaments; Engineering system; Combat vehicles; Missiles; Advanced computing and simulation; Life science; Special materials; Agriculture; Training, etc.

India is experiencing a rapid health transition with a rising burden of NCDs surpassing the burden of communicable diseases like waterborne or VBDs, TB, HIV, etc. The NCDs like cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease, diabetes and other NCDs are estimated to account for over 60% of all deaths, making them the leading cause of death. NCDs cause considerable loss in potentially productive years of life. Losses due to premature deaths related to heart diseases, stroke and diabetes are likely to increase over the years.

This disease burden impedes economic growth by reducing labour supply, decreasing productivity and income, and diminishing savings and investment (as a result of both reduced earnings and higher medical expenditure).

Non-communicable diseases now account for two-thirds of the total mortality in India and are projected to account for an estimated 75% of the total mortality by 2030. According to a study, in the years between 2015 and 2030, NCDs will result in macroeconomic costs of $3,158 per capita, equivalent to a 7% annual tax on the country’s gross domestic product.

Childhood malnutrition (stunting, wasting and overweight), anaemia, intimate partner violence (IPV), tobacco use, alcohol consumption, obesity, physical inactivity, trans-fatty acids (TFA), variable access to safely managed water and sanitation, outdoor air pollution and household (indoor) air pollution and hypertension (raised blood pressure) all contribute to a considerable fraction of burden of disease and result in premature and preventable deaths.

Access to and delivery of medicines, vaccines and diagnostic tools are vital to addressing most established and emerging health issues. Continuing efforts are needed to improve and maintain early warning systems, to mitigate and manage public health risks within national contexts, and to consider worldwide pandemic context for national health emergency operational preparedness planning. All these measures can help populations reach the highest attainable standards of health and productivity at every age and reduce burden of diseases so that those diseases are no longer a barrier to well-being or socioeconomic development.

Biotechnology deals with the application of biological knowledge and techniques pertaining to molecular, cellular and genetic processes to develop significantly improved products and services. Biotechnology products and processes have ensured ease of living, improved healthcare, agriculture output and created livelihood opportunities, etc. India is one of the most sought-after destinations for biotechnology and has been growing rapidly with generous investments from foreign, supportive government policies, experienced workforce, and increasing demand. India’s biotechnology industry is in an excellent position to transition into Bio-economy.

India is among the top 12 destinations for biotechnology in the world, with approximately 3% share if the global biotechnology industry. The biotechnology industry in India is a key contributor to India’s vision of reaching a $ 5 Trillion Economy by 2024. The biotechnology sector in India plays a key role in the global vaccine market, as the leader in the global supply of DPT, BCG, and measles vaccines, and is also a key contributor of 70% of WHO’s vaccines (essential Immunization Schedule). India is also one of the first countries to have a department dedicated to the Biotechnology industry. Moreover, the Department has also set up BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council) which is a not-for-profit agency to strengthen and empower emerging Biotechnology enterprises to undertake strategic research and innovation, by handholding them from ideation to the commercialization of their products/ technologies.

Nanotechnology refers to the understanding of matter at the nanoscale, at dimensions between approximately 1 and 100 nanometers. Matter can exhibit unusual physical, chemical, and biological properties at the nanoscale that differ from the properties of bulk materials, single atoms, and molecules. They may become more chemically reactive, reflect light better, or change color as their size or structure is altered. Some nanostructured materials are stronger, some have different magnetic properties, some are better at conducting heat or electricity. Efforts to promote research in nanotechnology in India began early in the millenium. The “NanoScience and Technology Initiative” started with a funding of Rs. 60 crores and reached USD 250 million with launch of Nano Mission in 2007.

The funding spanned multiple areas like basic research in nanotechnology, human resources development, infrastructure development and international collaboration. Multiple institutions like Department of Information Technology, Defence Research and Development Organisation, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Department of Biotechnology provided the funding. National Centers for Nanofabrication and Nanoelectronics were started in Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai. As a result of the efforts led by the Nano Mission, today, India is amongst the top five nations in the world in terms of scientific publications in nano science and technology (moving from 4th to the 3rd position). The Nano Mission itself has resulted in about 5000 research papers and about 900 Ph.Ds and also some useful products like nano hydrogel based eye drops, nanosilver based antimicrobial textile coating, etc.

Nanotechnology has potential to improve and revolutionize many technology and industry sectors. The development of Nano science in India has huge potential to help the country in addressing societal challenges and simultaneously achieve economic advantages through growth in the nanotech-based industrial sector. Therefore, it is necessary to develop responsible nanotechnology governance, encourage the development of appropriate products targeted to help meet critical human development needs.

“Success in creating AI would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, it might also be the last, unless we learn how to avoid the risks.”

- Stephen Hawking

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the ability of machines to perform cognitive tasks like thinking, perceiving, learning, problem solving and decision making. Artificial Intelligence was mentioned for the first time in 1956 by John McCarthy and ever since it has been a term which intrigues people all over the world.

AI can help in solving societal needs by increasing access and affordability of quality healthcare; enhancing farmers’ income, increasing farm productivity and reducing wastage; improving access and quality of education; and providing smarter and safer modes of transportation and better traffic and congestion problems.

From SIRI to self-driving cars, from banking to farming, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is progressing rapidly. While science fiction often portrays AI as robots with human-like characteristics, AI can encompass anything from Google’s search algorithms, email spam filtering, weather forecasts, autonomous weapons to IBM’s Watson. However, there is skepticism looming large across the scientific community regarding the unintended effects of AI.

AI models, solutions and their application depend on generation, collection and processing of large amounts of data on individual, entity and community behavior. Data collection without proper consent, privacy of personal data, inherent selection biases and resultant risk of profiling and discrimination, and non-transparent nature of AI solutions are some of the issues that act as a hindrance in utilizing full potential of AI.

There is need to ensure ethical, safe and innovative use of data, including AI. This will include engaging with industry to explore the possibilities of establishing data trusts to facilitate easy and secure sharing of data.

In India, the software boom started in the late 1990s. India’s IT industry contributed around 7.7% to the country’s GDP and is expected to contribute 10% to India’s GDP by 2025.

The Indian IT-BPM Industry has been the flag-bearer of India’s exports over the last 20 years. While 1999-2000 to 2009-10 was a decade of growth, the last decade has been that of consolidation and the industry succeeded in decoupling revenue and employee growth. Over the last decade, the industry grew by 102 per cent reaching US$ 190.5 billion in revenues in 2019-20. It also added 1.8 million employees, up 70 per cent over the last 10 years. India is the world's largest sourcing destination with largest qualified talent pool of technical graduates in the world. According to National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom), the Indian IT industry’s revenue is estimated to reach US$ 194 billion in FY21, an increase of 2.3% YoY. The sector is the largest employer within the private sector. According to Gartner estimates, IT spending in India is estimated to reach US$ 93 billion in 2021 (7.3% YoY growth) and further increase to US$ 98.5 billion in 2022.

There are strong complementarities between IT and rest of the economy; thereby IT can enhance the productivity and efficiency of other sectors of economy. The right policies and investment in infrastructure can strengthen and enhance India’s position as a global IT power-house. Thus, efforts should be made for growth of IT sector.

The concept of Sustainable Development was first mooted in 1987 in Brundtland Commission Report. Development is considered as sustainable when it is able to meet the requirements of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs.

The United Nations member states adopted the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. Sustainable development embraces the idea that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability.

India has made steady progress in achieving the sustainable development agenda. The government has successfully engaged sub-national and local governments, civil society organizations, local communities and people and the private sector towards its aim of achieving the agenda of sustainable development. India hs become the third largest producer of renewable energy with 38% of energy capacity installed in the year 2020 (136 GW of 373 GW) produced from renewable sources. There have been significant improvements in the fields of clean water and sanitation, health, nutrition and poverty.

For implementing the SDG agenda, the Government of India has launched several ambitious programmes like Green Skill Development programme, Sustainable Development Framework, SDG Index, etc. Yet there is a need to make development more inclusive and improve India’s metrics on gender equality, quality education, innovation, sustainable urban development and developing strong institutions.

Biodiversity defines the enormous variety of life forms on earth. It is the totality of genes, species and ecosystems on our planet. India is one of 18 mega bio-diverse countries in the world. With only 2.4 per cent of the earth’s land area, it accounts for 8 per cent of the world’s biodiversity.

It is home to over 45,000 species of plants and 91,000 species of animals. The unique geography and climate of India has resulted in a variety of ecosystems such as forests, wetlands, grasslands, desert, coastal and marine ecosystems which nurtures the biodiversity of India. Four of 34 globally identified biodiversity hotspots – The Himalayas, the Western Ghats, the North-East, and the Nicobar Islands are found in India.

Threats to bio-diversity include invasion of exotic species, pollution, over-exploitation of resources, etc., though measures like establishment of protected areas, limiting exploitation, international collaboration to preserve bio-diversity have been able to arrest the rapid degradation. The Biodiversity Act has been enacted to regulate access to genetic resources, developing policies and programmes for conservation and protection of biological resources and associated knowledge. There is need to strengthen in situ as well as ex situ methods of conservation of biodiversity and integration of biodiversity concerns in economic and social development of the country.

Forests are an important resource for the socio-economic development India. They provide vast resources for economic and industrial development, are a source of direct employment for the rural communities and are home to the tribal cultural heritage of India.

As per the State of Forest Report 2021, the Total Forest cover in the country is 7,13,789 sq. km which accounts for 21.71% of the total geographical area of the country. The increasing forest cover plays a crucial role in the maintenance of natural ecology and economy as well as soil, water and environmental conservation.

Though the government has initiated various programs such as the compensatory afforestation, National Afforestation program etc. Yet additional measures like tightening scrutiny on developmental projects on forest lands, creating awareness about the importance of forests, recognizing traditional conservation methods of forest dwellers and increasing investment in creating sustainable infrastructure can help in achieving a balance between exploitation of resources for development and the need to protect our forests.

The contamination of the physical and biological components of the environment due to pollution adversely affects the ecological security of India. Pollution of land, air, water, and oceans has been a longstanding issue in the country. Air pollution leads over 2 million premature deaths in India every year. Only a tiny fraction of wastewater is treated and almost 70% of the surface water resources of the country are unfit for consumption. Chemical fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides pollute the agricultural land whereas untreated municipal solid waste is dumped on landfills, which degrades the quality of soil and environment in the surrounding regions.

The government and its institutions need to shun a one size fits all approach to tackle the complexity of factors associated with pollution. There is an urgent need to strengthen the grassroots mechanisms including the urban municipal bodies, panchayats, community based organisations, NGOs as well institutional mechanisms to comprehensively address the issues related with multiple forms of pollution.

India’s developing economy and diverse society highly is vulnerable to the detrimental effects of Climate change on the environmental resources. Rapid population growth, and need for exploiting more resources for economic development, has placed a strain on country’s environment. Degradation of the natural resource base, increasing industrial pollution, erratic nature of monsoon, unsustainable agriculture, soil erosion, degrading land and forests continue to worsen despite efforts made by the government for their preservation.

From shifting weather patterns that threaten food production, to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale. Without urgent action today, adapting to these impacts in the future will be more difficult and costly. India is progressing decently in achieving its Paris Climate Agreement target but more needs to be done with respect to switching to environment-friendly transportation, preserving flora and fauna, etc. to be immune to the impacts of climate change.

India has engaged with the international community and continues to drive efforts to address the issues of climate change but it is crippled by the lack of adequate funds and interdependence on other countries for its resource needs. Still the country has ramped up its efforts in overcoming the adverse factors that drive climate change. India’s higher commitments in the Glasgow summit are an example of its capabilities.

India is a country with rich river and water resources, possessing 4% of world’s water resources. There are 12 large and more than 400 small and-medium rivers in the country. The total catchment area of large rivers is 25.3 lakh km2. Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna river basin is the largest river basin in India, with catchment area of about 11.0 lakh km2. India has 690 BCM of total utilisable surface water resources and 433 BCM of utilizable ground water resources. Apart from being sources water, some river basins comprises of exploitable resources of oil and natural gas.

Even though many efforts have been made by the government in the form of River Conservation Plan, Namami Gange and Atal Bhujal, yet the water resources continue to be under strain of increasing population, urbanisation, industrialisation and unsustainable agriculture. The total water demand in the country is expected to be 1093 BCM by the year 2025. Therefore, efforts need to be made to increase the utilizable quantity and manage demand by conservation, improving efficiencies and increasing supply sources Measures like creating awareness about the importance of rivers, adopting sustainable water utilisation practises, ensuring minimum flow, etc. must be taken.

The provision of sanitation and waste management and hygienic conditions is essential for preventing and protecting health and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable sections. India generates 62 million tonnes of waste each year, only 70% of which is collected, of which about 20% is treated and 50% is dumped in landfills.

Poor sanitation and waste management leads to increased transmission of infectious diseases, pollution of land and water, and other socio-economic risks for the people. Thus, Sanitation & Waste Management becomes one amongst the most essential services required to keep urban centres clean and the population healthy. Keeping this in mind, Indian government has come up with measures like specific waste disposal acts, abiding to international conventions, banning single-use plastics, etc. thereby helping to keep our environment clean.

It is estimated that urban municipal solid waste generation will increase to 165 million tonnes by 2030. Thus, there is need to ramp up capacity and improve waste collection techniques through private partnerships, increased community awareness through ICT programs and improving scientific methods of collection, storage, recycling and waste disposal.

More than 58.6 per cent of the Indian landmass is prone to earthquakes of moderate to very high intensity; over 40 million hectares (12%) of its land is prone to floods and river erosion; close to 5,700 kms, out of the 7,516 kms long coastline is prone to cyclones and tsunamis; 68% of its cultivable area is vulnerable to droughts; and, its hilly areas are at risk from landslides and avalanches. Moreover, India is also vulnerable to Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) emergencies and other man-made disasters. It is estimated that over 75% of the Indian districts, including 95% of coastal districts are highly vulnerable to climate risks.

Disaster risks in India are further compounded by increasing vulnerabilities related to changing demographic and socio-economic conditions, unplanned urbanization, infrastructure development in high risk zones, environmental degradation, climate change, geological hazards, epidemics and pandemics.

These facts call for establishment of an effective disaster management apparatus in the country. Disaster Management Act, National Disaster Management Plan and National Disaster Management Policy indicate positive state intervention.

Financial inclusion is defined as the process of ensuring access to financial services such as timely and adequate credit availability, insurance coverage, access to payment systems and formal banking services etc. to the vulnerable and low income groups at an affordable cost. It brings the low income groups within the purview of formal financial sector and protects their financial wealth and other resources.

The Government of India, RBI, IRDAI, PFRDAI etc. have made concerted efforts to promote financial inclusion as one of the important national objectives. Nationalisation of Banks, promoting Small Finance Banks, Payment Banks, co-operatives and regional rural banks, priority sector lending targets, formation of self-help groups, Business correspondents, provision of door step banking, Basic Savings accounts, etc. are aimed at promoting financial inclusion.

Even during the pandemic, digital financial services have seen an upturn due to the increased usage of digital platforms by small merchants and peer-to-peer payments. One of the biggest drivers of financial inclusion in the country has been the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana under which more than 43 crore accounts have been opened.

Financial literacy, lack of reliable internet connectivity, complexity of financial products, lack of affordable insurance, preference for cash payments, lack of branch penetration, lack of trust towards business correspondents etc. are the primary hindrances to Financial Inclusion. A robust financial system must also be inclusive to ensure the national objectives of creating a $5 trillion economy.

The Indian Financial Sector comprises of commercial banks, insurance companies, non-banking financial companies, co-operatives, pension funds, mutual funds and other smaller financial entities. The Financial sector is dominated by banks as commercial banks account for more than 64% of the total assets held by the financial system in India. It is estimated that Indian Stock Market is likely to reach more than $ 5 trillion becoming the fifth-largest stock market in the world by 2024.

Banks were nationalized in 1969 and 1980 to ensure balanced regional growth as the banking system was concentrated in urban centres. At present, there are 12 public sector banks, 22 private sector banks, 46 foreign banks, 56 regional rural banks, 1485 urban cooperative banks and more than 95000 rural cooperative banks. Also, advancement in technology has improved the access to mobile and internet banking services.

Yet, rising NPAs, decline in asset quality, higher provisioning requirements and declining capital adequacy, ‘frothy’ stock markets, low participation of retail investors in stocks, withdrawals by FIIs, unintended effects of correction in stocks on the GDP etc. are the major impediments in the sustainable growth of Indian Financial sector.

Tighter banking regulations, quick resolution of stressed assets, developments of NBFCs, reforms in governance, effective audits, improving benchmarks, development of primary and secondary markets, etc. will ensure that Banking and Financial services contribute adequately to the economic development.

Taxation helps the government in redistribution of income, resources and wealth and building socio-economic infrastructure such as roads, schools, health care institutes as well as maintaining law and order and the judicial system. The development of a nation to a large extent depends upon the mobilization of revenue and its spending. India has built a stable tax system and has robust tax collections over the past years. The average monthly gross GST collection for the first, second and third quarter of the FY 2021-22 have been 1.1 lakh crore, 1.15 lakh crore, Rs 1.30 lakh crore respectively. The gross direct tax collections for 2021-22 (on December 16, 2021) stood at Rs. 10,80,370 crore compared to Rs. 7,33,715.2 crore in the corresponding period of the previous financial year, showing a 47% increase in the tax collection.

Initiatives such as faceless assessment, faceless appeals, e-way bill, taxpayer’s charter, reducing corporate tax etc. has modernized tax system yet there are issues that need to be addressed. Improving tax compliance, widening tax base, improving administrative efficiency, overcoming deficiencies in GST, easing tax filing, improving financial literacy etc. would help in making the tax system robust and tax collections.

The agriculture sector is the largest employer of workforce and accounted for a sizeable 18.8 per cent (2021- 22) in Gross Value Added (GVA) of the country. The agriculture and allied sectors grew at a positive growth rate of 3.6 per cent during 2020-21 which increased to 3.9 per cent in 2021-22. This became possible due to good monsoon; various government measures to enhance credit availability, improved investments, market facilities, infrastructure development, provision of quality inputs and timely intervention in the form of Atma Nirbhar Bharat (ANB) Abhiyan coupled with other growth promoting schemes.

Over the years, the fragmentation of landholdings has led to alternate sources such as livestock, fishery and wage labour becoming significantly important for an agricultural household. This indicates that focus needs to shift more towards harnessing the potential of allied activities. There is also a need to improve productivity of small and marginal farmers through development and implementation of small holding farm technologies.

Crop diversification towards oilseeds, pulses and horticulture needs to be given priority by addressing the core issues of irrigation, investment, credit and markets in their cultivation. While the Government has adopted the use of MSP as signal to encourage crop diversification, there is also a need for coordinated action from the State Governments to facilitate the shift to high value and less water consuming crops to enable realization of the objective of doubling farmers’ income in a sustainable way.

Research and development in agriculture & allied sectors can play a major role in realization of sustainable agriculture practices that efficiently meets the objectives of nutritional security and improvement in farm income.

Industry refers to an economic activity that is concerned with manufacturing of goods, extraction of minerals or the provision of services.

Manufacturing sector is a principal indicator of economic development of a nation. The policymakers realized the need for a well-developed manufacturing sector to propel India towards an industrialized nation. This led to the formulation of centralized Five Year Plans by the Planning Commission which increased the contribution of manufacturing sector from 8.98% (1950-51) to 14.23% (1965-66) of India’s GDP. The period between 1951 and 1965 witnessed an increase in industrial production by 2.8 times, which was largely due to the complimentary character of the public and private investment and stability in the prices of products in this period.

Post-1980 era there was a key shift towards developing large and heavy industries through centralized planning which included import substitution, price controls and restrictions on private sector through severe licensing.

A New Industrial Licensing Policy, 1991 for public sector enterprises and the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act (MRTP) were introduced with the aim to enhance competition in the market. The licensing of industries was abolished, movement of international capital was liberalized and foreign investment and automatic approval of technology agreement in high priority industries was enabled. The New Manufacturing Policy and Foreign Direct Investment Policy allow foreign investment in most sectors up to 100% under automatic route. The change in public sector policy has increased private sector participation.

Sustained availability of quality workforce, strong consumerism in the domestic market, low cost of manpower, strong technical and engineering capabilities backed by top-notch scientific and technical institutes would provide the necessary backbone to propel the manufacturing sector in coming years. Reforms like introducing Goods and Service Tax (GST), direct tax codes, Insolvency and Bankruptcy code, single window clearances and legislative reforms in labour codes are steps in the right direction to realize the vision of Make in India of increasing the contribution of manufacturing sector to 25% of India’s GDP.

Infrastructure is the back bone for any economy. The extent and quality of infrastructure determines the ability of the country to utilize its comparative advantage and enables cost competitiveness. Given the strong backward and forward linkages and the positive externalities that infrastructure generates, it can be a vehicle for social and economic transformation.Transport and Power are the most critical components of infrastructure as they play an important role in connecting and augmenting the backward and forward linkages of an economy.

India has second largest in the world in terms of length. India has 68,102 route kms rail network which is the third largest rail network in world.

Further India has emerged as one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world.

The performance of Indian ports is also improving.

India is world’s third largest producer and third largest consumer of electricity. India has witnessed a significant transformation from being an acutely power deficit country to a situation where demand is being fully met. India has also made remarkable strides to ensure universal access to electricity for every household.

Thermal sources of energy make up the largest of total installed capacity in utilities at 61.4%, followed by renewable energy resource with 24.7 percent and hydro power by 12.09 percent.

Safe, efficient, competitive and world class transport system and efficient power systems are vital for the economic growth and welfare of nation. In order to achieve the GDP of $5 trillion by 2024-25, India needs to spend about $1.4 trillion over these years on infrastructure.