India The Super Power: Some Pressing Concerns

First time every since Indias economy cracked open in 1991, it experienced a 8% growth for consecutively
four years and it has averaged 6% growth per year for first time since its
Independence. India has gone nuclear by sealing the US-Indo civilian nuclear
agreement last year on October 10. Its movies and stars are gaining
international acclaim and recognition. The biggest acquisition made by an
Indian firm ever was $11.3 billion takeover of Corus by Tata steel. A survey by
Chicago Council of world affairs states that Indians consider their country as
the most influential in the world.

No doubt the idea of India becoming the next super power is becoming
predictable knowledge. But there are more pressing concerns which need to be
addressed first. They are explained here; More than 45 % of children under the
age of five are malnourished in India therefore we need to address the issue
the issue of hunger. The adult literacy rate is 82% which is overstated as the
people who sign and read basic things are considered literate. The formal
economy employs only 10 percent of the total Indian labor force and of there
less than half are working in private sectors.

The primary education is not imparted to most of the poor children and nearly
40 million who are suppose to be in school are staying away from the schools.
About half of the worlds hungry people live in India and about one fifth of the population is
chronically hungry. One fourth of the Indian population lives below the poverty
line meaning they live on less than a dollar a day. 2.4 million people living
in India are suffering from AIDS.

If one goes by the above facts stated above Indias triumph in joining the league of probable Super Powers is only premature. Off
course the growth rate in India is rapid and is instrumental in curbing poverty
but according to a recent study the poverty in India is not declining as fast
as its rapid rate of growth predicts.

The main reason behind this is that the Indian economy growth is capital
intensive determined by the development in high value services such as
Information Technology. This is a matter of pride for India but what it does
not create isstable employment for non- skilled people. This is a matter of concern because
about 10 million people join the labor force every year.

Looking at it from another perspective, one million people are working in
Information Technology sector which accounts to only half percent of the entire
working population. This only helps build reserves, tax revenues and national
confidence which is not a poverty buster that a labor intensive growth is. The
nation is aware of this problem as Prime Minister; Manmohan Singh once said
that our major problem is the lack of jogs for common people.

The issue of Indias self proclaimed super power status is that it reflects complacency for both
its future and present. As past performance is not a guarantee for future
results, so India should not rely on its eight percent growth for consecutively
four years. Moreover, India is not doing much to sustain this growth rate.

As for the other two aspects of development i.e. education and infrastructure
they are still lacking behind. Two thirds of the government teachers fail to
turn up on any given day and supply of both power and water is irregular and
expensive.

Usually a statement like future is India and India the next super power
clearly ignores the fact that there is so much that needs to be done for the
overall development of India and its common people. The future will not belong
to India unless it embraces and addresses its core issues, which mean more than
its high profile projects like constructing the tallest tower or sending a man
to the moon.

India has many reasons to be proud of but the fact that still remains is that
it is still a world leader in hunger, it has 2.4 million people suffering from
HIV and 40 million of its young children do not attend school as they have to
work. For the overall growth of the economy, all we have to do is to step up
and take appropriate action with the backing of our government.