Why India lags behind its neighbours in human development ft Swati Narayan
Apr 15, 2024
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Author Swati Narayan discusses why India lags behind its neighbors in human development despite economic growth. The podcast explores disparities in social development, sanitation practices, education systems, and the impact of social movements in South Asia. It delves into the intersection of patriarchy and casteism in Indian society while offering a glimpse of optimism for positive societal transformation.
India's economic growth hasn't uplifted the poor, lagging in human development compared to neighbors.
India excels in maternal mortality but trails in malnutrition, literacy, and sanitation compared to Nepal and Bangladesh.
Extreme inequality in India's wealth distribution creates social resentment, contrasting with neighbors' focus on social welfare and community support.
Deep dives
India's Economic Growth and Empowerment of the Poor
The Asian Development Bank upgraded India's GDP growth forecast for 2024-25 to 7%, indicating economic progress, but a new book suggests this growth hasn't translated into empowerment of the poor. India lags behind neighbors like Bangladesh and Nepal in areas like sanitation, education, and women's empowerment despite its economic growth.
Human Development Factors Where India Lags Behind Neighbors
India lags behind its neighbors across various human development indices such as the Human Development Index, multidimensional poverty index, and happiness index. Parameters like malnutrition, literacy, health care, and sanitation show India trailing Nepal and Bangladesh. However, India excels in maternal mortality due to focused initiatives to improve healthcare.
Quality of Economic Growth and Inequality in India
India's economic growth is skewed, benefiting the top 10% while the bottom half struggles on 6% of the country's wealth. This extreme inequality leads to resentment among the population, especially as 200 million sank below the poverty line during the COVID-19 pandemic. The billionaire inequality in India is compared to the days of the British Raj.
Social Homogeneity and Development in Bangladesh and Nepal
Bangladesh and Nepal showcase good social development despite low economic growth. Their focus on social welfare, reduced caste inequalities, and strong community support have propelled their progress. In contrast, India's diverse and socially unequal landscape hinders comparable advancements in social development.
Education and Healthcare Innovations in Bangladesh and Nepal
Bangladesh and Nepal implement innovative strategies like monitoring student absenteeism, timely textbooks distribution, and interactive learning tools to enhance education quality. These countries prioritize low-cost, effective techniques to improve education and healthcare outcomes, contrasting issues faced in regions like Bihar where implementation challenges persist.
During a time when India's economy is on the rise, a new book called Unequal: Why India Lags Behind Its Neighbours by Swati Narayan argues that this growth hasn't automatically translated into the empowerment of the poor or an improvement in their social mobility. When compared with its less prosperous neighbors such as Bangladesh and Nepal, India still falls behind in numerous human development indexes. However, is it fair to compare India to these other countries, or are there additional complexities to consider? In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks to Swati to find out.
Produced by Shashank Bhargava Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
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