The Problems India Is Faced With
The problems India faces at the turn of the century are multifarious. Here are some major problems which we as a nation need to deal with instantly:
Political Stability
The days of one-party rule seem to be over. This may augur well for fedlralism, but a shabby political leadership can be misled.by the more entrenched and organised bureaucracy. H.D. Deve Gowda once remarked in the Parliament. “We are developing programmes, but the officers don’t implement them.”
Cost of Governance
The planning commission occasionally rings alarm bells at the rising cost of “delivery” of government services—at present more than 65%. Public servants raising demands for a good life are eating into funds. While the central deficit soars, the economics of the states are collapsing. Which means lesser availability of funds for poverty alleviation.
Rajeev Gandhi remarked, “Only 15 paise out of every rupee really reaches the intended poor.”
Public Sector
Nobody disagrees that the public sector has outlived its purpose. But burying it is a politically explosive issue. More than Rs. 8,000 crore is needed annually to support a non-performing sector but a final solution is forever postponed.
Population Explosion
By the year 2015, India’s population is expected to surpass that of China. M.S. Swaminathan, the man credited with the “Green Revolution” has warned of coming famines because the .land for growing food is disappearing fast. And in the 21st century economy, there may not be too many jobs for the non-specialised people.
Illiteracy
The United Nations says India is the world’s biggest illiterate nation. Officials disagree, pointing to the huge strides made by the Total Literacy Campaign in the 90s that promise to fructify into total literacy by 2010. But the quality of this literacy is suspect.
Environment
As India’s population grows, the Forests and marshlands disappear. Pollution has assumed dangerous proportions. Industry and environment may remain mutually hostile concepts for long. As usual the state cries “no funds”.
Aids
According to UNAIDS; India, is potentially the world’s largest AIDS stricken country. The H.I.V. positive population, of about 1.6 million, is only the tip of the iceberg. For want of awareness and detection .facilities, ten times that number must be stalking India’s urban areas searching for newer victims.
