Can India reach HDI of 0.8?
Can India reach HDI of 0.8?
As India marches towards its 100th year of independence in 2047, understanding its HDI journey and future goals is crucial.
Welcome to Ep-2 of Path to India as a Developed Nation - The Goal to achieve the HDI (Human Development Index) of developed nation by 2047.
If you are new to this read the earlier episodes: 'Goal to $15000' - Path to Developed Nation
In the previous, post we already checked India is making a good progress toward the pre-capita goal but what about HDI ?
HDI.. huh you may have heard about it ryt? or may be not!
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a key indicator of a nation's progress in healthcare, education, and living standards., understanding its HDI journey and future goals is crucial.
Lets understand what does HDI mean ..
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to measure the average achievement in key dimensions of human development across countries.
It is not just an economic indicator, but a broader measure of people's well-being.
🚩The HDI aims to go beyond traditional economic measures like GDP to focus on human well-being and capabilities.
🚩 It helps track progress in human development over time and compare achievements across countries.
🚩 It informs policy decisions and development strategies by highlighting areas requiring improvement.
In a nutshell, Imagine going beyond just money to see how happy and healthy people are. That's what the Human Development Index (HDI) does! It tracks how well countries are doing in health, education, and living standards. This helps us compare countries and see where they can improve. So, the HDI is like a scorecard for how well countries are taking care of their people!
How do they calculate it 🤔?
Health: Measured by life expectancy at birth.
Education: Measured by mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling.
Standard of Living: Measured by Gross National Income (GNI) per capita adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP)
Calculation:
Each dimension is normalized on a scale of 0 to 1.
The final HDI score is the geometric mean of these three normalized indices.
Higher HDI score indicates better average achievement in human development.
Countries are categorized into four development tiers based on their HDI score:
😁Very high human development: score ≥ 0.800
😊High human development: score ≥ 0.700 - < 0.800
😐Medium human development: score ≥ 0.550 - < 0.700
☹Low human development: score < 0.550
As of today, February 3, 2024, the latest Human Development Index (HDI) score for India is 0.633😐, as reported in the 2021/22 Human Development Report.
but…. the method has it own limitations as well.. which takes a stride on points.
Consider this or think of it like a thermometer: it tells you the average temperature, but it doesn't tell you about pockets of cold or heat within a room. Similarly, the HDI tells you India's average progress in health, education, and income, but it doesn't show:
Differences between states: Some states in India might have much higher HDI than others, meaning better healthcare, education, and living standards.
Rich vs. poor: The average might mask big gaps between rich and poor people. Even within states, wealthy individuals might have much better living conditions than those living in poverty.
Other important factors: The HDI doesn't consider things like happiness, safety, or freedom, which are important aspects of well-being too.
So it's important to remember it's not the whole story. Just like we need more than just temperature to understand comfort in a room.
We need to look beyond the HDI to fully understand human development in India, considering its diversities and complexities.
mmm.. but now lets understand bring the focus to India and how we are doing it and what can be improved
India ranks 132nd in the 2021/22 HDI report with a score of 0.633, falling in the "medium human development" category.
As you can see, India's HDI score has been gradually increasing over the past decade, albeit slowly. Its rank has also fluctuated slightly within the "medium human development" category.
The big picture shows … we are behind Sri Lanka, China, Bangladesh 😮
I tried to dig deeper and understand it what sets them different from us.
Here surprising things😮 .. I found about it.
Sri Lanka:
Head start: Sri Lanka gained independence earlier, giving it a longer period for development compared to India.
Smaller population: With a smaller population, Sri Lanka faces less pressure on resources when striving for development.
Focus on social welfare: Historically, Sri Lanka prioritized social programs like healthcare and education, leading to improvements in these areas. Some examples.
Universal free healthcare: Since 1936, Sri Lanka has guaranteed free public healthcare for all citizens, covering preventative, curative, and rehabilitative services. This broad access ensured better health outcomes for its population.
Focus on primary healthcare: Sri Lanka invested heavily in building a strong network of primary healthcare centers, making basic healthcare readily available even in rural areas.
Free and compulsory education: Sri Lanka mandates free and compulsory education for all children up to the age of 15. This high literacy rate (over 92%)
Subsidized higher education: The government subsidizes university education, making it more accessible for students from diverse backgrounds.
China :
Rapid economic growth: China's fast economic growth in recent decades has significantly boosted its HDI score.
In 1978, China began a series of economic reforms, transitioning from a centrally planned economy to a more market-oriented one. This attracted foreign investment and boosted export-driven growth.
Special Economic Zones (SEZs): Establishing SEZs with preferential policies for businesses
Government investments: China heavily invests in infrastructure and development, contributing to improvements in living standards.
Stricter policies: China implements stricter policies across various areas, impacting some aspects of HDI like income equality.
Basic Necessities Guarantee: The government implemented policies to ensure basic necessities like food, clothing, and shelter for all citizens, contributing to poverty reduction and improved living standards.
One-Child Policy (1979-2015): While controversial, this policy helped control population growth and allowed for more focused resource allocation towards development.
Education Expansion: China significantly expanded access to education, leading to a rise in literacy rates and skilled workforce, crucial for economic growth.
Bangladesh:
Impressive progress: Bangladesh has made significant strides in HDI in recent years, particularly in healthcare and education.
Focus on specific areas: Bangladesh prioritized specific areas like garment manufacturing, leading to economic growth and job creation.
Targeted programs: Bangladesh implemented targeted programs for poverty reduction and female empowerment, impacting key aspects of HDI.
Focus on Microfinance: Programs like Grameen Bank's microlending empowered communities, especially women, and fostered entrepreneurship, leading to poverty reduction and improved living standards.
Effective Healthcare Programs: Bangladesh implemented successful programs like BRAC's oral rehydration therapy initiative, leading to significant reductions in child mortality and improved health outcomes.
Emphasis on Education: Increasing female literacy rates through programs like BRAC's non-formal education initiatives led to better family planning and improved child health.
Smaller Population: Compared to India, Bangladesh's smaller population density allowed for more focused resource allocation in key areas like healthcare and education.
While India also has been very great with policies and allocating resource we are still behind and you know the some key reasons?
Large population: India's massive population puts immense pressure on resources, making it harder to achieve equitable development.
Inequalities: Significant wealth and income disparities exist within India, limiting the impact of progress on certain groups.
Infrastructure gaps: Infrastructure challenges like access to sanitation and clean water affect health and living standards.
What India’s Vision on improving High Human Development by 2047:
India aims to be a "high human development" nation by 2047, with an HDI score exceeding 0.8. — which seems to be a very difficult task
everyone has a good chance to live a long, healthy life. (more than 78 years)
PS: Sri Lanka has a life expectancy of 77 and Switzerland 83.10 years.
Good news: Life expectancy increased from 65.4 years in 2012 to 69.7 years in 2022! More people are living longer.
More improvements: Infant mortality rate dropped significantly, from 47.9 deaths per 1,000 births to 26.4, meaning fewer babies are dying young.
Clean water access: Significant progress! Access to safe drinking water in rural areas rose from 63% to 93%, improving health and hygiene.
People have access to quality education, no matter where they live.
India need to achieve 90+ in the literacy rate (Sri Lanka is at 91)
India literacy rate grew at overall 5% rate in last decade to reach at 74 percent mark. 
UDISE+ 2020-21 Report: Gross Enrolment Ratio increased to 92.2% (from 89.7%) at Upper Primary level, 99.1% (from 97.8%) at Elementary Level, 79.8% (from 77.9%) at Secondary Level and 53.8% (from 51.4%) at Higher Secondary Level in 2020-21 from 2019-20. 
Teacher to pupil ratio has improved but we still have a long way to go on to add more teachers to students ratio....
More people can read: Literacy rate climbed from 74.5% to 82.7%, meaning more people have basic reading and writing skills.
Almost everyone in school: Primary education enrollment is high, ensuring most children get a basic education.
More teachers, fewer students: The pupil-teacher ratio improved, meaning fewer students per teacher, potentially aiding learning.
Everyone has the opportunity to earn a decent living.
Improve on poverty rate. currently India has a poverty rate of 11.09 and its should be below 5% at least.
Better income: Average income per person (GNI) increased from $5,820 to $7,420, indicating improved living standards.
Less poverty: Poverty rate dropped from 29.5% to 15.7%, meaning fewer people live on less than $1.90 per day.
What India is doing to improve it?
India's progress requires continued efforts to achieve its 2047 goal of becoming a "high human development" nation. Here's how they're tackling the challenges:
Health:
Ayushman Bharat: Providing health insurance and access to medical care for millions.
Mission Indradhanush: Immunization campaigns to reduce child mortality and preventable diseases.
Telemedicine: Expanding access to healthcare in rural areas through technology.
Education:
Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan: Improving quality and access to education from pre-school to senior secondary level.
Skill India Mission: Providing vocational training and upskilling programs to enhance employability.
Digital India: Leveraging technology to improve teaching methods and learning resources.
Income:
Make in India: Attracting foreign investment and boosting manufacturing to create jobs.
Start-up India: Encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation to generate new employment opportunities.
Financial Inclusion: Expanding access to banking and financial services for the unbanked population.
Additional Efforts:
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Aligning national goals with global standards for sustainable development.
Digital infrastructure: Building digital connectivity to bridge the digital divide and empower citizens.
Focus on marginalized groups: Implementing targeted programs to address inequalities faced by women, minorities, and disadvantaged communities.
Based on the above efforts, India can reach its goal is a tough ask and will depend on some key factor.
Ultimately, predicting the future is impossible.
Effective implementation of existing initiatives: Efficient execution and adaptation of current strategies are crucial.
Addressing emerging challenges: New challenges like climate change and automation need proactive solutions.
Sustaining political will and public support: Long-term commitment and widespread buy-in are essential.
The potential is there, but achieving the goal requires continued focus, innovation, and collaborative efforts by all stakeholders. By building on its strengths, learning from its challenges, and adapting to changing circumstances, India can increase its chances of reaching its ambitious vision for 2047.
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very well written, however I see Indian govt moving forward will try to change all those metrics calculated by Brettenwood institution like IMF and UN. These metrics relies too much on spending , like countries which can spend more ( including debt ) , countries which have less population, have less pollution by outsourcing manufacturing to China and ASEAN. I guess India currently working on Ease of Business metrics and Sustainable goals , rest they are building their own metric to calculate development index base on Indian lifestyle and habitat. If BRICS become more powerful so does relevance of these new metrics.