The Post-Covid Priority

Context: While India is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, and social sector development is important in reaching them.

Issue of low progress in the social sector In India:

• Low human development: India ranks 131 out of 189 countries on the Human Development Index.
• Low health and educational outcomes:
  • Low Health expenditure: currently at 1.5 % in 2019-20.
  • Low educational outcomes: Stagnation of share of education; 2.8-3% of GDP during 2015-2020.
  • Problems faced by health and education sectors alike - Regional, social and gender disparities; Slow growth in public expenditures; Problems in delivery systems.
• Problems particular to health sector: Contradictory problems of -
  • Issue of undernutrition: According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5, 35 % of our children suffering from malnutrition
  • Increasing obesity: in both rural and urban areas.
• Problems particular to the education sector: Pandemic has enhanced inequalities in education and revealed the widening digital gap.

Government initiatives in the social sector:

• Providing cooking gas (Ujjwala Yojana) and electricity (Saubhagya Yojana)
• Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and initiatives for housing, financial inclusion (Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)) and providing loans to the self-employed.
• Tackling malnutrition: Through Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and POSHAN Abhiyan.

Interventions required to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030: through social sector development -

• In the health sector:
  • Increase in health expenditure to take care of the present and future pandemics.
  • Focus on health insurance, universal health coverage and primary health centres.
  • Address undernutrition and obesity:
    • Increase allocations for ICDS.
    • Multi-pronged approach: Increase the ambit of POSHAN Abhiyan by including determinants of nutrition like agriculture, health and women’s empowerment.
• In the education sector: Increase public expenditure on education to 6 % of GDP and create equality of opportunity in terms of quality education.
• Provide safety nets for the vulnerable section: like -
  • An employment guarantee scheme for the urban poor and facilities for migrants. 
  • Increase allocations to Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to support the reverse migrants.
• Centre-State collaboration: in making a five-year vision on the social sector with bold measures.

Conclusion: India, aspiring to be a global power, should have a harmonious and inclusive social sector development.