Hurdles and Hopes Before India in the Way of Viksit Bharat@ 2047.

Abstract 

The imagination of Viksit Bharat refers process, practice and implementation a collective effort to engender a society which provides the employability to its population with better economic infrastructure along with road and transformation. In the field of defense, it refers capability to protect its territory and population at cost with modernized weapons and self-reliant in production weapons and its technology. In the field of Agriculture, it refers the nation independence in production of food grains which sufficient to its population with potentiality of export, by adoption modern technology, irrigation, road connectivity animal husbandry, modern storage system to protect their short term (Vegetables and fruits) and long term (food grains) productions. In Social sphere it refers the gender equality, caste less society with opportunity of equality and free from all forms of atrocity. In the field of education, it refers the equal and quality education at free of cost to all its citizens. The viksit Bharat it is not just a dream or concept it is a practice and way of life of our nation which cancan be achieved by a collective effort toward transformation in walk of life nation as well as every individual.

Keywords: Structural Adjustment, Entrepreneurship, Intensive Manufacturing, Power security, Green Revolution, Atma Nirbhar Bharat in defense, indigenous technology

1. Objective of the research paper

• To find out the relation between social structure and Viksit Bharat.

• To analyze the potentiality of India in production and investment.

• The government's efforts to achieve self-reliance.

• The need for future reformation in policies.

Viksit Bharat mainly depends on Politics which is free from criminalization of politics, family politics with free and fair periodical elections, stable transparent governance with efficiency to implement the policies and programmes within a stipulated time.  The sphere of politics is the main key and leverage to achieve or accomplish the task of Viksit Bharat. It is the agency which has the responsibility to mobilize the resources and directions in form of policies and laws to proper utilization in betterment to engender socio-economic justice.

The lack of industrialization in all regions and over burden on agriculture in rural areas are the vehement hurdles in the way of  Viksit Bharat. This not only causes unemployment it also causes regional imbalance at interstate state level as well as within the state. It compels more than 30% of the population of the country to migrate from human resources in form labour from   one state to another state in search of employment. This makes a dent in their saving capacity; they have to work on just a substantial wage. This fact in Indian society we found ubiquitously. It is the biggest hurdle in the way of Viksit Bharat by lowering the per-capita and saving capacity.

In a developing country like India, the conceptualization of Viksit Bharat in terms of Economy stands at its lowest concept.  Because the realization of Viksit Bharat in- terms of Economy depends on conducive social structure. But the social structure of India is characterized as ascribed traditional stereotype, hierarchical with practice of untouchability and gender inequality.

The communal issues such as Love Jihad, Land Jihad, Cow Slaughter forceful conversation, the constant rising of incidents relating to these made the government to have extra glace over religious issues rather than economic issues.

The growth in population which is now in beyond of control. The spontaneous growth uncontrolled growth in population which pose the hardship before law and order with social unrest. In terms of economy it causes deteriorating conditions of social peace and fabrication, opportunities of employability. The schemes of social security and employability are proved futile due to mismanagement between calculation of people and financial resources due to increase in population every year.   Which make allocated financial resources insufficient ineffective   to assigned purpose.

 The increase in corruption in every department village to capital city in every state even to have birth and death certificates. In transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index which scored 180 countries on a scale from Zero to 100 in which India Scored 38th place.  The highest corruption we can realise is in Gram Panchayat level which in MNREGA, different AWAS schemes, misuse of budget which was allocated to rebuild rural infrastructure. It is the base level challenge to Viksit Bharat.

The absence of Disaster Management technology which made India to pour plenty of financial resources approximately 2 to 3 Percent of budget every year on disaster management and in relief fund. This prohibits India from taking steps to introduce new infrastructure. 

1. Amid all these India is in the way or hope towards Viksit Bharat.

• E-governance towards Viksit Bharat 

In the present context since 2014 the government has taken various initiatives to inform E-Governance of a simplified citizen interface with the government. to ensure closeness with the government the government thrives to ensure benchmarking of service quality. The central government e-governance model has benefited in bringing transparency and openness to the government process. To achieve the end of Viksit Bharat @20247 it adopted e-version 7.0 and created paperless offices in all departments in the central secretaries. In 2023, the Centralized Public Grievances Redress and Monitoring System(CPGRAMS)helped redress 21 lakh citizen grievances. In 2024 with three months from January to March it helped 9.5 lakh citizens to redress their problems.  The best manifestation of Maximum Governance Minimum Government policy is a digitally empowered citizens and digitally transformed institution which is essential for development and speed disposal of public affairs.

• Agricultural incentive policies and Viksit Bharat:

In the way of Viksit Bharat, Indian governments since the initiation of Green revolution have focused on agricultural development with adoption of technology in agriculture, dairy farming, fisheries and horticulture. Agriculture still remains as the source of employment and income for the majority of rural people.  Its share in GDP is crucial. Thus India had adopted various incentive base policies to promote agriculture activities in order to sustain stable producing farming. 

Governments since independence by introducing numerous policies thrived to make agriculture a venture of income. It gives subsidies on purchasing fertilizers, seeds, and for other inputs in order to reduce the production cost. To mitigate the risk of collapse of income by damaging standing crops due to natural calamities, the government of India introduces crop base insurances in the form of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana.

To save farmers from the yoke of heavy interest on loans owned by private money lenders as well as government financial institutions, the government of India introduces ‘Modified Interest Subvention Scheme(MiSS). Further to promote agriculture base infrastructure it introduces ‘Agriculture Infrastructure Fund(AIF)The government of India has launched the central Sector Scheme (CSS)for Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations in the year 2020.Apart from these government of India to increase extra income of farmers it introduces National beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)in 2020.  To save the farmers from the risk price fluctuation of food grains, it introduces the Market Intervention Scheme and Price Support Scheme (MISPSS). All these policies of governments help to achieve Viksit Bharat by 20247 by stabilizing the income of farmers.

The foundation stone of India’s Journey for Viksit Bharat laid down in structural Reforms Policy of 1991 which involves broad based deregulation, building a robust manufacturing, ensuring energy security, fostering collaboration between the private and government, competitive business environment, foreign direct investment, fair income distribution, between capital and labor. This policy of the government makes India adopt numerous future economic developmental programmes and actions.

These reforms not only made a significant shift in the thought process adopted by policy makers but also embodied the aspiration of fast-tracking India’s journey towards a developed nation.  By leveraging the process of globalization India transformed from its traditional protectionist economic policy to liberate the capital market of India at global level   to invest.  

By dismantling protectionist policy, it opened the country to foreign investment, trade and global competition. It benefited India to access an increasingly integrated global environment for economic growth, creation of job opportunities and to expand the industrial and service sector.  

To attend its goal of Viksit Bharat by 20247 India has identified its four priorities these are, 

• Broad based de-regulation, 

• Building up the robust manufacturing base, 

• An energy transition sensitive to the needs of India.

• Tripartite compact between the government, private sector and academia. 

To achieve its first priority, the government India initiated its effort in   1991 itself. This shift facilitated a more business friendly environment and attracted substantial foreign investment, accelerating economic growth. However, it is not a one and done strategy but in a continuous process the government of India has also remained committed to over the last decade. 

In 2014 several big ticket items were reformed, including rationalizing over 20,000 compliances, decriminalizing and removing or simplifying penalties in 300 laws and incentivizing business by extending unique benefits to key sectors and clusters.  The present central government, after the regime of UPA I and II to remove obstacles, introduced reforms in forest regulation.  Through the forest basic activities such as constructing a passageway from their property to a main road.  Other structural forms were also introduced to make flexible Tax administration and transparency to control loopholes of tax escapism.   To control the leverages of camouflage which helps people of insolvency and bankruptcy. (IBC) which established a framework for dealing renewal of the real estate sector (RERA) which helped clean up the real estate sector roll -out of the India Stack (UID, UPI, DBT), which has helped reduce process inefficiencies and plunge leakage.

For sustained economic growth and fostering an environment where business can thrive deregulation is crucial and critical.  Earlier excessive regulation often imposes high costs on business, particularly small and medium enterprises which struggle to navigate complex administrative procedures. In 2024-2025 Economic survey Small and Medium Scale Enterprises can lose approximately 50 percent of their industrial plot to building standards while inflexible work hours prevent manufactures from meeting demand surges during festive periods. 

Excessive regulation not only hampers our industries but also stifles the creation of quality human capital.  

In the field of education India made a revolutionary shift toward promoting technical education and striking balance between traditional and technical education in this tandem the parliament empowers the University Grant Commission and All India Council for Technical Education regulations prevent institutions from flexible altering their course offerings for their degree programmes and adapting the education provided to changing market demands.

In the way of Viksit Bharat the process of deregulation enhances innovation and attracts private investment, which is essential for long-term economic resilience. It also helps India to reduce the pressure and scope of rent-seeking and corruption, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently rather than being wasted on navigating regulatory red tape. By creating a business friendly environment that prioritizes ease of doing business, deregulations enable industries to respond dynamically to market demands and technologically to market demands and technological advancements. Similarly entrusting our educational institutions, faculty and students to develop novel solutions to emerging challenges will only contribute to raising the overall quality of human capital by fostering a spirit of innovation and critical thinking among our youth.

The 2024-2025 Economic survey supported the hypothesis as states with higher ease of doing business scores have demonstrated higher levels of industrial activity over the years. Which have led to increased consumer welfare, enhanced competition and innovation in industries and a generally positive impact on economic growth. Recent initiatives undertaken in the budget reflect the union government's commitment to fueling growth through reforms and deregulation. By simplifying the Income Tax Act to make the bi-lateral investment treaties more investor friendly enhancing the ease of doing business living marks a trust-based governance. Further, the central government establishing a high level committee for regulatory reforms in partnership with the state governments to review  all non-financial sector regulations and requirements will contribute significantly towards transforming the country’s business environment and unlocking growth opportunities.

1. Strengthening and Encouraging domestic industries:

In the way of Viksit Bharat, India is home of some prominent domestic industries such as agriculture and allied sectors, manufacturing, (textile, chemicals, automobiles, engineering goods, entertainment, health care, and renewable energy etc.,) these are  major components for GDP thus  of   encouraging economic freedom of these industries  through deregulation and  strengthening  to makes a nation more attractive destination for global investment is essential in an era where global supply. In essence, sustainable and inclusive growth depends on reducing the friction that excessive regulations impose, allowing business and individuals to maximize their potential.   

1. Manufacture strengthening:

To realize the dream of Viksit Bharat by 2047 the level of manufacturing should be increased both at the level to meet domestic need and export to earn foreign exchange. Across history, manufacturing strength has been a marker of the economic prowess of a nation. The hum of manufacturing was at the center of ancient empires such as the Chola or the Guptas, medieval empires across Europe, the UK in the 19th century, and the US in the 20th century. East Asia lifted millions out of poverty, raised their standard of living, upskilled young population and absorbed them into the workforce on the back of the manufacturing wave that started in the 1970s. As a poster child of the East Asian miracle China is expected to command a share of 45 percent of all global manufacturing single –handedly matching or out matching the US and its allies by 2030. In 2000, China accounted for 6% of global   manufacturing three decades prior.

The three dimensions of manufacturing have the potential to make India as Viksit Bharat @2047, firstly manufacturing development creates a network of linkages that can be vertical or horizontal. On the one hand, these linkages can create a self-sufficient vertically linked ecosystem such as the fibre-to-fashion firms of Vietnam or the shipbuilding companies of Korea. On the other hand, horizontal linkages lead to multiple industrial ecosystems that overlap in terms of firms and technologies involved. As is evident now, China’s strength across multiple overlapping industries has helped to create a compounding effect for its industrial policy efforts.

Secondly, manufacturing development kick- starts skilling at the firm level. This creates dividends for poor economies that cannot afford to invest heavily in education. For instance, firms were vehicles of industrial learning in East Asia, which led these nations to tap the potential of young, unskilled demography even when resources were limited. Thirdly, a rising manufacturing sector, in turn puts pressure on the creation of hard infrastructure, smoothens governance, and reduces regulatory burdens. 19th –century England is an example of industrial growth which, in turn kick-started governance reforms. Hernando de Soto writes in his book entitled ‘The Mystery of Capital’ that it was not until the Industrial Revolution that the British reformed their institutions, public service delivery, and improved governance.

India has the potentiality to employ nearly 80 lakh people every year till 2030. The government of India has recognized the manufacturing sector potentiality notably in Micro, Medium and Small enterprises. In reducing external dependencies and employment generation. This is reflected in the host of manufacturing –specific and allied sector policies to encourage higher domestic production. Credit constraints for MSMEs have been eased through initiatives like the credit guarantee scheme for MSEs and TReDS (Trade Receivables Discounting Systems) facilitating Rs 1.38 lakh crore in financing as of FY24. The newly introduced ULI aims to lower credit costs through real-time risk assessment. Infrastructure advancement has also played a crucial role. With the median turnaround time at Indian ports between 2014 and 2024, making them more efficient than those in the US, Australia, and Singapore. This efficiency gain is reflected in India’s rise in the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index, climbing from 54th place in 2014 to 38th in 2023. The FY26 budget further supports manufacturing and MSMEs through initiatives such as the national Manufacturing and MSMEs through initiatives such as the National Manufacturing mission, increased MSME thresholds, and enhanced credit guarantee cover. Recently the central government launched the Mutual Credit Guarantee Scheme providing a 60% credit guarantee for MSMEs purchasing machinery and equipment worth up to Rs 100 crore, fulfilling a commitment made in the FY 25 budget.

Towards the visit of Bharat the central government towards the technology incentive sector initiated numerous robust plans to invent new indigenous technology to cope with Indian agriculture, military and manufacturing sector. It helps India in advancing by 4% in the area of artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, semiconductor’s, biotechnology, and green energy solutions.

It helps the central government to boost its Production Linked Initiatives(PLI) to shape the nation’s future. In this regard India is off to a good start and production of PLI schemes. This also helps India to achieve import substitution of 60 per cent in the telecom sector. It also helps the nation to ensure energy security by establishing industries and producing solar photovoltaics, battery storage and electric vehicles to bolster manufacturing and enhance India’s security.  

1. Industrial Policy, deployment of labor and capital 

Along with PLIs the government of India by accessing the deployment of labour and capital as important, it in this tandem formulates the right industrial policy to balance between deployment of labour and capital is important. To achieve the dream of VIksit Bharat it is inevitable for a nation to take demographic advantage, with a high proportion of youth, labour –intensive growth is critical to ensure mass employment and social stability. However, this does not mean that technology –intensive growth should be disregarded. Technology –intensive industries can and must complement labour-intensive sectors rather than replace them entirely. Labours –intensive sectors can absorb the large workforce while technology is leveraged to enhance manufacturing, logistics and supply chain efficiency without displacing jobs outright. Combined with systemic deregulation across sectors, this will create a viable India’s SMEs sector. For labor and capital balance, recent years’ governments have created a conducive policy ecosystem for industries, the entrepreneurial gumption of young India will set the gears of industrial growth through the investment of capital.   The investment in the industrial sector as well as manufacturing should stand beyond the ‘jugaad’ to long run productivity enhancement.

1. Energy Security for Viksit Bharat:

The transition both in climate change and green energy demonstrably affect India’s economic growth. The government of India pursued green energy enhancement policies from western countries. India has to secure traditional energy manufacturing units along with adoption of modern green energy production centers.  Rush to transition away from fossil fuels, many developed economies have prematurely shut down conventional power plants without securing reliable and affordable alternatives. For instance, presently Europe struggled with an energy crisis exacerbated by geo-political factors and policy missteps, highlighting the risk of an abrupt transition without a robust framework for energy security. India, as a rapid growing economy, must not experience such   loopholes which are witnessed by Europe.  

As economic historian Prof. Peter Temin argued, “modern technology has extended the innovations of the Industrial Revolution in the context of high wages and cheap power. However, these factor prices are not typical in many areas of Africa and Asia and modern technology is not as profitable there as in other higher –wage parts of the world” thinking about high wage and cheap power refers both utilization of human and natural resources in order to ensure stable increase in per capita and industrialization with abundant availability of power or energy to run energy at cheap cost. India has to build the energy infrastructure in the way of the United States which provides cheap power to robust manufacturing abundantly in all seasons.(V. Anantha Nageswaran, ‘Roadmap for Viksit Bharat@2027’’ Yojana.

India by giving its due concentration on carbon emission it remains on third place on per-capita carbon emission in the world. Amid the competition on industrial growth with developed countries gives the high priority for renewable energy storage. But sufficient flow of green compensative funds from developed countries is the need of hour for developing countries like India. but in the name of political sovereignty and liberalism developed countries camouflage the reality of the greenhouse impact on developing country economies.   Unlike western countries, India comprehensively relied on subsidy policy and financial markets to support energy transition, which increased its expenditure for renewable energy from 3.7 % to 5.6 of GDP.

1. Effort through the Budget or fiscal policies for Viksit Bharat:

Viksit Bharat @2027 aims to make India a developed nation with economic growth, environmental sustainability, social progress and good governance. To achieve this end   the government of India with state governments thrives to provide stable income to people by introducing various plans and programmes for women empowerment, employability opportunity, reform in agriculture etc.,

1. Atmanibhar Bharat in Defence in the way of Viksit Bharat:

In the 2023-24 financial year India’s domestic defence production reached Rs 1.27 lakh crore, marking a record high, with an impressive increase of approximately 174% from 46.429 crore in 2014-2015. India is on track to achieve a target of 1.75 crore in defence production in the current financial year   by 2029 further establishing. India aims to reach Rs 3lakh crore in defence production by 2029, further establishing itself as a global defence manufacturing hub. India’s defence exports have   surged from Rs 1941 crore in FY 2014-2015  to Rs 21,083 crore in FY 2023-2024 reflecting a remarkable  increase in export value. Defence exports have grown by 21 times from Rs 4312 crore in 2004-2014 decade to 88,319 crores in the 2024 to 24 decade. Driven by government policy reforms, ease of doing business initiatives and a push for self-reliance, India now exports to over 100 nations.  

Conclusion:The dream of Viksit Bharat is neither a miracle nor a dream, it is a process of economic policy making, implementation, investment, financial assistance for entrepreneurships, efforts for self-reliance in food grains, science technology, capital investment. India Since Independence governments are trying to development in agriculture infrastructure, road and transformation, promotion of indigenous technology in production, science and technology. Reformation in taxes policies with promotion of exports to maintain balance. To rapid disposal of public grievances governments have taken comprehensive policies to digitalize services.

References: 

1. V. Srinivas, Viksit Bharat : Paradigms in Governance  Empowering Citizens and Reaching the last mile,  Viksit Bharat @2047,  ed book  Published by  IIAS Public Governance Series Vol. 7. Ist edition Brussels.

2. From Green Revolution to Amrit Kaal, NITI Aayog Working Paper, February 2023.

3. 10 NITI Aayog. (2023). From Green Revolution to Amrit Kaal. NITI Aayog,

4. Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Schemes for Welfare of Farmers posted on  February 2nd 2024.

5. Aditya Pittle, Viksit Bharat@2027, Fingerprint Publishing New Delhi.

6. Deepak Sharma, ‘Viksit Bharat The Vision of a  Developed India, AKN Publishers Chennai.

7. Atmanirbhar Bharat in Defence, Government of  India Press Information Bureau.