UN Development index and the definition of developed countries

We have seen lot of debate on the issue that India is emerging as next World super power and we will challenge the mighty China. These arguments are sometime due to our emotional outburst of seeing the poor infrastructure in India for over decades. When we see anything doing good or better than what it used to be pre-liberalisation we become happy and delighted.

Economists including Dr. Arvind Panagariya and the politicians are arguing that the India has developed dramatically in the last two decades because we have more mobile phones in the country than the landlines in 40 years duration in pre-liberalisation and the telephone density is going to be at least one phone/mobile per family. It is a measure of development for a country. It does not matter if we have any facilities for the disposal of the mobile phones we are throwing away every year. What matters is the number of phones per family.

What the index care about is the per capita income of the country. It does not matter if that is increasing because a small section of the society is working in well-paid software or outsourcing companies. Most of the population in the country does not have proper and pure drinking water facilities. It is irrespective of the location. I have lived in some of the metros and small towns of India. I have not heard from anyone that they are happy with the water supply conditions in their residence. Of course there are some people who do not face any problem. These are the people living in government subsidies colonies or institutions such as IITs, IIMs, defence organisations.

I am not going to say that UN development index is not good at all but I feel that it does not cover the ground realities and it is difficult to measure development universally by having just one index. Of course there are some basic necessities that remains same through out the world. People need food, education, healthcare, clothes and shelter. And if the per capita income of a country is increasing by selling nuclear and other dangerous weapons and producing polluting cars then I do not agree that the country is actually developing. Yes in short term it might seems to develop but not in long term.

Today India is developing on the definitions of the so-called developed countries but by selling more cars and mobile to the population we can become developed. We need to create basic facilities for the masses even if we do not sell less materialistic things. We need to set our priorities. We need to build more hospitals and schools that deliver with quality. If we build these institution than the employment will be generated for more people and the nation will be built for future generations.