How Far Is India From Where She Started?

According to a World Bank report, the absolute number of poor has risen along with India's population in the past 60 years. India, by any measure, is one of the poorest countries in the world. Roughly, 1 out of 3 Indians are living below the national poverty line. Further, the life expectancy of a 63-year-old person is a decade lower than many other developing countries, and the illiteracy rates for men and women are higher than average for low-income countries. The gap between men and women is among the highest in the world, one indication being the fact that a girl is one-third less likely to attend secondary school than a boy.

Solving these problems is India's greatest challenge. There is much scope for improvement even given India's current level of income.

Nothing illustrates this better than the comparison between the state of Kerala and India as a whole. Kerala's per capita income is slightly lower than that for India as a whole. However, an average Keralite can expect to live a decade longer than the average Indian man. Kerala is the only state in India that has more females than males, the "natural" outcome of equal treatment of the sexes. Literacy is virtually universal for boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 14, as compared to India as a whole where roughly three-quarters of boys can read and only one-half of girls. Finally, Kerala's death rate for children from 0-4 is one-sixth as low as India's. Today Kerala is the only state in India that is known to leave aside its religious differences, and practices common culture. For instance, “Onam” the annual harvest festival of Kerala is celebrated by every Keralite, may he or she be a Muslim, Christian, or a Hindu. Isn’t this a marvelous achievement and why cant the rest of Indian States also adopt such amalgamating practices.

For once, put your nation’s welfare before your religion and see the difference for yourself. Social development can make a big difference. The dream of a truly independent and progressing India can be achieved only through unifying practices undertaken by the people and encouraged by the government.