New Delhi, Mar 19 (KNN) India is pursuing a development strategy that integrates economic growth with environmental sustainability, according to two new bulletins released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation on the Prosperity and Planet pillars of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The reports, part of a broader series aligned with the five pillars of the 2030 Agenda, People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnerships, highlight the need to align growth with social equity, resource efficiency, and ecological stewardship, reported Business Standard.
Progress On Sustainability And Environmental Goals
On sanitation, the Planet-focused bulletin credited the Swachh Bharat Mission with driving a ‘sanitation revolution,’ noting that 100 percent of districts achieved Open Defecation Free (ODF) status by 2019–20. It also highlighted full gender-sensitive sanitation compliance in regions such as Delhi, Goa, and Chandigarh.
Waste management infrastructure has expanded significantly, with recycling facilities rising from 829 in 2019-20 to 3,036 in 2024-25, preventing an estimated 103 lakh tonnes of plastic waste from reaching landfills and advancing circular economy practices.
Growth, Energy Access And Inclusive Development
The Prosperity bulletin defined growth beyond output, emphasising access to jobs, innovation, infrastructure, and sustainable livelihoods under key SDGs.
On energy access, India has achieved universal village electrification and over 98 percent household electrification, supported by schemes such as Saubhagya Scheme, Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana, Integrated Power Development Scheme, and Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana.
Tourism has emerged as a key driver of job-led growth, with its direct GDP share at 2.60 percent in 2022–23 and strong post-pandemic recovery. Government initiatives like Swadesh Darshan Scheme, PRASHAD Scheme, and UDAN Scheme have supported infrastructure and connectivity across destinations.
The report also noted a sustained decline in income inequality, reflected in a falling Gini coefficient between 2011-12 and 2023-24, driven by social protection and livelihood programmes.
Urban sustainability remains a key focus, with improved waste processing under Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), where several states have achieved 100 percent waste processing.
The government emphasised that India’s path forward lies in leveraging its demographic dividend, technological progress, and policy innovation to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth.
(KNN Bureau)
2012-01-26
