The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are also known as the Global Goals, were adopted in 2015 and is expected to be completed within 2030. It is an initiative by all United Nations Member States. It is a universal call to action to eradicate poverty, save the planet by protecting the environment and ensure that all people enjoy peace and have a healthy standard of living.
17 SDGs have been decided— they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability.
Post 2015 development agenda has been drawn under Sustainable development Goals (SDGs) which are much more comprehensive as compared to MDGs. SDGs call for ending poverty, ending hunger, improving well-being, ensuring equitable quality education, etc.
Eradication of poverty can be done only by creation of productive workforce and proportionate creation of job opportunities. Along with skill development, reorientation of education towards ‘Nai Talim’ (new education) which follows the principle of ‘learn as you work’, is required. Employment creation needs to be done in manufacturing sector as it holds the capacity to incorporate unskilled and semi-skilled labour which we have in huge supply.
Improving availability, accessibility and affordability of food grains is necessary for eradicating hunger. Availability can be increased by enhancing agriculture productivity. This is being done through schemes like PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, Soil Health card Scheme, National Livestock mission etc. This needs to be supplemented by new innovative methods such as precession agriculture, organic farming, hydroponic agriculture etc. Accessibility is being improved through Aadhaar based identification of beneficiaries and through Direct Benefit Transfer. Increasing reach of National food security Act and provisioning of buffer stock of essential food grains will ensure affordability of food grains. The draft National Health Policy 2015 calls for increasing public health spending to 2.5 % of GDP. The policy also envisages enactment of National Health Rights Act in order to make health a fundamental right. This will certainly improve the IMR, MMR numbers and promote well-being for all. NITI Aayog has called for bringing in private to fill the gaps in public health care spending. SDGs also call for sustainable management of water. Since the past decade people have been encouraged to look into watershed development approach which is based on rain water harvesting. India’s PM’s vision of more crop per drop too highlights the principle of efficient utilisation of water. SDG of sustainable and modern energy for all can be seen in the ambitious renewable energy targets of 175 GW by 2022. India has targeted full electrification of our villages by 2019. SDG of making cities sustainable and disaster resilient is being pushed through schemes such as Smart city Mission, AMRUT and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee RURBAN Mission. Their success will be determined by the amount of private investment these initiatives are able to attract. The adherence to SDG of combating climate change is visible through our ambitious INDCs (intended nationally determined contributions) in Paris Deal, Kigali Agreement to amend Montreal Protocol. India needs to supplement these efforts by incorporating innovative methods such as carbon sequestration as done by Canada, stratospheric aerosol geoengineering as done by China etc. and hence keep finding ways of reduce our carbon footprint.
The role in SDG of sustaining and revitalizing global partnership can be seen through the efforts at WTO which have fructified in the form of various trade concessions for least developing countries as was seen in recent Nairobi agreement. India has called for a permanent seat in UNSC to strive for the voice of developing nations on the highest platform. The call for Comprehensive Convention on international terrorism highlights the efforts towards securing global peace.
GOAL 1- Global reduction in extreme poverty was driven mainly by Asia – notably China and India. Between 2005-06 and 2015-16, the incidence of multidimensional poverty in India was almost halved, climbing down to 27.5 percent from 54.7 percent as per the 2018 global Multidimensional Poverty Index report. Within ten years, the number of poor people in India fell by more than 271 million (from 635 million to 364 million). Traditionally disadvantaged subgroups such as rural dwellers, scheduled castes and tribes, Muslims, and young children are still the poorest in 2015-16. However, the biggest reductions in multidimensional poverty has been witnessed among the poorest and traditionally disadvantaged groups – across states, castes, religions and age-groups. Multidimensional poverty among children under 10 has fallen the fastest. In 2005-06 there were 292 million poor children in India, so the latest figures represent a 47 percent decrease or a 136 million fewer children growing up in multidimensional poverty. The Government of India has many progressive schemes, including the world’s largest employment guarantee scheme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, and the National Social Assistance Programme.
GOAL 2- South Asia still faces one of the greatest hunger burden, with over 15% of the population considered undernourished. How we grow and consume our food has a significant impact on levels of hunger, but it doesn’t end there. If done right, agriculture and forests can become sources of decent incomes for the global population, the engines of rural development, and our vanguard against climate change. The agricultural sector accounts for about 40% of the total employment in India. However, the agricultural, forestry and fishing sectors contribute only 15.5% to GDP value added. The Government of India has prioritised strengthening agriculture through measures in irrigation, crop insurance, and improved varieties. The government has also taken critical steps to enhance food security, including through an India-wide targeted public distribution system, a National Nutrition Mission and the National Food Security Act. The Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture and many national schemes on horticulture, agricultural technology and livestock are leading the way in improving India’s agriculture.
GOAL 3- India has made some progress in reducing its under-five mortality rate, which declined from 125 per 1,000 live births in 1990-91 to 50 per 1,000 live births in 2015-16, and its maternal mortality rate, which declined from 212 per 100,000 live births in 2007-09 to 167 in 2013. India has also made significant strides in reducing the prevalence of HIV and AIDS across different types of high-risk categories, with adult prevalence reducing from 0.45% in 2002 to 0.27% in 2011. However, a quarter of global TB cases occur in India where nearly 2.1 million people live with the disease, and an estimated 423,000 die annually as a result. The Indian government’s National Health Mission prioritises national wellbeing and is leading change in this area, in addition to targeted national programmes against HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases.
GOAL 4- In India, significant progress had been made in universalising primary education, with improvement in the enrolment and completion rates of girls in both primary and elementary school. The net enrolment ratio in primary education for boys and girls was at 100%, while at the national level, the youth literacy rate was 94% for males and 92% for females. The new national Education Policy and Sustainable Development Goal 4 share the goals of universal quality education and lifelong learning. The flagship government scheme, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, is aimed at achieving universal quality education for all Indians, and is complemented in this effort by targeted schemes on nutritional support, higher education, and teacher training.
GOAL 5- Although India has achieved gender parity at the primary education level and is on track to achieve parity at all education levels, as of June 2019, the proportion of seats in the Lok Sabha held by women had only reached 11% but 46% in the Panchayati Raj Institutions. India is also confronting the challenge of violence against women. As an example, a baseline study revealed that in New Delhi, 92% of women had experienced some form of sexual violence in public spaces during their lifetime. In 2016, close to a third of total crimes reported against women in India was cruelty or physical violence by her husband or his relative. The Government of India has identified ending violence against women as a key national priority, which resonates with the Sustainable Development targets of the United Nations on gender equality. The prime minister’s Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative aims at equal opportunity and education for girls in India. In addition, specific interventions on female employment, programmes on the empowerment of adolescent girls, the Sukanya Samridhi Yojana on girl child prosperity and the Janani Suraksha Yojana for mothers advance India’s commitment to gender equality, and the targets of Goal 4.
GOAL 6- The overall proportion of Indian households with access to improved water sources increased from 68% in 1992-93 to 89.9% in 2015-16. However, in 2015-16, 63.3% of rural households and 19.7% of urban households were not using improved sanitation facilities. According to the World Bank, more than 520 million in India were defecating in the open – the highest number in the world. This figure is expected to have reduced significantly given that improving sanitation is a key priority of the government which has introduced several flagship programmes including the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to clean India, the National Rural Drinking Water Programme, and Namami Gange, which aims at the conservation of the River Ganga.
GOAL 7- India is projected to be a significant contributor to the rise in global energy demand, around one-quarter of the total. However, as of 2016, more than 207 million people in India do not have access to electricity. The government’s National Solar Mission is playing an important role in the work towards renewable energy, and interventions in rural electrification and new ultra-mega power projects are moving India towards achieving universal energy access.
GOAL 8- India can forge its own growth path, which can rely on both manufacturing and services as a growth escalator and employment generator. The challenge will be to create well-paying and productive jobs in non-farm sectors that can absorb more unskilled workers, including women and those in rural areas. As of today, labour-intensive manufacturing has not driven productivity growth and job creation. The sectors that have made productivity gains have been skill-intensive. Almost half the labour force in India still works in the agricultural sector. With low productivity, it is difficult to promote gainful employment in agriculture. Enhancing agricultural productivity through public investment and new technologies should be a priority focus area. Moreover, upgrading to high-value commodities, reforming agricultural marketing policies and market interventions, and strengthening linkages to agri-businesses are critical areas ripe for government intervention. Increasing the labour force participation of women is a powerful tool not only to empower women, but also to steer economic growth itself. As reported by the McKinsey Global Institute (2015), if India increases its female labour force participation rate by 10 percentage points by 2025, its GDP could rise by as much as 16 percent as compared to the business-as-usual scenario. India’s desired transition to a green economy will have a significant impact on job skill requirements within sectors, occupational profiles and business operations. Labour market and skill policies can play an important role in maximizing the benefits of economic greening for workers. Furthermore, The circular economy is gaining increasing attention as a strategy for long-term prosperity and sustainability. India’s engineering workforce, its rapidly developing engineering services, R&D expertise and its geo-position in South Asia, position it as a potential global hub for both frugal manufacturing and services. Additionally, the fourth industrial revolution is both an opportunity and a challenge for India. The government’s National Skill Development Mission, Deendayal Upadhyaya Antodaya Yojana, Atal Innovation Mission, as well as the National Service Scheme and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme are some flagship programmes aimed at bringing decent work to all.
GOAL 9- The government’s flagship interventions like Make in India and Start Up India as well as Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Shramev Jayate Karyakram are fuelling innovation and sustainable industrial and economic development.
GOAL 10- The Gini coefficient of income inequality for India fell from 36.8% in 2010 to 33.6% in 2015. The Government of India’s emphasis on the three-pronged Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile programmes are aimed at a comprehensive strategy of inclusion, financial empowerment and social security. These priorities are in line with the Sustainable Development targets aimed at achieving greater equality and promoting the social, economic, and political inclusion of all by 2030.
GOAL 11- India is urbanising rapidly. Between 2001 and 2011, the country’s urban population had increased by 91 million. India is projected to add 416 million urban dwellers between 2018 and 2050. By 2030, India is expected to be home to seven mega-cities with populations above 10 million. 68% of the country’s total population live in rural areas, while 17% of the country’s urban population live in slums. The Government of India’s Smart Cities Mission, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) are working to address the challenge of improving urban spaces. The prime minister’s Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana aims to achieve housing for all by 2022.
GOAL 12- The issue of resource use is vital for the country. While the country is home to 18% of the world’s population, it has only 4% of global water resources. The generation of waste and pollutants also poses a challenge. Only 19.9% of India’s urban waste is processed. India is the third highest emitter of carbon-dioxide and is responsible for 6.9% of global emissions. However, in October 2015, India made a commitment to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 20-25% from its 2005 levels by 2020 and by 33-35% by 2030. On 2 October 2016 India formally ratified the historic Paris Agreement. The National Policy on Biofuels and the National Clean Energy Fund are some of the government’s flagship schemes aimed at achieving sustainable consumption and production, and managing the efficient use of natural resources.
GOAL 13- India is the third highest emitter of carbon-dioxide and is responsible for 6.9% of global emissions. However, the emissions intensity of India’s GDP reduced by 12% between 2005 and 2010. In October 2015, India made a commitment to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 20-25% from its 2005 levels by 2020 and by 33-35% by 2030. On 2 October 2016 India formally ratified the historic Paris Agreement. India has committed to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 20-25% by 2020. The Government of India has also adopted a National Action Plan on Climate Change to address this issue directly, as well as a National Mission for Green India. These national schemes are complemented by a host of specific programmes on solar energy, enhanced energy efficiency, sustainable habitats, water, sustaining the Himalayan ecosystem, and to encourage strategic knowledge for climate change.
GOAL 14- According to India’s Fifth National Report to the Convention of Biological Diversity 2014, India has a long coastline of about 7,517 km in length which sustains and provides a source of livelihood to over 250 million people. India is the second largest producer of fish in the world. The Indian government’s Sagarmala Project, also known as the Blue Revolution, is working to improve the state of India’s ports and coastlines. To conserve marine ecosystems, the government has undertaken a National Plan for the Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems. Coastal and marine biodiversity protection is a key area of focus for India.
GOAL 15- In India, 176.4 million people were living on degrading agricultural land in 2010 – an increase of 10% in a decade, bringing the share of rural residents who inhabit degraded agricultural land up to 21% of the total rural population. During the same time-period (2000-10), the amount of people living in remote and degrading agricultural areas with limited market access increased by 11%, reaching 16.7 million people which is 2% of India’s rural population. The intensification and expansion of land degradation will harshly affect agricultural productivity, which will jeopardise agricultural livelihoods in the country. The annual cost of land degradation in India is estimated at US$ 15.9 billion which is around 1.3% of the country’s GDP. India became a signatory to the United Nation Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 1994 and ratified it in 1996. In India, forest cover is now 21% and protected areas cover around 5% of the country’s total land area. India is one of 17 mega-biodiverse countries in the world. With only 2.4% of the earth’s land area, it accounts for 7-8% of the world’s recorded species. As India is home to around 8% of the world’s biodiversity, which includes many species found nowhere else in the world, the country is committed to achieving the Aichi targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity and is also an active participant in the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol. India’s National Afforestation Programme and a national programme on the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats are core projects aimed at the conservation of land ecosystems. Two specific schemes – Project Tiger and Project Elephant – are being undertaken to conserve two of the country’s most majestic species of animals.
GOAL 16- In India, the judiciary is overburdened due to the large number of pending cases, with the backlog touching 35 million in June 2019 – 31 million cases pending in subordinate courts, 4.35 million in High Courts and 58,669 cases in the Supreme Court. India has prioritised the strengthening of justice through government initiatives including Pragati Platform, a public grievance redressal system, and the Development of Infrastructure Facilities for the Judiciary including Gram Nyayalays for villages.
GOAL 17- The Government of India is an important part of this new global partnership, and it has been strengthened by the country’s efforts to build networks within the region and with the world. South-South co-operation has been a crucial part of this, as is India’s membership and leadership in institutions like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS and its New Development Bank, and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, as well as with UN agencies and programmes around the world.
Some of the SDG targets specifically call for ensuring that people have relevant information, awareness and skills needed to promote sustainable development. Besides these targets, there are also other targets for which awareness generation is a necessity. For example, citizens need to be aware of what to do in the event of natural disasters to ensure disaster preparedness of the country. At the core of all tasks undertaken for sustainable development, it is of utmost importance to enable people to understand the importance of the environment and make concerted efforts to use resources sustainably. The total finance required for this initiative works out to INR 30 lakh crores or USD 474 billion. Since these are new costs for creating awareness on sustainable development and there is currently no allocated public fund for this purpose, it is assumed that the gap is of the same size as the finance required. These costs may be sourced from various Ministries, who may conduct awareness generation as part of their existing or new schemes. Some of these costs may also be sourced from the private sector.
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