Is India Capable to Be a Superpower by 2030?
Corruption is an issue which is a cause of concern for a country like India. It is such a burning issue that the upcoming Indian elections are being fought on this issue. While newly formed anti-graft parties are trying to capitalise on the issue of corruption, older parties are making all efforts to launch an offensive.
The situation seems to be turned into the battle of Mahabharata with a politician recently describing the election to be a ‘battle for India’s soul’.
The elections and their outcome will be meaningless unless parties coming to power take all necessary steps to reverse the serious problem of corruption in India. By doing so only, India can become a superpower by 2030. Actually, the common Indian citizens are not at all bothered about which leader emerges victorious. What they are interested in is the tangible outcomes on the ground like well-constructed roads, power supply without any interruption, safety and security along with ensuring the constant economic growth of the country.
These issues also mean a lot to global investors. The Indian growth story will remain the same, unless India’s leaders and businessmen take remedial measures to overcome the situation.
Corruption is recognised as a fact of life in cities and towns of India. India’s poor ranking on corruption indices provided by reputed organisations like Transparency International is a matter of great concern. Allocated funds for social welfare are misused and Social welfare activities remain a distant dream for people living in rural and urban areas. Money that is actually meant for development, anti-poverty programs, energy security and the growth of our economy is being accumulated in bank accounts of corrupt officials and leaders in the name of welfare work.
It is really a sad scenario that scams come to light only after the financial damage is incurred to the country and the money of taxpayers has been spirited away by unscrupulous officers and politicians.
It is being observed that Indian farmers are committing suicide as they are overburdened with financial losses and are unable to repay the loans of unscrupulous moneylenders. No contestants for the political throne in India say a word in real sense to permanently solve the problems of farmers in India. Even latest kids on the block such as a young anti-graft party are mum on this issue.
Lives are being lost and Indian farmers are constantly struggling against poverty, exploitation and ruin for which the actions of thoughtless leaders and officials are responsible to a large extent. The sad part of the whole issue is that no corporate sector honcho or leading businessman shows any interest in offering a solution to the problem which has been prevalent in the society for long.
Agriculture is an important sector for our country where farmers produce the raw materials that are used by large companies to make huge profits by utilising raw materials for making useful costly products. What is the reason that our so-called leaders and smart entrepreneurs mum on this issue? Those who have the resources and funds should try to solve the farmers’ problems by helping farmers if they are really eager to see India as a superpower by 2030.
When foreign investors visit our country, they see grand buildings alongside dirty slums. This does not instil confidence in the minds of investors that India in any way can become a superpower in near future. Those who think realistically in our country also keep the similar opinion. Fodder scams and spectrum allocation scandals are only a small part of the bigger problem. In fact, the issues are much deeper and complex than this.
In a situation when a heinous rape is committed in the capital city of New Delhi and even in such situation, the Opposition or the ruling leaders do not take much needed decisive action to utilise funds to help women so that they could lead safe and secured lives, it compels one to step back and think who still will have the confidence to claim that India will become a superpower in near future somewhere by 2030, or even by 2050? When a terrorist act takes place in the financial capital of Mumbai and one minister of the government while holding a press conference says that ‘in such a big city, one or two incidents happen’ and after such callous statement also, his power and position remain intact, how can India think or hope to acquire a superpower status by 2030?
The situation is very serious and unless the leading rulers take note of gravity of the problem and take a strong stand, corporate India will face all kinds of difficulties to peddle the growth story of India to foreign media and experts. Any one editorial or article in foreign newspapers about growing poverty or funds mismanagement in India is sufficient enough to send a message to even magnates of Indian origin abroad that they should not think of investing in India. It’s time we wake up and take collective responsibility for the burdens that our country is undergoing so that India’s effort to become a superpower is met with minimum hurdles.
Unity among political parties is the need of the hour in nation building instead of bickering. Unless this is done, the best solutions can never be found. Businessmen will have to display a sense of social conscience instead of just focusing solely on commercial interests. If this is not done, India’s dream to achieve superpower status by 2030 will simply remain an empty dream for which all will be responsible.