As India is completing her 75th year of independence, the government has put all its focus on making India self-reliant. In 1950, since the very first plan formulated by planning commission, self-reliance was given due importance. From a broken agrarian economy India has built up an economy which is seventh largest in the world. However, the fact is that it is not sufficient to meet the growing needs of 140 crore population of the country.
India is forced to depend on other nations to meet many of its needs even at present. This solidifies the need for an initiative to boost India’s production. Recognising this urge, the government of India has initiated the scheme termed “Make in India”.
Make in India aims to promote the manufacturer to develop, manufacture and assemble products domestically. It not only emphasizes on production but also focuses on innovation and research. Under this scheme government provides market for goods made in India and also markets them in international markets. “Make in India” had three stated objectives:
- to increase the manufacturing sector’s growth rate to 12-14% per annum;
- to create 100 million additional manufacturing jobs in the economy by 2022;
- to ensure that the manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP is increased to 25% by 2022 (later revised to 2025).
In order to achieve this objectives government of India has initiated several programs like:
Sagarmala
Sagarmala Programme aims to provide enhanced connectivity between the ports and the domestic production& consumption centres. The programme envisages unlocking the potential of waterways and the coastline to minimize infrastructural investments required to meet these targets.
Bharatmala
The Bharatmala Pariyojana is a centrally-sponsored and funded Road and Highways project of the Government of India.[1] The total investment for 83,677 km committed new highways is estimated at ₹10.63 lakh crore, making it the single largest outlay for a government road construction scheme.
Digital India
Digital India is a campaign launched by the Government of India in order to ensure the Government’s services are made available to citizens electronically by improved online infrastructure and by increasing Internet connectivity or making the country digitally empowered in the field of technology.[1][2] The initiative includes plans to connect rural areas with high-speed internet networks. It consists of three core components: the development of secure and stable digital infrastructure, delivering government services digitally, and universal digital literacy.
Freight corridors and Industrial corridors
These are infrastructure projects to facilitate easy movement of goods as well as infrastructural setup for business investments
UDAN RCS
Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (Hindustani for “Let the common citizens of the country fly”), known by its acronym UDAN (Hindi for “flight”) is a regional airport development program of the Government of India and part of the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) of upgrading under-serviced air routes. Its goal is to make air travel affordable and widespread, to boost inclusive national economic development, job growth and air transport infrastructure development of all regions and states of India.
Last two years was the period when we realised the importance of self-reliance the most. During lockdown when international borders were closed there was shortage of many goods. On successful implementation of this initiative India could be able to meet its own needs along with the needs of the world. So let us hope that on the eve of 100th year of independence India would be a global leader with an economy sufficient to meet the demand of the world.
Let us conclude on the note that self-reliance is the most important thing a country as well as an individual should strive for.
