GS Paper: GS1-07. Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues.

Multi-dimensional nature of developmental issues, require a collaborative governance, where the government, NGO, and the private sector work in synergy.

Socio-economic issues of development

Nearly 11% of the population is still living in multidimensional poverty.

Economic Inequality – richest 1% control more than 40% of total wealth, while the bottom 50% own merely 3% (Oxfam Report)

Social Stratification- Caste-based discrimination prevents upward mobility for the marginalized. Eg- 96% manual scavengers are Dalits

Population Pressure (1.35 billion) strains public infrastructure, housing, and the job market.

Poor Social Infrastructure

Healthcare – low public spending (2.1% of GDP) and high out of pocket expenditure (40%)

Education – low public investment (2.9% of GDP) lead to “quality crisis” and high dropout rates at secondary and higher levels

Skill Gap – only about 51.25% of youth are employable.

Gender Disparities

Low FLFPR – 41% in India vs 71% in China

Glass ceiling effect – discrimination and low representation at higher positions

Regional disparity – Eg- BIMARU states lag behind southern states in human development indicators

“Climate Inequality” – women and poor are most vulnerable to climatic shocks like heatwaves or disasters. Eg- “climate induced migration” after floods in Assam

Urbanization issues – Eg- 17% population living in slums

Collaboration between government, NGO and private sector

Public-Private-Community Partnerships (PPCP) – Eg- collaboration between GoI, Akshay patra foundation and infosys foundation in implementing Mid-day meal scheme

Complementary role

Policy Leadership by Government

NGOs as Last-Mile Implementers

Private Sector for Scale and Innovation

CSR-Driven Development Partnerships – Eg- tata trust funding support for PRATHAM NGO for education

Data and Technology Collaboration – Tech firms building dashboards, NGOs collecting field-level data, government monitoring outcomes. Eg- in aspirational districts program

Capacity Building – NGOs and private sector training frontline workers in healthcare.

Technology Transfer for Agriculture- Agri-tech firms develop precision tools, the government subsidizes them, while NGOs train farmers in “Climate-Smart Agriculture”.

Saturation-Based urban Infrastructure- The government provides land, the private sector builds , while NGOs handle the “soft infrastructure” like health and education.

NGO’s helping the government in ensuring last mile service delivery. Eg- acting as “Arogya Mitras” under Ayushman Bharat scheme

Strengthening this triangular alliance can ensure inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth.

Sustainable development refers to a development path that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Brundtland Commission).

Emphasis on environmental protection coming into conflict with poor people needs

The poor depend directly on forests, rivers, and commons. They lose their livelihood due to strict conservation rules. Eg- protest by Jenu Kuruba tribe against expansion of “Core Areas” in Nagarhole tiger reserve

Environmental bans affect subsistence livelihoods. Eg- ban on single-use plastics has disproportionately impacted street vendors

Higher Cost of Green Alternatives – Eg- high initial cost of Solar pumps makes it unaffordable for small farmers

Energy Transition Costs- closure of mines in the “coal belt” (Jharkhand/Odisha) threatens the informal livelihoods of nearly 15-20 million people linked to the coal economy.

Urban Environmental Regulations – Closure of polluting units affects migrant workers.

Fishing communities impacted by coastal regulation norms. Eg- Limitations under Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules.

Unequal Burden of Environmental Compliance – Eg- Sand mining restrictions affecting daily-wage workers.

Agricultural Restrictions- Policies discouraging water-intensive crops impact marginal farmers more as they lack capital to shift to high-value horticulture.

Eco-restoration projects, such as clearing the Yamuna floodplains in Delhi, result in the demolition of informal settlements without adequate “Just Transition” housing.

Shift from biomass to LPG under the ujjwala scheme reduced indoor pollution, but high refill costs force rural households back to firewood.

Counter argument – benefits sustainable growth with emphasis on environmental protection for poor

Disaster Risk Reduction – Environmental safeguards prevent loss of lives and assets. Eg- Protecting mangroves and wetlands saved thousands of lives during Odisha Cyclones.

Public Health Gains – Cleaner air and water reduce disease burden and Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) for the poor.

Sustainable management secures long-term livelihoods. Eg- Watershed development improving water security.

Green Livelihood Creation – Jobs in renewable energy, afforestation, waste management. Eg- “Suryamitra” schemes

Sustainable agriculture improves resilience. Eg- solar pumps under PM-KUSUM scheme

Water Security- Jal Jeevan Mission and watershed management under MGNREGA have improved groundwater levels, directly benefiting rain-fed marginal farmers.

Energy Access with Sustainability – Eg- Solar lighting in off-grid rural areas.

Intergenerational Equity – Unsustainable growth harms future poor the most.

Legal Empowerment of Communities – Rights-based conservation models. Eg- Community forest management under forest rights Act

Eco-Tourism- In places like Kaziranga, community-led tourism has provided a “conservation dividend” to local tribes.

Global Finance- Eg- Green Bonds to fund low-cost housing and clean transport for the urban poor

Way Forward

Strengthening grassroot governance – Eg- ensuring fair, prior and informed consent of Gram Sabha in tribal areas

Implementing RECLAIM framework to ensure sustainable, community-centric mine closures and “just transition” for communities

Community-Led Conservation (The Nagaland Model) – Replicate Nagaland’s 407+ Community Biodiversity Conservation Areas (CCAs)

Scaling “Green Subsidies” through DBT. Eg- “Refill Subsidy” for Ujjwala users

Universalizing Climate-Resilient Agriculture – Expand PM-PRANAM (Natural Farming)

Institutionalizing “Social Impact Credits” in Carbon Markets

Ensure that the Blue Economy Policy protects the “First Right of Access” for traditional fisherfolk.

As Indira Gandhi stated at the 1972 Stockholm Conference, “Poverty is the greatest polluter.” Thus, there is need to shifted toward a “Just Transition,” where environmental protection is pro-poor and poverty alleviation is ecologically sustainable.