Growth, Development and Carbon Containment: India in the Next Decade

Abstract

Growth, development and sustainment are the key concerns for every emerging market economy (EME) like India. While many analysts highlight the trickledown effect of high growth, the development economists bemoan the lack of concern for Human Development Indicators (HDI) which hinge on Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), quality education and affordable health care. A recent book of T.N. Ninan comprehensively addresses these twin concerns besides underling the importance of low carbon growth in India. This paper brings out the major pathways for India in the next decade which should include market orientation in pricing of public utilities, ‘scale economics’ in manufacturing, abdication of government involvement in education and health care and strengthening the regulatory mechanism. Underscoring the need for ‘distributed centres of gravity’, the challenges for India in the next decade achieving both inclusive growth and carbon containment would hinge upon capacity enhancement, real learning, new Public Management (NPM) adequate allocation for low carbon emission and providing satisfactory employment opportunities.

KEYWORDS: EME, IMR, MMR, HDI, NPM