Are we able to convert trade-offs into synergies?

Poverty is a complicated issue. Hunger and malnutrition, limited educational opportunities, social prejudice, and the inability to participate in decision-making processes are all symptoms of a lack of money or resources. Poverty eradication in all of its forms continues to be one of humanity’s most difficult tasks. It’s important to remember that extreme deprivation isn’t just about happiness and opportunity; it’s also about survival. The Indian government has undertaken a multi-pronged plan to end poverty in all of its forms. The government is undertaking a range of welfare schemes in the areas of nutrition, health, education, housing, drinking water, sanitation, skill development, and social protection, among other things, due to the multifaceted character of poverty.

The government of India has taken several steps to guarantee that everyone has access to food, including enacting the National Food Security Act of 2013, which resulted in one of the world’s largest food security programs. The importance of sustainable agriculture is emphasized in the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), which is part of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) (NMSA). Over the years, the net area under organic cultivation has increased. In this area, India has made great developments.

All key health concerns are addressed through good health and well-being. The government’s health policies strive to provide universal health care at a reasonable cost. The National Health Policy, as well as the world’s largest healthcare program – Ayushman Bharat Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, and others – have all played a role in making substantial progress in this field. The government’s focus on health research resulted in the development of India’s COVID-19 vaccine.

In terms of upgrading school facilities, increasing student enrolment, and reaching gender parity, India has made significant progress. The Right to Education (RTE) Act declares education to be a fundamental right for all children aged 6 to 14, and guarantees that it be both free and compulsory. Across the country, education is becoming more readily offered. Skill development and vocational education have also received a lot of attention. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan aims to provide all Indians with a high-quality education, and it is supplemented with specialized initiatives for nutritional assistance, higher education, and teacher training.

Equal access to education, health care, decent jobs, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes for women would result in more sustainable economies, which will benefit communities and humankind as a whole. The government has launched several social safety and financial inclusion programs aimed specifically at women. Women’s participation has increased as a result of such initiatives. The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign raised awareness and increased the efficiency of girls’ welfare services. Women have benefited from the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, which provides social protection through maternity benefits.

People are healthier and more productive when they have access to clean water and sanitation. Water shortage, poor water quality, and poor water hygiene have a severe influence on low-income households’ food security, livelihood options, and educational possibilities around the world. Despite high demand and limited water resources, India has committed to providing clean and adequate drinking water to its citizens. The Jal Jeevan Mission has made a substantial contribution to the provision of safe drinking water and sanitation. Furthermore, under the Swachh Bharat Mission, all districts in India have accomplished the goal of being ODF (Open Defecation Free).

The contribution of energy is crucial in fuelling the engine of growth, and its importance in the evolution of society cannot be overstated. To give energy to all families, the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana – Saubhagya was established. The initiative has ensured access to electricity, with a particular emphasis on renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions and pollution. The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana has successfully brought cooking gas to rural households, allowing them to meet their energy needs while also helping to enhance women’s health and reduce CO2 emissions.

By 2030, the goal is to achieve full and productive employment as well as decent work for all women and men, as well as to minimize informal employment and the gender wage gap, and promote safe and secure working environments for both men and women. Start-up India is a government initiative aimed at assisting Indian entrepreneurs, and the Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency (MUDRA) provides low-interest loans, which is beneficial in providing financing to MSMEs. A number of structural reforms have been implemented in order to achieve long-term economic growth and productive employment. The number of issued patents has been steadily increasing.

Inequalities in income and wealth are substantial, and they are expanding over the world. Through different policies and programs, the government is committed to reducing economic inequality. Numerous initiatives have been launched in this area. The Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) is a National Mission for Financial Inclusion that aims to provide inexpensive access to essential financial services such as savings and deposit accounts, remittance, credit, insurance, and pensions.

Among many goals, there are those to develop quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, to facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all, and to promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization. Infrastructure investment in areas such as transportation, irrigation, electricity, and others is critical for many countries’ long-term prosperity. India’s better place in the Ease of Doing Business rankings is due to progress in the business regulatory environment. Upgraded infrastructure and new initiatives like the Dedicated Freight Corridor, Dedicated Industrial Corridor, and others have aided in the long-term development of the region. The country made substantial progress in the Global Innovation index as a result of the steps implemented to promote innovation.

Rapid urbanization has brought several infrastructural difficulties, including increased demand for resources such as water, energy, and transportation. The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Redevelopment (AMRUT) aims to build infrastructure that will enable appropriate and reliable sewage networks and water supplies for urban transformation. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) was established by the government to offer affordable homes to people. To establish smart cities across the country, the National Smart Cities Mission, urban redevelopment and retrofitting programme, has been established. Municipal solid waste management is one of India’s most serious environmental issues. The government has adopted various efforts that have resulted in great advances in urban trash management.

India participates in international initiatives and agreements on sustainable consumption and production, such as the 10-Year Framework of Programs on Sustainable Consumption and Production (10YFP). Renewable energy, organic agriculture, bio-fertilizers, decreased emissions, and other issues have received special attention from the government to ensure responsible use and production.

With eight sub-missions, India’s National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC) is a program to prevent and adapt to the negative effects of climate change. The strategy attempts to achieve India’s developmental goals, with a focus on lowering the economy’s emission intensity. Government initiatives to build disaster-resilient societies have resulted in a significant reduction in the number of people killed or injured in disasters over time. As India enters the sixth year of its goal to generate an additional carbon sink of 2.5-3.0 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030 as part of the 2015 Paris Agreement’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target, initial trends imply that the targets would be met only halfway at best.

While India’s coal production is expanding and on track to reach a new high of 700 Mt in 2020/21, the country’s coal-fired power generation expansion has stalled, with no new coal-fired power plants being built in the first half of 2020. As per, India’s NDC(Nationally Determined Contributions) source emissions intensity (excluding agriculture) will be 37-39 percent lower in 2030 than it was in 2005.

Corrective human methods advocated by the goal include successfully regulating harvesting and overfishing, safeguarding marine and coastal ecosystems, enhancing scientific understanding to promote ocean health, and providing access to marine resources and markets for small-scale artisanal fishermen. To safeguard marine and coastal ecosystems, mangroves, and coral reefs, a number of programs have been launched one of them is ‘Dharti Ko Arpan’ programme. Over the years, the maximum sustainable yield in fishing increased. The goal of this initiative, which falls under the banner of environmental sustainability, is to restore and conserve coastal ecosystems. It also preserves several endangered species and develops a comprehensive coastal ecosystem conservation strategy for the entire region. The program’s goal is to combine all ongoing and planned initiatives into one, so that public awareness, conservation efforts, and greening efforts all work together to deliver various benefits.

Protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, managing forests sustainably, combating desertification, halting and reversing land degradation, and halting biodiversity loss have traditionally been at the forefront of environmental policy issues. Goal emphasizes how these systems help to reduce the danger of natural disasters such as floods and landslides, sustain agricultural productivity, and regulate climate. It also emphasizes the importance of taking a coordinated effort to maintain, restore, and develop terrestrial ecosystems. For example, MUMBAI’s distinctive urban forest is expected to expand as 600 acres of Aarey Milk Colony are set to be designated as a “reserved forest”.