• January 18, 2023

Atmanirbharta for New India

Tags: GS 3 Growth & Development

In Context 

A new framework for sustainable development can be introduced thanks to the Atmanirbhar experiment and the lessons that India is currently learning as a country.

About Atmanirbharta 

• The Self-reliant India campaign, also known as Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, is the Hon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision for a brand-new India.
• He issued a clarion appeal to the country in 2020 and launched the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan (Self-reliant India campaign).
• Making the nation and its people autonomous and self-sufficient is the goal. Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’s five pillars.

Impacts of colonisation 

• India has a long history of invention and intellectual prowess in a variety of areas, including government, religion, education, healthcare, business, and trade.
• But colonial power compelled us to become a provider of raw materials and indentured labour, putting an end to that prosperity.
• At the time of independence, centuries of colonisation and invasions had instilled in the population a sense of inferiority, caused intellectual stagnation, and encouraged a subservient attitude.
• The British did not merely leave us with political independence when they departed Indian land.
• A sizable portion of Indians kept acting and thinking like they were still subjects of a kind king.
• Unfortunately, for several decades following Independence, the ecosystem in the nation did not adequately foster the idea of engaged citizenship — people continued to view the state as the “provider,” leaving a significant portion of Indians doubting their capacity — and people continued to look to the state as the “provider”.

Controversy and Issues 

• The country’s employment situation is already precarious due to a lack of jobs, and the pandemic is likely to worsen it further.
• India has been disproportionately impacted by the epidemic, which has added pressure to the economy. India’s low state capacity, weak healthcare infrastructure, and densely populated urban areas have made it particularly vulnerable.
• India’s manufacturing sector will become even less competitive if the government does not open up a number of industries to private businesses, relax onerous regulations, and privatise loss-making PSUs.
• Additionally, this would discourage future governments from once again liberalising the economy.
• Increased import tariffs and a more protectionist trade policy may result in retaliatory tariffs or the cancellation of trade gains from one’s trading partners.

Initiatives 

• Atmanirbharata was fostered in several ways by initiatives like the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Startup India, Standup India, Yoga Day celebrations, and Ayushman Bharat.
• The government is committed to funding basic science research, the advancement of technology, and the encouragement of start-up businesses.
• As a result of the Make In India and Atmanirbhar Bharat efforts, India’s defence industry is seeing a large wave of indigenization.
• A number of initiatives have been implemented by the Indian government to promote and support national defence manufacturing and technology self-reliance.

Suggestions and Conclusion 

• Atmanirbharta should be seen as a means for regaining India’s share in the global economy while simultaneously improving the quality of life for the common Indian.
  • It will require a huge concerted effort from all stakeholders to restore India’s share in global trade to pre-colonial levels.
• Atmanirbhar Bharat envisages a self-reliant India working for Vasudaiva Kutumbakam.
  • This is a time when the legitimate aspirations of the diverse peoples of our country need to be reconciled, and differences overcome.
• Achieving global scales of production, improving the quality of our services to world standards and promoting goal-oriented R&D are efforts that will yield the desired goal of a higher share in global trade and manufacturing.
  • It will also generate high-quality employment
• Moving towards self-reliance from the historical dependencies of the past several decades is more than just a paradigm shift.
  • It needs to change the mindset of not just citizens, but also of the political class and the bureaucracy.
• No nation can progress without engaging its citizens in the development process. Citizenship is not just about participating in the electoral process.
  • • It is also about enlightening oneself with information, engaging with the state and its agencies and operating with a sense of empowerment.
• India has performed well in producing new knowledge, the focus should be now on harnessing this knowledge for economic growth.
  • Today, a generation of young people are qualified, competent and confident in deciding not just their future but that of the nation as well.
  • There is a need to promote an ecosystem that promotes self-respect and self-belief
• The country’s science and technology infrastructure needs to be restructured to align with the desired outcomes for the country, not just the short-term outputs.