The recent NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, brings to the forefront a critical conversation about India's future. The agenda—focusing on themes like MSMEs, infrastructure, health, and skill development—is a roadmap for building 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India) by 2047. It’s an ambitious goal, but one that is absolutely necessary.
Seeing this high-level focus on strategic sectors reminds me of conversations I’ve been having for over a decade. Back in 2011, in a blog post titled “A full-blown crisis”, I pointed to population explosion and food shortages as potential shocks that could derail progress. The current emphasis on skilling our youth and empowering women is a direct and powerful countermeasure to these very risks. It’s about turning our demographic potential into a dividend, not a disaster.
Similarly, my more recent writings have focused on the role of technology and equitable development. In a piece on inequality, I explored how AI could bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. The NITI Aayog’s focus on leveraging technology in governance and development is a heartening step in this direction. As I’ve argued, technology, especially AI, shouldn't be a tool for the privileged few; it must be like the air we breathe—accessible to all to foster genuine growth.
The Urgency of Skill Development
The discussion around skill development, particularly with the involvement of Chief Ministers like Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha of Tripura, is crucial. It’s a theme I’ve consistently revisited. Whether it was discussing the widening skills gap due to AI or the need to hand over skill assessment to AI, my core message has been the same: we need a radical, technology-driven approach to upskilling our workforce.
The core idea I want to convey is this — I have been pointing out the necessity of a forward-looking, integrated development model for years. Seeing these very themes become the cornerstone of national policy at the NITI Aayog meeting is a form of validation. It shows that the challenges I identified were real, and the solutions I proposed are now more relevant than ever. Reflecting on it today, I feel a renewed urgency to push these ideas forward, because they are clearly central to achieving the vision of a 'Viksit Bharat'.
We are at a pivotal moment. The vision is clear, and the platforms for execution, like the NITI Aayog council, are in place. Now, it's about translating these high-level discussions into tangible action on the ground.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
Of course, if you wish, you can debate this topic with my Virtual Avatar at : hemenparekh.ai
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