India: Environmental Protection vs. Economic Development.

Pros Case(A) India Shows Immediate potential for Massive Growth “‘India Shining’ has been the unofficial slogan for India since the turn of the 21st century. India averaged 8% annual GDP growth in the three years before the recent global financial crisis. Armed with population strength of more than a billion people, India is now the 11th largest economy in the world. Internationally, India has also become an important actor. On paper, India’s potential is immense, with approximately 500 million people between the ages of 18-25; its best years seem to be ahead.” (1) Focusing on the economy will yield great results, as India shows great potential for becoming an industrial powerhouse. With economic development prioritized, the GDP of India will likely skyrocket. According to the World Bank, the Indian annual GDP growth rate averages 3.2%. That is a full percentage point ahead of the US, and even the World average. (B) Increased Economic Development Would Reduce Poverty According to India’s Planning Commission, rapid economic growth has helped reduce the poverty rate from 37.2% in 2005 to 29.8% in 2010. That is 40 million less people in the absolute number of the country’s poor. Per capita income doubled during those five years, as well. Increasing the GDP (the first and foremost product of focusing on economic development) increases GDP per capita. The more money the country has overall, the less people the country has who are impoverished. India has the largest population of poverty stricken citizens in the world. Action must be taken to reduce the number of poor in India. The only way to reduce the poverty rate is to focus on developing the country, reducing wealth inequality, and bringing more money into the country. With development prioritized, Indian poor will be reduced. The World Bank reports, “The reforms India started in 1991 hold the promise of considerable improvements in the living standards of the country's 300 million poor. During the last few decades, India's inward-looking and public sector driven industrialization strategy led to rates of growth and poverty reduction far more modestly than those witnessed elsewhere in the world, particularly in South East Asia. The economy has responded well to the reforms, and the government has made it an explicit objective to accelerate the development of the country's human resources. The last five years have shown the rates of growth that India could achieve with market oriented development policies and a better integration with the world economy.” Development prioritization is already working for India to alleviate the poor. Why stop it? (C) Increased Development Would Reduce the Crime Rate The UN and the World Bank both consider Crime a massive hindrance of overall development. With development prioritized, the Indian people would have a chance to fight the crime rate. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, India’s crime rate has been on an overall steady rise since the 1950s. Prioritizing development fights this. As we have previously stated, the number of impoverished indians is incredibly high. This directly contributes to the crime rate. Development prioritization therefore fights the crime rate twofold. First, fighting it directly (through legislation) in order to increase development. Second, indirect reduction through a reduced number of impoverished people. The crime rate would likely begin to drop, yet another benefit for the people of India garnered through Economic Development. (D) Increased Development Would Increase the Standard of Living According to the World Bank, the Indian GDP per capita is about $3,876. This is incredibly low, especially when compared to the United States GDP per Capita, which is over $50,000! The people of India would see a massive increase in their standard of living if development was prioritized. Indian people will live in much better conditions with a stronger economy. With the GDP per capita raised, Indians will be able to afford more luxuries, and live their lives more comfortably. The human development index is the most effective method of gauging the standard of living. India ranks 136th on this index. (United Nations Development Program) (E) A Stronger Economy Would Allow India to Afford Better Environmental Protection in the Long Run In the long run, development first would ultimately benefit the environment more than protection first. With a strong economy, and a high GDP, India could more easily afford to protect their environment. Furthermore, they would be able to afford better protection, as they would have more money available for spending. (F) Economic Development Does Not Always Come at the Cost of the Environment The Economy of a country can easily be developed without having to deteriorate the environment severely. Every day, new technologies emerge that will allow India to improve its economy without significantly damaging its environment. (Solar, Nuclear, Geothermal, Hydroelectric, Biodegradable materials). As environmentally friendly products are becoming more and more popular, India could easily develop their economy through these products, thus protecting their environment simultaneously. (G) Economic Development Would Benefit Human Rights Social and Economic Development go hand in hand. With a thriving economy, human rights in India will flourish. Developing the economy of india will require improvements in education, and worker training, in order to improve human capital. With improved education, and worker skill, workers rights will be improved in India. Thus improving human rights. Economic development and social development together will allow India to become more progressive, and more democratic. (H) Development Would Increase India’s Presence In the World As the ‘I’ in the BRICS nations,India is a very important leader in developing countries. Indian culture encourages entrepreneurship and innovation.. Indian citizens are going on to become world business leaders. With a stronger economy, the People of india will have a much stronger voice in the global economy. With a larger economy, India would have a more influential voice in the world, and would be less threatened militarily by countries such as Pakistan. A stronger economy would also allow India to afford a larger, more powerful military. With more world influence, India would be able to protect itself more effectively, and “get it’s way” in world affairs more often. Sources1. http://www.policymic.com...