Human Development and Sustainable Development: Approaches & Report

• Human capital considers education and health as a means to increase labour productivity; treats human beings as a means to an end; the end being the increase in productivity. [UPSC 2018]

• Human development is based on the idea that education and health are integral to human well-being; human beings are treated ends in themselves.

Demographic Condition at the time of Independence

• The first census in British India was conducted in 1881.Subsequent census operations occurred every ten years.
• Overall literacy was below 16%, with female literacy at a particularly low seven percent.
• Infant mortality rate: 218 per thousand births.
• Life expectancy was low at 32 years.
• Human Development Report: Published by UNDP annually based on 5 indices: 
  • Human Development Index (HDI) 
  • HDI adjusted for inequality. 
  • Gender Development Index (GDI). 
  • Gender Inequality Index (GII). 
  • Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)
• UNDP Human Development Index
• Dimensions
  • Health of people
  • Education attainment
  • Standard of living.  
• Indicators
• • Life expectancy at birth (SDG 3)
  • Expected years of Schooling (SDG 4.3)
  • Mean years of Schooling (SDG 4.4)
  • GNI per capita (SDG 8.5)
• Gender Development Index: Countries are divided into five groups by absolute deviation from gender parity in HDI values.
  • Group 1: Countries with high equality in HDI [Norway, Ireland, Sweden etc.]
  • Group 2: Comprises countries with medium to high equality in HDI [Germany, Switzerland etc]
  • Group 3: Comprises countries with medium equality in HDI [Korea, UAE, Nepal, Congo, Zimbabwe etc.]
  • Group 4: Comprises countries with medium to low equality in HDI [Turkey, Bahrain, Maldives, Bhutan, Bangladesh etc.]
  • Group 5: Comprises countries with low equality in HDI [Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, Lebanon, Pakistan etc.]

World Happiness Report

• Annual report published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).
• Evaluation Factor: GDP Per Capita, Personal Freedom, Social Support, Generosity, Healthy Life Expectancy, Levels of Corruption.
• Human Capital Project (World Bank) 
• • Components: Human Capital Index (HCI); Measurement and research to inform policy action; Countries Engagement.
• Human Capital index: Seek to measure the amount of human capital that a child born today can expect to attain by age 18; Has three components: 
  • Survival: As measured by under-5 mortality rates 
  • Expected years of Quality-Adjusted School: which combines information on the quantity and quality of education
  • Health environment: Using two parameters of adult survival rates and rate of stunting for children under age 5.
  • Morbidity: Proneness to fall ill.
• Capital Output Ratio (COR) [UPSC 2018]: COR is a measure of capital required for producing one unit of output. 
  • If the capital-output ratio is high, then capital formation may not result in a significant increase in the output.
  • To obtain full benefits of the demographic dividend, India should invest in skill development. [UPSC  2018]
• With reference to the National Rural Health Mission, jobs of ‘ASHA’, a trained community health worker is: [UPSC 2012]
  • Accompanying women to the health facility for antenatal care check-up.
  • Using pregnancy test kits for early detection of pregnancy.
  • Providing information on nutrition and immunization.
• Janani Suraksha Yojana Programme endeavors to promote institutional deliveries; 
  • 100 % centrally sponsored scheme that integrates cash assistance with delivery and post delivery care. [UPSC 2012]

• Loan program started by water.org to address the barrier of affordable financing for safe water and sanitation.
• It puts microfinance tools to work in the water and sanitation sector; 
• Aims to enable poor people to meet their water needs without depending on subsidies.

National Water Mission [UPSC 2012]

• One of the eight missions launched under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)
• Objective:  Conservation of water, minimizing wastage and ensuring its more equitable distribution both across and within States through integrated water resources development and management. 
• Part of the water needs of urban areas will be met through the recycling of waste-water.
• The water requirements of coastal cities with inadequate alternative sources of water will be met by adopting appropriate technologies that allow for the use of ocean water.