The United Nations has hailed India’s progress in the Human Development Index, highlighting significant strides made in different parameters, marking overall development. After the release of the United Nations’ Human Development Index (HDI) report, UN Development Programme’s country representative Caitlin Wiesen, highlighted India’s progress, saying that India has shown remarkable progress in human development over the years.
Ms Wiesen emphasised India’s ongoing efforts to enhance citizens’ quality of life, acknowledging progress while urging further advancements, particularly in women-led development. She emphasized the potential for socio-economic progress and a more equitable future through renewed focus. The HDI report has revealed that India’s average life expectancy reached 67.7 years in 2022, up from 62.7 years the previous year.
Additionally, India’s gross national income (GNI) per capita has surged to 6951 dollars, marking a 6.3 per cent increase over the span of 12 months. The HDI report also noted a rise in expected years of schooling, reaching 12.6 per individual. India attained an HDI score of 0.644 in 2022, positioning it at 134 out of 193 countries in the UN’s 2023-24 report titled ‘Breaking the Gridlock: Reimagining Cooperation in a Polarised World.’ This categorises India under ‘medium human development.’
With India’s HDI in 1990 standing at 0.434, the 2022 score reflects a positive change of 48.4 per cent. HDI assesses average achievements in three fundamental dimensions of human development: long and healthy life, access to education and a decent standard of living. Notable achievements include a 9.1-year increase in life expectancy at birth, a rise of 4.6 years in expected years of schooling, and an increase of 3.8 years in mean years of schooling.
Additionally, India’s GNI per capita has seen substantial growth, approximately amounting to a 287 per cent increase.The report also noted India’s strides in reducing gender inequality, highlighting a Gender Inequality Index (GII) of 0.437, surpassing the global average. On the GII list, which evaluates countries based on reproductive health, empowerment, and labor market participation, India ranks 108 out of 166 nations.
The government attributes these improvements to a decisive agenda aimed at empowering women through policy initiatives geared toward long-term socio-economic and political development. However, the global Human Development Index (HDI) values have declined, for the second consecutive year, marking a first-time occurrence. The United Nations has raised concerns over the widening disparity between affluent and impoverished nations, attributing this crisis to the persistent impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
