Chapter 7: Social Sector Development and Inclusive Growth in India: A Quantitative Analysis

The eradication of poverty and the creation of jobs has been the main agenda of the development policy of India as discussed in the previous chapters. India has adamantly believed since its independence for its progress phenomenon to be inclusive so that everyone, even at the downtrodden level, can participate in the process of development. Hunger, disease, and poverty would all be eradicated as a result of this process of development, which would also reduce social inequality. Growth had to be inclusive, sustainable, and broadly based in order to accomplish this. Employment creation and participation did not diminish even when India anchored its development policy on Nehruvian principles comprising significant investment, intensive industrialisation, import substitution, and indigenisation of goods and services (Balkrishnan, 2013).