The Hindu : National : India ranks high among transformation States

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India ranks high among transformation States

V. Jayanth

Social disparities represent a serious burden: study

Peace efforts lauded
Government plans bearing fruit

CHENNAI: India has climbed up in the rankings in a study of market economics and democracy in 125 transformation States published by an independent German foundation earlier this week.

The study places India at the 25th position in terms of development, just behind Singapore, Brazil and South Africa.

India has reached the 19th spot in an evaluation of the management performance of its political decision-makers, equivalent to an improvement of 13 places on the previous study in 2006.

The study was conducted by the Bertelsmann Foundation, and lauds India’s efforts “to achieve peaceful integration of ethnic minorities and its international cooperation with its regional partners, particularly Pakistan. However, continuing weaknesses include a cumbersome justice system and inadequate protection of civil rights in conflict regions.”

Josef Janning of the Bertelsmann Foundation said in a release: “The plans of the Indian government to shape the country to become a developed economy and a key player in international politics are now bearing fruit. India should also exploit this favourable situation to increase efforts to tackle its greatest problem: the continuingly pronounced inequalities in society, particularly in terms of education, health, social security, and earnings.

“The creation of a greater equilibrium between the regions and enabling as many people as possible to share in economic success should be central objectives of future policy.”

The foundation’s study has seen the national economies in the northern Asian landscape achieving the fastest international growth rates in recent decades.

“The peer group distinguished by excellent economic performance consists of China, Singapore, and most importantly, India, which has rapidly developed in about a decade to become a global economic power. With regard to social market economics, only Singapore has managed to reach the peak in a regional comparison with this trio, closely followed by South Korea and Taiwan. These are faced by large areas of southern Asia and important regions in South East Asia, which are dislocated from this dynamic economic growth.”

Another feature of the study relates to the democratic aspect of these economies, with the conclusion: “On the whole, no important successes in democratization can be determined for the investigation period. The stagnation already detected in 2006 continues to prevail.”

Concerns have been raised about the developments in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Thailand. The German foundation is a non-profit organisation established in 1977 and this study, carried out every two years, analyses and evaluates the quality of democracy, market economics and political management in 125 developing and transformation countries.

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