Articles
Fourth Largest Economy in the world v/s Infrastructure and Citizen’ Happiness
Opinion | Articles | Basil A. D'Cunha | 21-Aug-2025
Our Honorable Prime Minister has stated that in the current year 2025, India stands as the world’s fourth-largest economy in the world. It places us behind only the United States, China, and Germany. We have surpassed established economic powers such as Japan and the United Kingdom.
Commendable indeed. When we consider our Infrastructure, and where citizen’ stand in terms of enjoying this hallowed achievement, is it?
Infrastructure refers to the basic physical and organizational structures needed for a country to function. It is the foundation upon which everything else is built. Our schools, roads, bridges, hospitals, water supply, sewage systems etc. Then, we need the systems and processes that manage and maintain these physical structures. How do we match with and UK, Japan? Do we seem to be stronger when compared with them?
In a significant article written by Journalist Rashme Sehgal “Collapsing bridge: Graft, neglect & Greed” in the Goan; Sehgal states that Bihar and Gujarat seem to be competing, as both States have each had over 24 bridges collapsing in the last year. This has resulted in loss of lives, millions of rupees down the drain and major inconvenience to people. Besides these two states, she writes that Uttarakhand has also suffered from bridges collapse. In a PWD SURVEY in 2022, Uttarakhand, 37 bridges had collapsed while another 27 bridges were on the brink .Clearly quality control loses ground, when short cuts are permitted.
The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2024, released in February 2025, ranks 180 countries based on perceived levels of public sector corruption. India's score is 38 out of 100, placing it at 96th position. Denmark, Finland, and Singapore are perceived as the least corrupt. Here is a case in point: In Goa, 10 elected members who were from the opposition, crossed the floor and joined the ruling party with inducements. One even had the temerity of admitting it. Wither India, wither Goa.?
Goa has shown how we managed to make our city Smart. Besides the huge delay on agreed deadlines, we now have, post completion and the first rains after two months. pot holes, street flooding that virtually remind us of days gone by, when bullock cart roads fared better.
The Times of India (Goa edition) on 18th August reports that “ 1 in 4 live in shanties across urban South Goa: Govt data”. This is official govt data. It translates into 26,850 people live in slum conditions across three major cities in south goa. Are we tourist destination?
Another recent news Report about Government Primary Schools from the same newspaper ( 17th Sept 2025) in Goa, and I quote “67 govt primary schools shut down or merged since 2020-21” .One reason could be Legislators had highlighted at the Assembly in July 13, 2022 (TOI): “ due the pitiable condition of government primary schools across the State with leaking roofs, stinky toilets and lack of teachers was causing the closing down of these schools.“ in other words nothing was done for three years.
Let’s glance at issues citizens face. As per the latest data shared by the Union Law Ministry, over 1.57 million cases—that’s 15,77,191—have been pending in Indian courts for more than 10 years. This includes both civil and criminal cases across High Courts and district courts. Here’s a breakdown of the long tail of judicial pendency:
In our High Courts:
- 11.5 lakh cases pending for 10–20 years
- 3.4 lakh cases pending for 20–30 years
- 63,239 cases pending for 30–40 years
- 22,829 cases pending for 40–50 years
- 2,329 cases pending for over 50 years, with the oldest dating back to 1951.
Should we be proud that JUSTICE IS DENIED to this extent? The greater tragedy is, that nothing is being done about it, though the Judges are crying hoarse, that there are as per Ministry of Law, more than 5,600 vacancies in the judiciary from lower courts to Supreme Court:
- There are currently 2 vacancies in SC, 364 in high courts (HC), & 5245 in district courts.
- To add insult to injury, we will soon have one additional vacancy , as High Court Judge, Justice Yashwant Varma may be impeached. Why? It was found hidden, a huge stash of cash in his outhouse in Delhi. It only came to light as there was a fire in the outhouse. Half of the cash got wasted away in flames., He was previously with the Delhi High Court and is currently with the Allahabad High Court. A Supreme Court-appointed panel reportedly found allegations against him credible, following the discovery, at his residence. This tells us of the corruption levels even at the level of august Senior Judges in India.
Another serious matter that is cropping very often are crimes against women. The Hindu newspaper reports that there are 86 rape cases each day in India. Even Medical colleges are not exempt. R.G. Kar Medical College had a Doctor raped and murdered ..
Various International organizations, viz United Nations- World Bank,- World Health Organization (WHO).and other well-known organizations conduct worldwide Annual surveys on various subjects like ,health parameters, press freedom, wellbeing of citizens, happiness levels of its citizens etc.
As of the latest World Press Freedom Index report from Reporters Without Borders (RSF),
India is ranked 151st out of 180 countries in terms of press freedom levels. Obviously, the Government is afraid to let things out in the open. One such issue being religious freedom. We are a secular country, yet we have seen the disaster that happened in Manipur not too long ago, when Christians were killed and their homes destroyed. Churches too went down in flames. Recently 2 nuns were arrested on false charges: that women were used for trafficking and forced conversions were taking place. It appears that after Muslims, Christians will now be persecuted.
Unemployment and under employment are major problem areas. Currently 45 million people are unemployed. There are furthermore a huge number of people underemployed i.e. either not working for 8 hours per day or those with higher skills are doing lower skills jobs.
The World Happiness Report 2025, released on March 20, 2025, ranks India at 118th out of 147 countries. Finland retains its top spot as the happiest country for the eighth consecutive year. The report, compiled by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford in partnership with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, assesses happiness based on self-reported life evaluations. The report ranks countries based on several metrics, including GDP per capita, social support, life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perceptions of corruption. Despite being one of the world's fastest-growing economies, India’s overall happiness score remains low.
Key findings:
- India's rank: 118th in 2025.
- South Asian nations: Nepal ranks 92nd, Pakistan 109th, Myanmar 126th, and Sri Lanka 133rd, according to Shankar IAS Parliament. We are even ranked lower than Pakistan.
- Factors considered: The report uses six key factors to determine happiness scores: social support, GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and perception of corruption.
Even Pakistan ranks 109th in the index, slightly ahead of India, despite facing significant economic and social challenges.
Do we, the people in India, want us to be the fourth largest economy in the world or prefer a lower ranking, as far as the economy goes, but a much higher ranking in the other indices as various world research bodies see us.?
(The author is a youth motivator in career guidance and a retired Human Resource Manager of with the Emirates Airlines)
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