[Answered] “By speeding up the connectivity revolution, developing India could become a developed nation.” Comment.

Present government is giving a big push to rail, road, river, air, mobile and digital connectivity which is important for economic growth of the country. By speeding up the connectivity revolution, India can reach new heights by giving impetus to industrialisation and commerce.

How connectivity can boost development of the India?

1. Road Connectivity: Roads are the arteries of economic growth. By linking producers to markets, workers to jobs, students to school, and the sick to hospitals, roads are vital to any development.  Roads bring economic and social benefits by:
   • Connecting rural areas thereby reducing rural-urban gaps.
   • Linking agricultural area to market, thereby increasing income of the farmers.
   • Improve logistics efficiency and reduce transportation cost and time.
   • Internal migration leading to opportunities to poor in cities and urban areas.
2. Rail Connectivity: Railway is lifeline of Indian economy. It is important for development of the nation as:
   • Railways are an important source of employment in India. Lakhs of skilled and unskilled people are employed in operating the railway. Its further development will create many opportunities of employment.
   • The connectivity of Railways to various tourist spots gives encouragement to tourism. Thus providing world class services and speedy travel as envisaged in Train 18 and billet trains is important for economic growth.
   • Railways connectivity is most important for socially weaker section of people. Due to its affordability it is the most common transport mode in India. Thus rail connectivity is important for inclusive growth.
   • By connecting various areas of the country railways would further boost internal trade convenient. They carry goods and passengers to various places easily.
3. Rivers and coasts: Water Transport is a good alternative to increase the movement of goods and passengers. Inland waterways and coastal shipping is cost effective and high generate revenues.
   • The development of waterways would reduce the logistics cost. This will enable India to compete in the International market effectively.
   • Coastal shipping and inland water transport is a fuel efficient, environment friendly and cost effective mode, especially for bulk goods.
   • Further it can boost tourism to a new scale that would create jobs and economic growth.
4. Air Connectivity: Air connectivity is key to unlocking a country’s economic growth potential, in part because it enables the country to attract business investment and human capital.
   • An increase in air connectivity also spurs tourism, which is vital to many countries’ economic prosperity.
   • Air transport is an important enabler to achieve economic growth and development. Air transport facilitates integration into the global economy and provides vital connectivity on a national, regional, and international scale.
   • It is important for trade, and create employment opportunities.
5. Digital connectivity: 4^th industrial revolution is the key of new era development. Digital push not only lead to employment generation but would:
   • Boost economy by more production in less time and more efficient products.
   • It would enhance exports and would help in ease of doing business.
   • It is important to plug rural urban gap for inclusive growth.

Thus connectivity would push India for achieving $5 trillion mark and would help in boosting Make in India. Schemes like PM Gram Sadak yojana, port development, digital India initiative etc. are right steps. Further push in form of other reforms would ensure development of India into a developed nation.