Infrastructure in India: The Present Status and Its Constraints

Rudra P Pradhan

doi:10.22610/jebs.v2i3.228

Abstract

Provision of adequate infrastructure, in terms of both quantity and quality, is very essential for the rapid achievement of sustainable economic growth, both by increasing productivity and by providing amenities that enhance the quality of life. The objective of this paper is to investigate the role played by infrastructure, grouped under physical, social and financial, in determining economic development in India over the different time periods. An attempt is also made to find out the existence of intra-regional disparities, in terms of infrastructure, among the states of India. Using Factor analysis and regression analysis, the paper finds that infrastructure plays a significant role in determining the inter-state level of development in India during the past quarter century. The paper at the end discusses various challenges and opportunities for the infrastructure development in India and its link with sustainable economic growth.

Highlights

The concept of sustainable development summarizes the challenges that the world is facing- to manage a global social and economic development that neither degrades the ecological systems nor exhausts natural resources (WCED, 1987)
The development of infrasystems has in many ways made everyday life easier (Jonsson, 2005)
It plays a catalytic role in the process of development (Kapila and Kapila, 2002) and its services are essential to the commodity producing sectors of an economy

Summary

Introduction

The concept of sustainable development summarizes the challenges that the world is facing- to manage a global social and economic development that neither degrades the ecological systems nor exhausts natural resources (WCED, 1987). Its installations do not produce goods and services directly but essential inputs for all other socio-economic activities (Sanchez-Robles, 1998; Canning et al, 1994). It is referred as umbrella term for many activities and named as social overhead capital and economic overhead capital. WDR (1994) corresponds that infrastructure has a considerable significant positive impact on economic growth. It constitutes the wheels, if not the engines of economic development (Prakash, 2005; Karnik, 2003; Ghosh and De, 1998; WDR, 1994). It can ensure sustainable economic growth and quality of life in the economy

Scope of Infrastructure

Classification of Infrastructure

Status of Infrastructure in India

The Constraints of Infrastructure

Findings

The Future Perspective