It has not taken long for India to become a nation obsessed with growth as measured by the Gross Domestic Product. But GDP is not everything. A growing GDP can be good, but is not always so. Growth can be skewed, sometimes with misplaced priorities that can focus on the glitz and hide away the grime. Development cannot be only about fancy malls, glamorous airports or gated communities.
We like to argue that GDP growth is not a panacea and should go hand-in-hand with good governance, a justice system that works for all citizens and a responsive administration that can promote well-being to enable all people, irrespective of caste, creed, gender, religion, region, language, dialect, lead happy, fulfilling and enriching lives.
We believe the way to do that is to invest in areas like primary health and primary education, and broadly in investments at the grassroots that can, for example, provide clean drinking water and sanitation, and safe, efficient, affordable public transport that all sections of the people can use. India also needs a special focus on uplifting the "backwards", and some of our poorest and most vulnerable groups. Our writings try and present these arguments in the context of everyday developments.