GNH- Qualitative and quantitative indicators & low ranking of India
GNH- Qualitative and quantitative indicators & low ranking of India
Question:- India ranks 111 in GNH Index. Explain the concept of Gross National Happiness. Also state the quantitative and qualitative indicators that are required to measure this index. Compared to the neighboring nations, why is the GNH of India low?
Gross National Happiness – GNH is an indicator which was developed in 1972 by the then King Jigme Singye Wangchuck of Bhutan.
GNH is an unique approach to global development. Peace and happiness are the two essence of GNH.GNH emphasizes more on a nation's wellbeing than economic status.
Besides the calculation of wealth, a nation should also consider other factors like preservation of the environment and the quality of the life of people.
Birth of GNH – According to King Jigme Singye Wangchuck (fourth king of Bhutan), GNH was more important than GDP (Gross Domestic Product). He realized that the GDP did not consider the ultimate goal of human beings, but the happiness. As per him, GDP was unable to calculate the peace and human happiness. Thus, the concept of GNH was coined.
Pillars of GNH – There are four main pillars behind the concept of GNH. They are:
- Good governance of the state
- Cultural preservation of the state
- Environmental conservation and preservation of the state
- Social and economic development of sustainable state
Scenario of Gross National Happiness – The World Happiness Report was released by the United Nations in 2013 which measures the happiness and well being of the countries around the world.
The happiest country in the world was Denmark and the least happiest country was Togo.
India ranks 111 in the global happiness ranking list for the year 2013.
Quantitative and Qualitative Indicators
GNH comprises of both the quantitative and qualitative indicators. The elements that contribute to the GNH are subjected to the quantitative measurement. It can be physical, environmental, mental, economical, social wellness etc.
- Environmental wellness – It is shown through a direct survey. It collects the statistical data related to the pollution, noise or traffic control.
- Economic Wellness – It is indicated through direct survey. It is the statistical measurement of economic measures, such as consumer debt, income distribution etc.
- Political Wellness – It is shown through direct survey and is the statistical measurement of political metrics such as individual freedom and foreign conflicts.
- Mental Wellness – It is indicated through a direct survey and is the statistical measurement of mental health measures . It includes rise or fall in the number of psychotherapy patients.
- Social Wellness – It is pointed out through the direct survey and is the statistical measurement of social issues like divorce rates, crime rates etc.
The World Happiness Report is a measure of happiness taken on the basis of six important factors that are accountable for a country’s well-being as well as happiness of the people. These factors are (a) GDP per capita, (b) good health and healthy life expectancy, (c) someone in the family to count on, (d) freedom to make choices in life, (e) freedom from corruption, and lastly (g) generosity.
GDP in India – In India, the country's progress is measured through the GDP (Gross Domestic Product). In terms of the GDP growth rate, the country is developing in the fields of agriculture and industry sectors.
In 2014, India had a total GDP of $ 2.047 trillion. The Economy of India is the world's tenth largest in the world by nominal GDP. Maharashtra has the highest GDP of $233 billion whereas Lakshwadeep has the lowest GDP of $60 million.
GNH of India- India ranks 111 in the global happiness ranking list for the year 2013. India is positioned after Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The factors that affect the low GNH in India are:
- Inequality in a society
- Lack of basic infrastructure like water, sanitation etc.
- Lack of access to higher education.
- Wide gap between rich and poor
- Less healthy life expectancy
- Less freedom to make choices in life
- Huge corruption
- Lack of Generosity
India needs to change its policy reforms in order to benefit the poor of the society. India can adopt the policy of GNH, which can increase the happiness of people and decrease the poor conditions of people to make them happy. Every Indian has the right to be happy and thus, combining GDP with GNH is not a bad idea.
Facts and Figures
- Maharashtra has the highest GDP of $233 billion.
- Lakshwadeep has the lowest GDP of $60 million.
- India is today one of the major G-20 economies of the world.
- GNH was developed in Bhutan in 1972 by the then King Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
- The happiest country in the world was Denmark.
- The least happiest country in the world was Togo.
- In 1999, the Government of Bhutan prepared a strategy named “Bhutan 2020: A vision for peace, prosperity and happiness”.
- In 2006, Adrian White who is a psychologist from the University of Leicester published the “World Map of Happiness”. In this, Bhutan was ranked 8th whereas USA was ranked 23rd.
- The 5th International Gross National Happiness Conference was held in Brazil.
