Page 29 - Constitution

70 Years of Indian

Constitution

India has pledged to ‘Leave No One Behind’
who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not
clothed.” and has committed to fast-track progress
It is therefore necessary for the Government concerned to for those furthest behind first.
prioritise its efforts and ensure that its wealth and resources are
evenly distributed so that it achieves the full impact of Article 21
271 million people moved out of poverty. As per the World
of the Constitution. Government spending must focus heavily
Bank’s Poverty Clock, close to 44 Indians escape extreme
on uplifting the poor and downtrodden. It is the lack of will on the
poverty every minute. India, as a member State of the
part of Governments with regard to an entire class of deprived
United Nations, has adopted the Sustainable Development
citizens, who are invisible because they do not carry that great
Goals (SDGs). The primary goal is to end poverty by the
attraction to the powers-that-be, namely the vote. They have
year 2030. India has pledged to ‘Leave No One Behind’
to be given a voice, at least at the grassroots level, where the
and has committed to fast-track progress for those furthest
poor has to be represented by just one representative in the
behind first.
unit of local self-Government. Their voice would then be heard
Unfortunately, the recent statistics make grim reading. As
and, once heard throughout the country, one could expect
per the NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals Index
the Government of the day to do everything within its power
2019, more Indians have fallen into poverty, hunger and
to carry out its obligations to the fullest extent.We, who are
income inequality in the past two years. Furthermore, the
passive spectators to this great wrong which is being inflicted
Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown measures,
on thousands of our fellow countrymen, are equally to blame.
which were necessary to curb the rapid spread of the virus,
The State, if in need of funds, would have to levy a cess on
has thrown millions of people across the world into poverty.
every individual on his income above a particular level. Every
While data is still awaited, the pandemic could have
corporate entity, having a turnover above a particular level,
potentially undone the progress that has been achieved
would have to adopt a whole village to ensure that the poverty-
so far. It is therefore all the more necessary for proactive
stricken population has access to the facilities required to live
efforts on the part of Governments, large corporations and
a life of dignity. The silver lining is that India has halved its
all influential stakeholders to adopt policies that would result
poverty rate since the 1990s and achieved annual growth
in the upliftment of the poorest.
exceeding seven per cent over the last 15 years. In the ten-
year period between 2005-06 and 2015-16, approximately

KK Venugopal, a Padma Bhushan awardee, is an Indian Constitutional lawyer and a senior advocate in the

Supreme Court of India. He was appointed Attorney General of India in 2017 and serving till date

70 Years of Indian Constitution 29