In a literal sense, essential infrastructure forms the foundation for any municipality, city or state. This typically includes public infrastructure like roads, hospitals, schools, telecommunication lines, and water & sanitation connections. These services anchor all economic activities and build the base for society and its development. In emerging economies like India, access to quality infrastructure is vital for the populace to realize their aspirations. It is necessary for the urban slum dweller in Delhi who wants his children to study but cannot afford private education; for the migrant worker from Bihar who needs access to affordable healthcare in the city he is residing in; for the local artisan in Mysore who needs all weather roads for his/her goods reach on time to markets in metropolitans; and, for the mother who hopes that she won’t have to travel miles on miles to get water after working under the scorching suns of Rajasthan. It is time that quality infrastructure is accessible to all and is a given. The goal should be to ensure that no one is left behind and this has been gaining traction in the country with the emergence of a multitude of schemes to bridge this gap and ensure that infrastructure is an enabler and not a hinderance for the populace.
To understand the current levels of access to quality essential infrastructure in India, TSB has developed the Access to Infrastructure Index (AII), factoring in developments and initiatives in multiple components of this space. It measures the different levels of access in this space across states in India. This report aims to analyse how different states have been performing on this Index and what is the way forward to achieve the universal access to improved infrastructure.
BACK TO TSB RESEARCH MENU
