Archive · 30 Aug 2026
Tavleen Singh Says India’s Small Dreams Need Attention
Tavleen Singh says India is trying to achieve very large goals, such as building highways, smart cities, and becoming developed by 2047.
She agrees that these big projects can be useful.
However, she says many everyday needs are still being ignored.
Rural schools may lack trained teachers, libraries, playgrounds, clean water, and toilets.
Cities and rivers also need cleaner air, cleaner water, and better waste systems.
Young people are protesting because they want better schools and decent jobs.
Singh says corruption and large bribes make it hard for many Indians to do business.
She asks political leaders to pay more attention to these smaller but important problems.
Tavleen Singh says India’s drive toward big development goals has neglected basic public needs.
She highlights rural schools’ shortages of trained teachers, libraries, playgrounds, clean water, and toilets.
The column calls for cleaner city air, cleaner rivers, and more effective waste management.
Singh says young Indians are protesting for better schools and decent jobs.
She argues that corruption and large bribes make doing business difficult for most Indians.
- Who
- Columnist Tavleen Singh discusses Narendra Modi, state chief ministers, young Indians, schoolchildren, and ordinary citizens.
- What
- The column argues that India’s pursuit of large development ambitions has overlooked education, jobs, environmental protection, and less corrupt administration.
- When
- The article discusses the period since Narendra Modi became prime minister and refers to an Uttar Pradesh election expected next year.
- Where
- Across India, including rural schools, cities, rivers, and mountain regions.
- Why
- Singh argues that political leaders have focused on highly visible large projects while neglecting everyday problems affecting ordinary Indians.
Large-Scale Development Vision
Everyday Needs and Basic Services
Development priorities
Large-Scale Development Vision
Narendra Modi and state chief ministers promote highways, smart cities, trillion-dollar state economies, and a developed India by 2047.
Everyday Needs and Basic Services
Tavleen Singh argues that large projects should not overshadow schools, sanitation, jobs, and environmental protection.
Infrastructure progress
Large-Scale Development Vision
The article acknowledges faster highway construction, smart-city efforts, improved urban services in rural areas, and a transformative toilet-building programme.
Everyday Needs and Basic Services
Singh says some highways deteriorate during the rains and that many basic services remain inadequate.
Economic opportunity
Large-Scale Development Vision
The government’s development vision is presented as seeking broader prosperity and easier business conditions.
Everyday Needs and Basic Services
Singh says millions of Indians have not become richer and argues that corruption means only people able to pay large bribes find it easier to do business.
- Development target
- The article says India is repeatedly described as aiming to become a developed country by 2047.
- State ambitions
- Chief ministers are described as promoting goals of making their states trillion-dollar economies by 2047.
- School needs
- The column says schools need trained teachers, libraries, playgrounds, clean water, and toilets.
- Teacher training reform
- Educationist Michel Danino is cited as calling for a complete overhaul of the District Institutes of Education and Training.
- Environmental ranking
- A Yale University survey is described as placing India near the bottom of a 177-country environmental ranking, with only Laos lower.
- Public protests
- The article says young Indians, including schoolchildren, have taken to the streets seeking teachers, clean toilets, and decent jobs.
- Business conditions
- Singh attributes difficult business conditions for most Indians partly to deeply rooted corruption and large bribes.
