Resource detail

The focus of this paper is to recommend a broad strategy for enhancing resource-use efficiency in Indian economy and industry, and highlight the key elements of the strategy. Over the last two decades, India has experienced dynamic transformation with rapid economic growth, an expanding industrial and service related production, rise in average income, a thriving middle class, rapid urbanisation and a growing population. These changes have been underpinned by increased scale and intensity of resource use leading to manifold increase in demand for natural resources, especially materials. Thus, concerns over resource depletion and constraints manifesting in resource supply constraints, price shocks and rapid degradation of natural resource base. These have larger economic, social, political and environmental consequences. Notably, resource extraction, utilisation and disposal also typically impose significant environmental burdens, many of which, particularly climate change are becoming acute progressively and are being borne disproportionately by the poor and vulnerable. Therefore, judicious use of resources through a combination of conservation and efficiency measures for economic, social and environmental sustainability is in every society’s interest.