Disruptive Engineering Innovations for Sustainability is the Key for economic growth – S.K. Singh

(The author SK Singh is a Founder and Chief learning officer – Gramin Samridhi Foundation. Email: hello@graminsamridhi.in)

The economic order of the world today is mostly defined by the growth fueled by industrial, Defence and oil economies. Dotcom boom surfaced in 1999 got busted because it was hyped and its foundation stones were not pragmatic and sustainable. The frequent cycle of recession in the IT industry suggests not to rely heavily on IT industry for sustainability.

On occasions it has been reported giant economies like USA also face debt payment crisis and they find it hard to manage this crisis economically and politically. The self created over expensed Defence economy will no longer hold beyond a certain point due to the changed world order. Pandemic like Covid-19 has been an eye opener to look for new area for economic growth. In this context it makes more sense to follow a non-conventional approach by engaging the engineering resources, R&D institutions and corporates to develop disruptive Engineering innovations needed for the ‘Sustainability for livelihood” and for “Sustainability for Nature”.

Nature is the source for all living and it is essential for the survival. Hence it is all the more important to take on is a pressing challenge issues for today’s economic and environmental interests. Whether we live in urban or a small village , nature provides the food, shelter and air we need to survive. It’s also the driving force behind our weather and natural resources.

The vast population and unmanaged natural resources of India can be treated as an asset for this opportunity and India can leapfrog the competition by addressing needs of Technological interventions in areas like waste management, low cost decentralized water purification, running appliances especially for farmers to every home through renewable energy and most importantly by designing low cost products in Agriculture needed for small and marginal farmers.

Unfortunately the vast number Engineering graduates passing out every year in India simply look for a job and most of them get employment in roles which do not demand skills of Engineering. Corporates simply work on their plan for profiteering and most of them are not bothered to develop the solutions needed for the sustainability of the common man and sustainability of Nature.

It is high time Government of India should carve out a separate ministry to define ways and means to promote engineering interventions for sustainability. The existing ministries are mandated different priorities and rightly so they are engaged in many good efforts in this line.
The hidden potential of the rural economy through engineering interventions has not been an agenda so far in the planning and to address the issues of carbon emissions and pollution Government has defined policies which have mixed responses in terms of its efficacy.

It is not out of place to mention here that unlike many other countries India enjoy the benefit of huge customers inside the country and it does not depend too much on export for its economic growth like China. Attaining 40 Trillion Dollar GDP will be easier by 2040 if engineering interventions for sustainability assigned priorities through government policies.

Engineering interventions are needed for sustainability of natural resources in Air & Climate, Energy, Water, Biodiversity, land, forest and ecosystems. Gramin Samridhi Foundation is engaged in designing a few of the disruptive technological and Engineering interventions for Sustainability for Livelihood and for sustainability for nature by collaborating with Engineers in the country engaged in R&D.