Ease of Living Reforms in India (2014–2026): Citizen-Centric Governance and Inclusive Development

Recent Developments:

Recent Progress:

• The Government highlighted India’s twelve-year journey (2014–2026) of Ease of Living reforms driven by citizen-centric governance, technology-enabled service delivery, and mission-mode implementation across housing, sanitation, drinking water, energy, financial inclusion, connectivity, and digital governance.
• Key programmes such as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, Jan Vishwas reforms, and PM GatiShakti National Master Plan have advanced implementation and support the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

Ease of Living:

Meaning and Significance:

• Ease of Living refers to improving quality of life through access to basic services, infrastructure, financial security, and efficient governance.
• It shifts governance from welfare delivery to a citizen-centric, outcome-oriented system.
• It supports inclusive development, human development, and good governance.

Key Initiatives for Ease of Living:

Housing and Urban Development:

• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) was launched in 2015 to provide pucca houses to EWS, LIG, and MIG urban households.
• PMAY-U 2.0 (2024) provides financial assistance up to ₹2.5 lakh under Beneficiary-Led Construction and promotes women’s ownership.
• Over 1.25 crore houses have been sanctioned and more than 98 lakh houses completed.
• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) launched in 2016 provides assistance of ₹1.20 lakh in plains and ₹1.30 lakh in hilly areas.
• Against a target of 3.98 crore houses, about 3.91 crore were sanctioned and 3.05 crore completed by 2026.
• Around 75% houses are owned or jointly owned by women.
• Houses are linked with toilets, drinking water, and electricity through convergence with other schemes.
• Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) launched in 2015 focused on water supply, sewerage, and urban infrastructure in 500 cities.
• AMRUT 2.0 (2021) expanded coverage to all 4,800 statutory towns with an outlay of ₹2.99 lakh crore.
• Projects worth about ₹2.79 lakh crore have been approved.

Universal Access to Basic Services

Clean Cooking Fuel:

• Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched in 2016 to provide clean LPG connections to eligible households and reduce dependence on traditional biomass fuels.
• The scheme improved health, dignity, and convenience, especially for rural women.
• The initial target of 8 crore connections was achieved by September 2019, followed by expansion under Ujjwala 2.0.
• By 2026, more than 10.57 crore LPG connections had been provided.
• LPG coverage in India increased from 55.9% (2014) to 107.2% (2026).

Safe Drinking Water:

• Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was launched in 2019 with the objective of providing Har Ghar Jal through tap water connections.
• Rural households with tap water increased from 3.23 crore (2019) to 15.86 crore (June 2026).
• Around 12 crore new tap connections were provided with an investment of approximately ₹2.08 lakh crore.
• The mission reduced the burden of water collection for about 9 crore women.
• More than 1.81 lakh villages were certified as Har Ghar Jal by Gram Sabhas.
• Water quality monitoring was strengthened through 2,843 laboratories and training of 24.80 lakh women in field testing kits.
• Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 was extended in March 2026 till December 2028 with higher financial allocation.

Sanitation and Waste Management:

• Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G) was launched in 2014 and increased rural sanitation coverage from 39% (2014) to 100% (2019).
• By June 2026, more than 12.14 crore household toilets and 2.76 lakh community sanitation complexes were constructed.
• Over 5.69 lakh villages were declared ODF Plus.
• Around 5.34 lakh villages have solid waste management systems.
• Around 5.55 lakh villages have liquid waste management systems.
• Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) constructed more than 63 lakh household toilets and 6 lakh community toilets between 2014 and 2026.
• Urban waste processing increased from 16% (2014) to 82% (2026).
• Door-to-door waste collection increased from 43% to 98%.
• All 35 States and UTs declared urban areas Open Defecation Free in 2019.
• WHO estimated about 3 lakh fewer diarrhoeal deaths in 2019 compared to 2014.

Power and Clean Energy

Electricity Access and Capacity:

• India’s installed power capacity increased from 248 GW (2014) to over 532 GW (2026).
• Renewable energy capacity increased from 76.38 GW (2014) to 274.69 GW (2026).
• India became the third-largest renewable energy producer globally.
• Solar capacity increased from 2.82 GW to 150.26 GW.
• Wind capacity increased from 21.04 GW to 56.09 GW.

Power Supply Improvement:

• Rural electricity supply improved from 12.5 hours (2014) to 22.6 hours (2026).
• Urban electricity supply reached about 23.4 hours per day.
• Energy deficit reduced from 4.2% (2013–14) to 0.03% (2025–26).

Transmission and Grid:

• Transmission network of 220 kV and above expanded to over 5 lakh circuit km (2026).
• India operates one of the largest synchronous national grids in the world.

Key Schemes in Power Sector:

• SAUBHAGYA scheme (2017) provided last-mile electricity connections to about 2.86 crore households, achieving universal household electrification.
• PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (2024) provides rooftop solar subsidy up to ₹78,000 and up to 300 free units/month.
• By May 2026, over 40 lakh households installed rooftop solar systems.
• UJALA scheme distributed about 37 crore LED bulbs, leading to major energy savings and reduced household expenditure.

Financial Inclusion and Economic Empowerment

Banking Inclusion and Digital Finance:

• Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) was launched in 2014 to provide universal access to banking services and integrate citizens into the formal financial system.
• PMJDY accounts increased from 14.72 crore (2015) to more than 58 crore (2026).
• Total deposits in these accounts crossed ₹3 lakh crore, reflecting increased usage of formal banking services.

Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT):

• Direct Benefit Transfer system enabled direct transfer of welfare benefits into beneficiary bank accounts.
• In FY 2024–25, about ₹6.9 lakh crore was transferred under 327 government schemes.
• This reduced leakages, middlemen, and improved transparency in welfare delivery.

Financial Security:

• By June 2026, over 40.60 crore RuPay debit cards had been issued.
• These cards provide access to formal banking along with accident insurance coverage.

Entrepreneurship and Credit Access:

• Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) was launched in 2015 to provide collateral-free loans to micro and small enterprises.
• Since inception, more than 57.7 crore loans worth over ₹40 lakh crore have been sanctioned.
• Around 66% of loans were provided to women entrepreneurs, amounting to about ₹16.88 lakh crore.
• Nearly half of beneficiaries belong to SC, ST, and OBC communities.
• Tarun Plus category (2024–25) increased loan limit up to ₹20 lakh for eligible borrowers.

Transport and Connectivity

Road Infrastructure:

• India’s total road network expanded to 63.73 lakh km, making it the second largest road network globally.
• National highways increased from 91,287 km (2014) to 1,46,572 km (2026).
• Four-lane and above highways expanded significantly.
• Major projects include Bharatmala Pariyojana (22,590 km completed), Atal Tunnel, Dhola–Sadiya Bridge, Sudarshan Setu, Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor, and Dwarka Expressway.
• These projects improved logistics, tourism, and border connectivity.

Rural Roads:

• Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) improved all-weather rural road connectivity.
• Around 99.6% of eligible habitations are now connected.
• About 4.11 lakh km of rural roads were constructed between 2014 and 2026.

Railways:

• Railway electrification reached 99.6% (69,873 route km) by 2026.
• Rail accidents declined from 135 (2014–15) to 16 (2025–26) due to safety systems like Kavach.
• Vande Bharat Express expanded to 162 services.
• Amrit Bharat Station Scheme identified 1,338 stations, with 208 upgraded by 2026.

Civil Aviation:

• Under UDAN scheme, 665 routes were operationalized across 95 airports, heliports, and water aerodromes.
• Airports increased from 74 (2014) to 165 (2026).
• More than 1.64 crore passengers benefited from regional air connectivity.

Metro and Urban Transport:

• Metro network expanded from 248 km in 2014 (5 cities) to 1,155 km in 2026 (26 cities).
• India became the third largest metro network globally.
• Namo Bharat RRTS (Delhi–Meerut) became operational in February 2026, improving high-speed regional connectivity.

Governance Reforms

Trust-Based Regulatory Framework:

• Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 aimed to reduce compliance burden by decriminalising minor procedural violations.
• The Act replaced imprisonment provisions with monetary penalties, warnings, and administrative remedies for several minor offences.
• It promoted a shift from a punitive regulatory system to a trust-based governance model.
• Jan Vishwas Act, 2026 expanded reforms across 79 Central Acts covering 784 provisions.
• Around 717 provisions were decriminalised and 67 provisions were amended.
• Adjudicating officers and appellate authorities were strengthened for faster dispute resolution.

Citizen-Centric Digital Governance:

• Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) improved grievance redressal efficiency through digital monitoring.
• Between January 2025 and February 2026, around 6 lakh grievances were resolved.
• Approximately 69.8% of grievances were rated as satisfactory by citizens.
• MyGov platform, launched in 2014, enabled participatory governance and citizen engagement in policymaking.
• It has more than 60 million registered users and operates across 28 States and Union Territories.
• It is used for consultations, feedback, and dissemination of government schemes.

Integrated Infrastructure Planning:

• PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (2021) was launched to ensure integrated planning of infrastructure across sectors.
• It integrates 58 Ministries and Departments on a single digital platform.
• It uses 3,204 GIS-based data layers for coordinated infrastructure planning and execution.
• It improves logistics efficiency, reduces duplication, and accelerates project implementation.

Outcomes of Ease of Living Reforms

Social Outcomes:

• Access to housing, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, clean fuel, and banking services has significantly improved living standards.
• Women’s empowerment has increased through asset ownership, reduced drudgery, and financial inclusion.
• Public health outcomes improved due to sanitation and clean water access.

Economic Outcomes:

• Infrastructure expansion improved productivity, investment, employment, and logistics efficiency.
• Direct Benefit Transfer reduced leakages and improved fiscal efficiency.
• Financial inclusion expanded savings, credit access, and entrepreneurship.

Governance Outcomes:

• Digital governance improved transparency, accountability, and efficiency in service delivery.
• Convergence of schemes improved implementation effectiveness.
• Citizen participation in governance has increased through digital platforms.

Challenges Ahead

Key Issues:

• Need to improve quality and maintenance of infrastructure rather than only expansion.
• Regional disparities in development remain significant.
• Strengthening institutional capacity for operation and maintenance is required.
• Climate-resilient and sustainable infrastructure development is needed.
• Digital literacy and last-mile connectivity in governance require further improvement.

Value Addition for UPSC

Constitutional Provisions:

• Article 21 – Right to life with dignity includes access to basic services.
• Article 38 – State to promote social and economic justice.
• Article 39 – Equitable distribution of resources.
• Article 41 – Public assistance in certain cases.
• Article 47 – Improvement of nutrition and public health.
• Article 243W – Powers of urban local bodies.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 1 – No Poverty
• SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 5 – Gender Equality
• SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy
• SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
• SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 16 – Strong Institutions