Path for inclusive India lies in decentralisation

India has emerged as one of the fastest-growing large economies in the post-Covid period. Eight challenges to inclusion require a more deliberative and decentralised approach: Income of the bottom quintiles ; semi-skilled and skilled employment with productivity; learning outcomes in schools ; improved child nutrition; quality health care for all and public health capacity; life of dignity for urban working class; green growth, a healthy Air Quality Index, and climate resilient agriculture; and nano, micro, small and medium enterprises with adequate credit access. The southern states brought down income poverty and multidimensional poverty through high adolescent girls’ participation in higher secondary/tertiary education, the decline in fertility, improvement in health care services, formation of women self-help groups, livelihood diversification through skills and collateral-free bank linkage for SHGs. A sincere effort to emulate the development of the social capital of women’s collectives is currently taking place in the entire country under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana National Rural Livelihood Mission. They need blended learning using e-learning materials with teachers trained for this; thrust on life skills, sports, cultural activities, co- and extra-curricular activities; TV screens and sound boxes in classrooms; no teacher shortage school wise; panchayats and women’s collectives, responsible for schools; and equity in access to e-learning.