The article argues that a nation's true development is best measured by the safety of its tap water, not solely by GDP. It posits that India, despite aiming for developed status by 2047, lacks universally safe drinking water, a goal not prioritized in current development frameworks. The author contends that GDP growth alone doesn't guarantee essential public goods like potable water, leading to reliance on private substitutes and societal fragmentation. Current data on piped water connections fail to reflect water safety or consistent supply, highlighting a gap in measuring genuine development.