Development disparities in Indian hill states a geographical perspective

Abstract

Different regions have different resources base and endowments caused dissimilar growth. Development disparity is a ubiquitous phenomenon. This research work had a fresh look on development disparity among and within Indian hill states. In this research work, the social development had been inferred using female literacy, rural development from the non- agricultural workforce, and economic development from degree of urbanization during post reform period (1991-2011). The analysis revealed that across Indian hill states, Mizoram has been socially and economically the most developed while Sikkim is the most developed interms of rural development.Country to it, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Mizoram were the least developed in social, economic, and rural development respectively across Indian hill states during the corresponding period of time. Across districts of hill states, development disparities were more glaring. newlineGender disparity means discrimination between individual on the basis of sex.The analysis reveals that gender disparity in term of social, economic, and rural development has been more pronounced in Western hillstates than Northern- Eastern hill states. Across Indian hill states, gender parity in term of social development had been converging at faster pace. The analysis unfolded the development disparity on space among social groups i.e. non-scheduled population, scheduled castes population, and scheduled tribes population. newlineHill areas did not receive any adequate attention up to first three Five Year Plans. In Fourth Five Year Plan, hill states were given the status of special category states for preferential treatment in term of central assistance. The research revealed that the Planning Commission of India had been allocated normal central assistance among hill states on previous allotment pattern without considering resources position of states, developing needs etc.