Statistical evaluation of social development at district level

Abstract

Special programmes of socio-economic development have been launched in the country for improving the quality of life of people. The level of socio-economic development was estimated for different districts in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh (including Chhattisgarh), Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh (including Uttaranchal) from the period 1991 to 2005. The status of development in agriculture sector and infrastructural facilities was evaluated for different districts. The evaluation of industrial development was also undertaken in some of the states. About 282 districts belonging to these states were convered in the study. The status of development had been worked out on the basis of a number of developmental indicators. The level of development was estimated with the help of composite index based on optimum combination of all the developmental indicators. The districts falling in different stages of development such as high level developed, middle level developed and low level developed have been identified for all the states covered in the study. Association among the levels of development in agricultural sector and overall socio-economic sector had been worked out. For enhancing the level of development of low developed districts, model districts had been identified and potential targets of important developmental indicators had been estimated.