Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Kerala stands apart from the rest

This weeks Outlook magazine had a special coverage on the southern states of India, on how they fare well in comparison to other states (mainly North Indians states) of India. The results hardly surprise anyone, because the north south differences in terms of human development (not in terms of the urban prosperity and stock market index) is quite wide. But among southern states itself, the little Kerala stands way apart in almost all of the development index. This can be confusing to many, because the perception many have about Kerala is one that of an industry freed and unemployment sprouting region. It is no denying fact that, Kerala's main problem over the years have been unemployment, mainly because of the lack of private industries. But, I am interested to see how an ordinary human being living in a remote village fares. Is he able to live a decent life, freed of violence and exploitation? Is he in a position to support his/her children's education? Does he find comfort in himself or herself within the social circle? Can he afford a house? Do they access to other basic needs of life? Is he getting basic medical/health support from Government? As far as I am concerned, these should judge the well being of a state, because that is the best index of its people.

Not surprisingly, Kerala is miles apart from the other states, in all of these. It would not offer any surprise to anyone who lived in Kerala. I must confess that, the left policies over the years helped in drafting a grass root level development program emphasizing on such welfare based indexes. Eduction reforms, health reforms, land reforms and even the literacy drive all are massive programs initiated by the left governments in Kerala.
See the statistics from [1]
Also A Head For Numbers
The South is streets ahead. They earn more, they live well and they feel better too.

conomic Indicators

Karnataka, 7.2%, tops growth A.P T.N Kerala Karnataka INDIA U.P# Gujarat

Per capita net state domestic product (SDP) in Rs (2004-05) 23,153 25,965 27,048 23,945 23,222 11,477 28,355
Percentage share in total FDI approved (1991-03) 4.61 8.53 0.53 8.25 NA 1.69 6.47
Average annual growth of state domestic product in per cent (1993-94 to 2003-04)** 5.5 4.7 5.0 7.2 5.6* 3.2 5.7
Per capita SDP in per cent (1993-94 to 2003-04)** 4.4 3.7 4.1 5.7 3.8* 0.9 3.6
Percentage of population below poverty line (1999-00) 15.77 21.12 12.72 20.04 26.10 31.15 14.07
Range of min wages for unskilled workers in Rs (2005) 45-119 54-150 72-189 63-103 61-115 57-110 50-99
Job-seekers registered with employment exchanges in thousands (2003)

2674.3

5006.4 3635.1 1784.3 41388.7 1927.8 998.1
Percentage employment share (public/private, 2001-02) 71.3/28.7 64.1/35.9 52.8/47.2 58.7/41.3 69.0/31.0 79/21 53.6/46.4
Percentage of urban population (2001) 27.30 44.04 25.96 33.99 27.81 20.78 37.36

*at constant (1990-00) prices between 1999-00 and 2003-04 **at constant (1993-94) prices #Includes Uttarakhand in data from 2000-01 and earlier


How Women-Friendly?

In TN, 69.2% have a say in family matters A.P T.N Kerala Karnataka INDIA U.P Gujarat

No. of females per 1,000 males (’01 census) 978 987 1058 965 933 898 920
Juvenile (0-6) sex ratio (2001) 964 939 963 949 927 916 878
Mean age for marriage (2004) 19.0 21.5 22.9 20.0 20.4 20.4 20.5
Female literacy rate (2001) 50.4 64.4 87.7 56.9 53.7 42.2 57.8
Currently married women who usually participate in household decisions in per cent 55.7 69.2 62.5 47.4 52.5 48.2 56.7
Women who have experienced spousal violence in per cent 35.2 41.9 16.4 20.0 37.2 42.4 27.6
Percentage of women with more than 10 years of education 22 32 49 28 22 18 24
Percentage of women’s employment to total employment (2003) 20.5 30.2 39.3 31.2 18.1* 9.8 12.7

* 2002


Others

Less than 1% live in slums in Kerala

A.P

T.N Kerala Karnataka INDIA U.P Gujarat

Percentage with regular exposure to media (TV, radio, newspaper at least once a week) 87 94 97 90 80 76 84
Percentage of slum population to total urban population (2001) 24.9 10.4 0.8 7.8 15 12.70 9.90
Teledensity per 100 persons (May 2007) 20.7 24.2* 35.1 26.2 19.3 11.38 25.5
Total road length (km) per 100 sq km (2002) 71.3 127.7 386.8 79.5 74.7 103.1 70.2
Voting percentage (2004 elections) 69.95 60.8 71.45 65.1 58.1 48.16 45.2








* excluding Chennai


Health

In TN, 81% get vaccination A.P T.N Kerala Karnataka INDIA U.P Gujarat

Life expectancy at birth (1999-2003, M/F) 62.2/64.8 64.3/66.5 70.9/76 62.9/66.4 61.8/63.5 59.6/58.7 62.5/64.6
Number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births in the last five years 53 31 15 43 57 73 50
Institutional deliveries in the last three years in per cent 69 90 100 67 41 22 55
Mothers who had at least three antenatal care visits for their last birth in per cent 86.0 96.5 93.9 79.3 50.7 26.3 64.9
Vaccination coverage in per cent 46 81 75 55 44 23 45
Children age 6-35 months who are anaemic in per cent 79 72.5 55.7 82.7

79.2

85.1 80.1
Population served per government hospital bed 2,351 849 1,172 1,321 2,257 5,646 1,544
Children under 3 who are underweight in per cent 37 33 29 41 46 47 47
Per capita expenditure on health in Rs (2001-02) 1,039 846 1,858 712 997 1,124 816








Unless specified, data in tables are the latest available, for 2005-06


Well-Being/Prosperity

In Kerala, 84.1% live in pucca houses A.P T.N Kerala Karnataka INDIA U.P Gujarat

Percentage of households that:






Have a television 50.3 53.1 67.7 53.6 44.2 34 53.8
Have a motorised vehicle 14.6 22.6 24.7 20.4 18.6 16.6 30.2
Live in a pucca house 40.4 69.6 84.1 49.8 41.4 27.3 56.4
Have access to a toilet facility 42.4 42.9 96 46.5 44.5 33.1 54.6
Use piped drinking water 67.8 84.2 24.6 57.4 42.0 10.3 72.7
Have electricity 88.4 88.6 91 89.3 67.9 42.8 89.3


Education

100% transition to upper primary in TN A.P T.N Kerala Karnataka U.P Gujarat

Literacy rate (2001 census) 60.5 73.5 90.9 66.6 56.3 69.1
Percentage of schools with one teacher 05.7 7.8 0.1 8.8 16.3 5.7
No. of students for each teacher 24.0 39 26 32 66 36
Transition rate from primary to upper primary in per cent 89.6 100.7* 86.6 89.7 57.62 82.7
Average classrooms in each school 03.9 5.6 10.5 4.5 3.4 4.8
Average number of instructional days 212 217 181 225 194 210
Percentage who go on to Grade V 99.2 104.2* 108.5* 98.2 56.6 78.9
Net primary enrolment ratio 75.6 94.1 64.1 95.6 90 75.9
Dropouts (Grade I-V) in per cent 00.4 -6.8* 5.8 2.2 11.9 2.2

* Indicates higher intake of students than dropouts


Sources: Various central and state govt publications, including National Health Profile 2006, National Family Health Survey 2005-06 and State Report Cards 2005 of National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration
[1]http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20070716&fname=HThe+Stats&sid=1

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