Poor states perform better on economic growth

India's poor non-UPA ruled states have performed much better than richer states on economic parameters whereas most states have failed to achieve the target on social indicators. In a data presented before the Parliament, the Planning Commission said different states are laggingbehind their respective targets for the 11th five year plan and have been advised to make their best efforts towards achieving the target. The 11th five year plan ends in March 2012.

Bihar has been the most outstanding performer in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate with achieving an average of 10% in the first three years of the 11th plan as compared to the target of 7.6%.

Jharkhand was able to achieve 10.6 % growth rate as compared to the target of 9.8%. Orissa, another poor state grew at 9.6% against the target of 8.8%. Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh also did better than the plan panels target. 

All the states, which have done well, are non-UPA ruled states.

None of the better off states such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal and Karnataka were able to meet the 11th five year plan target for economic growth.

In one area where all the states have faltered is on social indicators such as infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, child malnutrition and drop out rate in elementary education.

Uttarakhand, which recorded highest GDP growth rate of 12.3% for any Indian state, still has maternal mortality rate of 444 per 1,000 live births as against the target of 172. The state still has malnutrition rate of 38 % and 54 % of women in 15 to 49 age group were anemic.

Andhra Pradesh, which grew economically by 7.6%, still has a maternal mortality rate of 154 per 1,000 live births as compared to the target of 65. Similarly, child malnutrition in Andhra remains high as 32.5% as against the envisaged target of 19%. Similar trends are visible across states.

"Providing benefits of economic growth to the deprived is still and issue even though growth has helped in increase in incomes," said a senior Plan Panel official.

The data based on different government studies show that India will not be able to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in these areas.

The panel admitted that because of slow pace in poverty eradication and hunger, India will not be able to achieve the target of reducing poverty by half in 2015 from 1990 levels. India will miss the target on reducing infant and maternal mortality by one-third to 1990 levels.

Although enrolment of the girl child has increased in schools, the plan said enrolment of all girls in tertiary education as mandated under MDG will not be achieved by 2015. India will, however, achieve target on providing benefits of new technologies to all.