Interstate Development and Disparity

Moharir, Advait and Narayanan, Rajendran (2024) Interstate Development and Disparity. Economic and Political Weekly, 5 (38). pp. 74-80. ISSN 2349-8846

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Abstract

The relationship between inequality and social welfare is an important yet understudied one. Using state-level data, a critical replication of a study conducted in the Economic Survey in 2021 is undertaken and it is found that the claimed positive inequality-welfare correlation does not hold. Then, unsupervised learning methods—principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering are used to classify states into groups based on a gamut of welfare indicators. It is found that some clusters form neatly around geographical divisions (north versus south) and confirm well-established developmental facts; significant heterogeneity among other regions (North-East) that do not adhere to established narratives is documented; and the development gap between states is found to be persistent and path-dependent. Finally, the need to strengthen rights-based legislations and establish a set of universal basic rights to course-correct for persistent inequalities is underscored.

Item Type:	Article
Authors:	Moharir, Advait and Narayanan, Rajendran
Document Language:	Language English
Subjects:	Social sciences > Sociology & anthropology > Communities > Planning and development Social sciences > Sociology & anthropology > Communities > Planning and development > Development
Divisions:	Azim Premji University - Bengaluru > School of Arts and Sciences
Full Text Status:	Restricted
URI:	http://publications.azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/id/eprint/6772
Publisher URL:	https://epwrf.in/sameekshatrust.aspx

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