Human Development Index

The issue relating to human development have come to the fore in the last few decades because of the fact that the benefits of economic growth do not necessarily accrue to all sections of the community automatically. The ultimate objective of social and economic changes is human development which has been defined as a process of enlarging human capabilities and choices. Apart from the basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter, other human choices include long life, good health, adequate education and participative decision-making. This, human development is multidimensional involving political, social and economic elements. It is not, therefore, surprising that countries do not rank identically on the income scale and human development scale.

India has done well on many dimensions of human development over the past four decades. Life expectancy was just 32 years in 1951 and in 1991 it increased to 59.4 years. Infant mortality rate which stood at 146 per thousand ...