It is generally a trend that per capita income is generally taken as a factor to show the disparities between the region or state. But only per capita income does not show the overall disparities existing between states or regions. There are indicators such as industrial development, agricultural growth, level of literacy sector, urbanization, infant mortality rate, etc.
“Regional imbalnce may be defined as disparity in the standerd of living which exist within a nation or across the nation.”
“Regional imbalance refers to the spatial variation in the level of economic wealth, standard of living and quality of life within component regions of national territory.”
A. Percapita Income (2007-08)
Punjab
Haryana
Goa
Bihar
Orissa
India
44,411
58,331
96,076
10,573
23,403
37,328
B. Industrial Sector
The concentration of industries in west Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujrat, and Tamilnadu
- Developed states in industries (1965) Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Gujrat, and West Bengal are:
Population
Capital
Employment
Production
29%
47%
59%
62%
2. Backword states in industrial development (Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Orissa)
Population
Capital
Employment
Production
31%
21%
14%
18%
C. Agricultural Sector
- Per capita food grain output (1948-95)
Punjab
Haryana
Uttar Pradesh
Rajasthan
India
968 kg
877 kg
253 kg
181 kg
197 kg
2. Fertilizer consumption
Punjab
Hariyana
Assam
India
167 kg/hectare
123 kg/hectare
28 kg/hectare
74 kg/hectare
D. Village of Electrification
Punjab
Harayana
Himachal Pradesh
Rest of States
100%
100%
100%
80%
E. Infant Mortality Rate
Kerala
Orissa
Bihar
Madhya Pradesh
India
18/1000 live birth
110/1000 live birth
70/1000 live birth
106/1000 live birth
74/1000 live birth
F. Literacy (2001)
Kerala
Bihar
Rajasthan
Himachal
India
90.9%
47.0%
60.0%
76.5%
64.8%
Infrastructure
- Social and economic infrastructure was prepared by the eleventh finance commission.
- Bihar, Mp, Orissa, Rajasthan, and most of the NE states are low index, on the other hand, Punjab, and Gujrat, Goa have better infrastructure.
- A scheme like ‘Bharat Nirman’ announced by the finance minister in his budget speech for (2005-06) vision to build infrastructure in ruler India reduces inequalities.
- ‘Bharat Nirman’ has six components: irrigation, roads, water supply, housing, rural electrification, and rural connectivity.
causes of Regional Imbalance
- Uneven distribution of resources.
- Lack of resources.
- lack of technology.
Growth
Development
- The term ‘Growth’ is quantitative in nature.
- Growth means simply increasing in quantity.
- Growth does not remove inequalities.
- Economic growth is primarily concerned with the increase in income.
- The term development is qualitative in nature.
- Development means changes in the desired direction and at the desired speed.
- Development removes inequalities of region or state.
- Development embraces all aspects of human life.