In a study done by Abusaleh Shariff, chief economist at the National Council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER), Gujarat surprisingly emerges as a State with high levels of hunger, while simultaneously boasting high per capita income and consistent income stability.
The hunger levels in Gujarat are higher than in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, and surprisingly even higher than in Uttar Pradesh, according to the study, which is based on statistics compiled from a variety of sources: 61st round of the National Sample Survey; the Human Development Survey of the NCAER, deprivation data presented by the Sachar committee and the annual reports of the Reserve Bank of India.
Evenly spread incomes
The paradox is explained by the fact that U.P. has vast areas under cultivation which ensures that its population is poor, but at least minimally fed. Incomes are more evenly spread in U.P., Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. U.P. is in fact a notch above Tamil Nadu in hunger, while West Bengal is below Tamil Nadu but above Gujarat. In Gujarat, the rich-poor disparities are far greater.
Mr. Shariff, who was member-secretary of the Rajinder Sachar committee which probed the socio-economic status of Muslims, presented his findings on Saturday to the Institute of Objective Studies here.
Well-off State
The study establishes Gujarat as a consistently well-off State, figuring among the top six States for per capita State Domestic Product. The State moved up from the sixth position in 1970-71 to the fourth position in 2007-2008, its annual per capita GDP (income) at current prices being Rs. 45, 773. Haryana with an annual per capita income of Rs. 59,008 tops the list followed by Punjab, Maharashtra and Kerala. Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are in the vicinity of these States.
However, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are far ahead of Gujarat in Human Development Index. Kerala tops the list followed by Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Haryana and Gujarat. Orissa which reveals high levels of poverty performs better on the HDI. Punjab, Kerala and Haryana are again very progressive measured by levels of hunger. These three are the least hungry states.
Assam is at the top of the States reporting moderate hunger, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The high hunger States are Orissa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Bihar. The highest hunger levels are reported by Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
Gujarat is also almost at the bottom in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, while Rajasthan is at the top, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu. Gujarat also has higher unemployment rates for Muslims compared to Maharashtra and West Bengal. In most States, Muslims form a higher percentage of the workforce in manufacturing and the organised sector compared to Hindus. In Gujarat, the reverse is true.
Gujarat also shows a wider gap between self-employed Muslims and Hindus. Fifty-four per cent of Muslims as opposed to 39 per cent of Hindus are self-employed in the State. The gap is much lower in West Bengal, where 53 per cent of Muslims are self-employed as against 45 per cent of Hindus. Compared to other States and to Hindus, more Muslims in Gujarat are self-employed or in petty trade. This disparity is compounded by the fact that compared to other sectors, self-employment shows only a marginal increase in share of income in Gujarat.
This article is only written for those who are already in denial mode for any growth in Gujarat. Out of several parameters available to analyze ground situation in any state, this article selectively quotes only those parameters where Gujarat is not doing so good and conveniently ignores every other parameter where Gujarat is much better than other states. As far as growth and development is concerned, it will be foolish to assume that HDI improves at the same rate of growth of GDP. While relatively it is much quicker to get more investment in the state, it takes much longer to improve HDI. Hence slower rate of improvement in HDI could not be used an excuse to deny all the growth Gujarat is witnessing since past several years.
Who knows the figures are correct? It is almost same with any other developing country. I am from Kerala, come to Kerala and see how many jobs or quality educational institutes state has built? The state is ruled by Congress and communist all these years like a contract and duped the state to most underdeveloped state in India. All the Keralite boys have to migrate to other state like Gujarat or Maharashtra as a second class citizen to find a living. Gujarat is 1000 times better in terms of job creation and bringing investors to state.
The article is biased and original author's opinion has been distorted, which is so uncharacteristic of hindu newspaper. So I have found the original report of author and putting the link for reader's benefit: http://www.iosworld.org/gujarat-growth.php. Power-Point Presentation on Relative Development of Gujarat and Socio-Religious Differentials - By Dr Abusaleh Shariff, (Chief Economist, NCAER, New Delhi & Member Secretary, Sachar Committee, New Delhi), February 12, 2011, Organised by Institute of Objective Studies. @Ravi:From Same Report: Gujarat had some positive features, namely: 90 percent paved roads to villages; 98 percent electrified villages with 80 percent electrified homes and 18 hours of electricity everyday; 86 percent piped water supply and better phone connections, banks, post offices, bus connection compared to other states. Agricultural extension work, too, is better than in other states.
I visited gujarat recently. No proper roads and busses. Villages are sad state. When i entered Gujarat i had a big opinion, but after visiting the state i can see its not true what media says about Gujarat. Gujarat has to improve in all aspects. Tell me one good bus station, railway station and Airport in Gujarat.
I believe this is simply a few people survey,which cann't claim much credit. About the rich poor disparity as the economy moves in the gowth trajectory, Income distribution moves in V-shape.Lowest point reached during transition then it becomes more equal. Africa is having more equality like US, does that mean African people are happy like US. No, every state to move in that trajectory as Gujurat moves now as it is in transition stage and others are underdeveloped and more agrarian.America had more equality in 1900 than 1960-70 and then it become more equal.
Good info."In Gujarat, the rich-poor disparities are far greater"-It will be the root cause for many more issues in future.Since HDI definition is changed Arithmetic mean to geometric mean, Gujarath's real picture came into light. Inclusive Growth is needed in HDI also.
I had visited Gujarat some time back and been to the remote coastal villages, where malnutrition is very high. People got by with tea and some dry snacks. I was surprised as I had heard that Gujarth was a very rich state. A visit to other villages showed the true picture. Apart from the rich people living in places like Baroda and Surat the others were very poor. And this was compounded by a harsh terrain that did not grow anything. Over industrialization has ruined the soil and water and the rest of the state is barren. But the rich of Gujarat are very rich and their combined income gives a totally wrong picture of Gujarat being very progressive.
It is very disturbing that people are being mislead with positive slogans while states and nation are reeling under hunger and poverty.
The report says that this is a study conducted for socio-economic status of Muslims and based secondary data sources. It doesn't describe, what is the publication year of those data sources, what information has been taken from which data sources.
A 'Yojana' issue indicated the same but this article make picture clear. It shows how skewed is our growth story. Thanks for article.
Nice article. It points to the shortcomings of Gujrati economic model. Indirectly it points to the fact that you can export loads of denims and diamonds and get dollars in return, but you are not going to get any calorie chewing that money. An unsustainable economic model like the cash-crops that leaves your farmland arid and infertile in the longterm.
I am not sure what you are trying to say. I think this is a classical example of trying to cherry pick statistics to suit ones hidden agenda. I have noted that some reporters consistently do this. Modi bashing has become their favorite hobby and the competition is such that any irrelevant things are reported as 'news'. Also there is a tendency/compulsion among reporters to maintain their pseudo secular image by bashing anything associated with Hindu right wing views. Even if there is no news they would create some out of nothing, while at the same time happy turn a blind eye on overt extremist activities of Muslim extremist organisations.
This is a very good news from Hindu showing the real picture of Gujarat.
I had always been in praise for the state of Gujarat. This report brings out something that is very interesting and at the same time shocking to me. Major problems start with excessive industrialisation of the state and lesser focus on grass-root development. However, one may like to argue saying the trickle-down effect would sooner or later fill the gap. Presently, I believe Narendra Modi no doubt has done a great job but the real task for him starts when he tries to fill this rich-poor gap in his state.
Vidya, you have done a very very revealing story on hunger. It is suprising Gujarat under Modi, which claims to be number one state in India in every aspects, is reeling under poverty and hunger is prevailing among the poor in the state. Where the claim of Narendra Modi, a communal at heart and so called development mascot of Bharatiya Janata Party, has gone to convert Gujarat a shining and developed state in the country.It is shame on the part of Narendra Modi that the state is even below in hunger level in comparision to poor state like Uttar Pradesh.Minority community-Muslims, continues to be worst target in the hands of Narendra Modi. His invisible hands are still on the neck of Muslims even after shameful carnage of minority community under Narendra Modi's rule. Apart from that, sadly the gap between rich and poor has widely increased and even tribals and other poor are starving in Modi's Swarnim Gujarat- what a joke!Modi is ruling Gujarat to serve the interest of rich classes and his efforts to bring corporates and multi-nationals for investing in Gujarat have ulterior motives to enlightened his self interest and also widening the gap between poor and rich as well as giving maximum benefits to rich class and put the poor under his thumb. His money and muscle power is harming the unity and integrity of the country. The BJP, which is boasting of Gujarat development under Modi and projecting him as prime ministerial candidate, will have to answer about pitiable condition of hunger level in Gujarat and Narendra Modi will also have to speak about his one point communal agenda to victimise Muslims on the score of hunger, poverty , backwardness among the majority people of Gujrat. Thanks Vidya and the Hindu also for highliting real truth in 'Swarnim Gujarat State'.
Please read to see a terrible condition in the India we say that we all love. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/12/business/global/12food.html?_r=1&ref=global-home
Shining picture of Gujarat is compared with its hunger status in this article. It is very unfortunate that goverment of Gujarat is providing better infrastructral facilities to the foreign companies to seek investment from them, but fails to provide chappaties to their citizen, who have formed the Govt
What is the point of the article other than reproducing statistics?
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