Disparities in Socio-economic Development in Kerala: A Disaggregated Analysis

Abstract

The socio-economic development of each district is crucial for the overall development of a State which improves the quality of life of people. In this context, this paper examines the level of development of different districts in Kerala with the help of Weighted Mean Development Index (WMDI). The study covered all fourteen districts of the state. The level of development was examined separately for population, health, education, transportation and communication, industries, agriculture, animal husbandry, tourism, banking, crime and overall socio-economic development using district-level data for the year 2019-20 on forty-five socio-economic indicators including ten major sectors. Findings show that the composite indices of overall socio-economic development ranged between 0.21 and 0.70 with the district of Ernakulam ranked first and the least ranked district was Pathanamthitta. Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram were the most developed districts whereas, Kasargode, Wayanad and Pathanamthitta were the least developed. The level of development in different districts of the state has shown wide disparities. It would be useful to investigate and evaluate the level of development at a lower level, such as Tehsil or block level, in order to make location-specific recommendations, as most low-developed districts have areas that are better developed than others.