Uttar Dinajpur: A Block Level Study on Development

Indicators

Chandan RoyKaliyaganj College

Kaliyaganj, Uttar Dinajpur

Introduction Uttar Dinajpur is the least developed

district in West Bengal. Highest level of illiteracy, low health care

and low livelihood access. No adequate support was provided in

planning periods. Regional disparities across the blocks are

at substantial level.

Objective To address few multidimensional

development issues across different blocks

To express the need of area-specific, indicator specific development policies for restructuring development process

Methodology 3 Broad Indicators chosen to capture

economic backwardness across the blocks 1. Demographic Attributes, 2. Livelihood

Indicators, 3. Infrastructure Facilities, Few sub indicators chosen to capture

specific development indicators at Block Level

Then we constructed Composite Index of each broad indicators

Composite Index CI= ∑XI / N, where

XI = xi /x¯ xi= Block Level Variable at i-th indicator ¯x= District Level Average in i-th Indicator N= Number of total sub-indicators used Broad

Indicator at Block Level; CI ≥1 implies Blocks are in Better situation compared

to average district level performance;CI ≤ 1, implies regional backwardness of the block

Demographic Attributes (i) Population Growth: Migration led

population growth is dominating than natural growth, which represents better availability of economic resources; District PG = 28.72% (91-01) State PG = 17.84% (91-01) Better Blocks = Chopra, Goalpokhar-II,

Karandighi Worse Blocks= Itahar, Raiganj

Demographic Attributes (ii) Population Density: Better economic

opportunities District PD = 778/ sq km State PD = 904/ sq km Better Blocks = Islampur, Karandighi, Raiganj Worst Blocks = Chopra ( with high PG)

Demographic Attributes (iii) Sex Ratio : represents gendered

growth District SR : 942 ( 2001) State SR : 932 (2001) Better blocks : Itahar, Karandighi, Islampur Worst Block : Chopra

Demographic Attributes Literacy Rate : Catalyst of development;

It stimulates agricultural mechanization, earning capabilities, school enrolment and reduces mortality rate

Average Literacy rate of the district is perennially lowest due to worse performance of Goalpokhar-I & II, Karandighi

Better Blocks = Hemtabad, Kaliyaganj

Construction of CI on DA

Blocks PG PD SR LR AS (Rank)

Chopra 1.2 .76 0.99 0.9 0.96 VIslampur .96 1.09 1.00 0.81 0.97IVGoalpokhar-I .93 .90 0.99 0.66 0.87VII

Goalpokhar-II 1.2 .90 0.99 0.71 0.95VII

Karandighi 1.3 1.06 1.01 0.78 1.05 IIRaiganj .81 1.42 0.99 1.08 1.08 IHemtabad .87 0.79 0.99 1.18 0.95 VIKaliyaganj .92 0.98 1.00 1.13 1.01 IIIItahar .35 0.88 1.02 0.99 0.81 IX

Livelihood Indicators (i) Net Cultivable Land/ agricultural labor :

Captures pressure on land Positive dimension of Development District Avg: 0.37 Better Blocks: Chopra, Islampur, Hemtabad Worse Blocks: Raiganj, Kaliyaganj, Itahar

(ii) Cultivator/Agricultural Labor: Represents positive impact of Land Reform District Average: 0.75 Better Blocks: Goalpokhar-I, Raiganj, Kaliyaganj Worst Blocks: Karandighi

Livelihood Indicators (iii) Rice Yields: Being principal food, it

indicates +ve dimension of development District Avg: 2368 kg/ha Better Blocks: Karandighi, Hemtabad, Raiganj Worse Blocks: Goalpokhar-II, Chopra

(iv)% of HHI: Represents the strength of dependence on secondary sector Best Block: Karandighi Worse Blocks: Goalpokhar-I, Chopra

Livelihood Indicators NREGS Beneficiaries : Launched in the

district in 2006 13th rank in issuance of job cards Better Blocks: Raiganj, Goalpokhar –I, Itahar Worse Blocks: Hemtabad, Kaliyaganj, ,

Goalpokhar-II

Construction of CI on LIBlocks NCA/AW Cult /AL Rice Yld % HHI NREGS AS (R)

Chopra 1.57 1.19 0.80 0.41 0.99 0.99IV

Islampur 1.17 1.15 0.75 0.43 0.91 0.88VIII

Goalpokhar-I

0.92 1.43 0.98 1.29 1.15 1.11 II

Goalpokhar-II

1.27 0.81 1.03 0.73 0.89 0.95 V

Karandighi

0.95 0.75 1.19 2.65 1.08 1.32 I

Raiganj 0.86 0.85 1.05 0.62 1.43 1.00 III

Hemtabad

1.16 0.83 1.10 0.54 0.57 0.84 IX

Kaliyaganj

0.89 1.24 0.96 0.65 0.87 0.92 VII

Itahar 0.86 0.96 0.98 0.84 1.09 0.95 V

Infrastructure Indicator (i) No. of Health Centers: Represents

health facilities, thereby positive indicator of development Better Blocks : Itahar,GoalpokharI&II, Chopra Worse Blocks: Raiganj, Islampur

(ii) No. of Hospital-Beds/ 1000: WHO Norm : 3 State Norm: 1 District Avg: 0.17

Infrastructure Indicator (iii) No of Schools/1000 persons:

Better Blocks : Hemtabad, Kaliyaganj Worse Blocks: Goalpokhar-I,Karandighi

(iv) Teacher Pupil ratio: National Norm: 0.025 (40 PTR) Dist Average : 0.015 (66 PTR) Better Blocks: Kaliyaganj, Raiganj, Hemtabad Worse Blocks: Goalpokhar I & II, Chopra

Infrastructure Indicator (v) % of villages connected by paved

roads : Represents positive dimension Helps in raising Income, living condition,

education Better Blocks: Raiganj, Chopra, Itahar Worse Blocks: Goalpokhar II, Itahar

Construction of CI on LIBlocks HC/

1000HB/1000 Schools/

1000TPR Vilg wid

pavd road(%)

AS (R)

Chopra 1.14 0.47 1.28 0.78 1.05 0.94 VI

Islampur 0.88 1.29 1.05 0.84 0.98 1.01 V

Goalpokhar-I

1.19 0.35 0.97 0.78 1.06 0.87 VIII

Goalpokhar-II

1.07 0.53 1.12 0.78 0.89 0.88VII

Karandighi

1.02 0.53 0.87 0.87 0.93 0.84IX

Raiganj 0.81 1.94 1.05 1.35 1.01 1.23 III

Hemtabd 1.18 1.41 1.58 1.29 0.85 1.26 I

Kaliyaganj

0.95 1.41 1.43 1.42 1.07 1.25 II

Itahar 1.22 0.53 1.44 1.18 1.01 1.08 IV

Way AheadBlocks DA LI IIChopra Emp Op, Lit, G Ag Yield, HHI HB, TPR

Islampur Emp Opp, Lit Ag Yield, HHI HC, TPR, VPR

Goalpokhar-I Emp Op, Lit.G Ag Yield, NCA HB, Sch, TPR

Goalpokhar-II Lit. G Land Distn, HHI HB, TPR, VPR

Karandighi Lit, NCA, Land Distn HB, Sch, TPR, VPR

Raiganj Emp Opp,G NCA, Land Dstn HC

Hemtabad Emp Opp.G Land Dist, HHI VPR

Kaliyaganj Emp opp NCA, Ag Yield, HHI

VPR

Itahar Emp Opp NCA, Ag Yield, Land distn, HHI

HB

Way Ahead Overall development program is in

effective Inequality lies in backwardness of the

districts Area specific and Parameter specific

development is prescribed