Himachal Pradesh Human Development Index

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Human Development: Concept and Introduction:

Human Development has been defined as the‘process of enlarging people’s choices’. The mostcritical ones are to be able to lead a long andhealthy life, to be educated and to enjoy a decentstandard of living. Additional choices includepolitical freedom, guaranteed Human Rights andself-respect

In relation to human development, the keydimensions of human rights include the promotionof gender Equity and economic, social andcultural rights — particularly those pertainingto Health care, food, water, Education, environmentand culture.

This approach is one of the attempts to formulatealternative development theories andstrategies to replace the neo-classical approachwhose objective is economic Growth,which treats people as ‘Resources’, a means to anend. In contrast, ‘human development’ denotesboth the process of widening people’s choices andthe level of their achieved ‘well-being’. It alsohelps distinguish between the formation of humancapabilities, such as improved health orknowledge, and the use that people make of theiracquired capabilities — for both work and leisure.

The concept, messages and measures ofhuman development were introduced and carriedforward in the UNDP’s Global HumanDevelopment Reports (HDRs). The first HDRwas published in 1990. These HDRs, pioneeredby the late MahbubulHaq (Pakistan) and AmartyaSen (India),have stimulated world-wide discussions andhave led to what is now called the ‘human development movement’. This movement includesinternational and national governments,policy makers, planners, opinion leaders, parliamentarians,media, NGOs and various membersof civil Society.

The HDRs have proposed composite indicesthat go beyond income based measures. TheHuman Development Index (HDI), the GenderDevelopment Index (GDI), the Gender EmpowermentMeasure (GEM) and the HumanPoverty Index (HPI) have been introduced invarious HDRs since 1990. The methodologyused has been evolved after taking into accountthe need to strike a balance between indicatorsthat capture the complexity of human development,gender development, gender empowermentand human POVERTY. It avoids the inclusionof too many indicators that could produce a perplexingpicture. With all the limitations that areintrinsic to simple indices and Averages, thesecomposite indices have helped in highlightingthe need to remove human deprivation on apriority basis.

The HDRs have also been instrumental inthe shift from advocacy to action at the nationallevel. The preparation of National Human DevelopmentReports in various countries of theworld, has contributed to the identification andmonitoring of national and sub-national humandevelopment targets, the tracking of developmentgaps and their impact on constituentgroups — especially the vulnerable — and thearticulation and assessment of viable strategiesfor achieving development goals. The reportsare effective tools in the formulation of nationaldevelopment strategies and specific action plansand programmes — including those related topoverty reduction and more effective developmentassistance.

State Human Development Reports:

In a large country like India, the need toassess the status of human development at the State level has been the motivation behindthe decision of the State Governmentsto prepare ‘State Human Development Reports’ (SHDRs).The process of preparation of the StateHDRs can provide disaggregated data andindicators. This permits policy makers toidentify with greater precision the criticalrequirements that are specific to particulardistricts, blocks and communities. Thus, theSHDRs represent a tool for policy interventionsand can help in directing and focusingpublic Investment towards the provision ofbasic minimum Services, and can strengthensocial capital — especially in the backwardStates and regions.The State Governments have been encouraged by the United Nations DevelopmentProgramme (UNDP) and thePlanning Commission (now NITI Aayog) of the Governmentof India, to embark on the preparation ofState level HDRs. The principles followedby the UNDP and Planning Commission intheir co-operation with the State governmentsare:

(a) Government ownership.

(b) The analysis and contents of the HDRshould be undertaken by an independentteam of experts at the behest of the Stategovernment.

(d) Commitment to the widespread disseminationand discussion of the State HDRsmaking use of a variety of methods.

(e) Cost-effectiveness in the preparation ofthe HDRs.

The Himachal Pradesh Human Development Report:

Himachal Pradesh has consistently improved its position on several indicators over time. In its early years, due to geo-morphological, financial limitations and poorly developed Infrastructure-2/”>INFRASTRUCTURE, Himachal Pradesh was rankednear the bottom for per capita income across states. Gradually Himachal Pradesh increased its per capita income to a middle rank in the late 1990s (Himachal Pradesh Human Development Report 2002). In the last decade (2000–2009), the NSDP per capita of Himachal Pradesh was higher than the national per capita income. However, the growth of NSDP per capita for the state in the last five years was slightly less than India’s per capita income. Its per capita NSDP growth rate has been consistently higher than thatof the other hilly stateslike Jammu and Kashmir.

There is huge regional disparity within the state.Himachal Pradesh can broadly be divided into two distinctregions based on geo-morphological and climatic features.One is characterized by high Mountains and is called the‘High Mountain Horse Shoe (HMHS)’ region and itcomprises seven districts. The second region has plains,wide valleys and low hills, and is known as the ‘Low Hillsand Plains (LHP)’ region, and it comprises five districts. In terms of development the LHP region is well ahead of the HMHS region because of its close proximity to the relatively developed parts of Punjab and Haryana. Most food grain production and industrial output comes from the LHP districts (Himachal Pradesh Human Development Report 2002).

The Himachal Pradesh HDR attempts to assessand explain the status of human development inthe State and articulate policy implications. Inthe Light of the definition of human development issues related to health, education, environmentand gender have been considered.

The analysis moves from the State levelto the district level.The analysis of data begins from 1971 for comparabilityreasons — though an attempt has beenmade to cover the socio-economicconditions prevailing during the period between1948 and 1971. The period between the formationof the State in 1948, and extending to 1966,has in fact, been characterised by the accretionof new areas and additional Population. In 1971,Himachal Pradesh attained Statehood.

The Himachal Pradesh Human Development Report of 2002 is the first Human Development Report for the state. The Report focuses on poverty reduction, governance, sustainable livelihoods, and issues of HIV/AIDS. The Report outlines factors contributing to previous successes, particularly in the areas of health, education, and infrastructure, as well as persistent development challenges. Issues of health, education, income, and Natural Resources are specified. Challenges of inequality pertaining to gender cut across all issues and are also mentioned in the report. Himachal Pradesh has made considerable progress since its recognition as a state in 1971, but the state recognizes that major development concerns persist. Poverty, Environment, and gender remain among the primary development concerns for Himachal Pradesh.

Few facts and statistic:

Focusing, first of all, on the broad macroeconomic changes, it is noted that the growth rate of real per capita income in the decade of the 1970s was relatively low and stood at a mere 0.44 per cent per annum. This accelerated considerably to 3.88 per cent in the decade of the 1980s and decelerated somewhat sharply to 2.27 per cent in the 1990s.
At 63 per cent, Himachal Pradesh has the highest rural female work participation rates among states, leaving the second ranking state Tamil Nadu with 43 per cent far behind. It stands second in urban female work participation rates (28 per cent) along with Tamil Nadu, snipping at the heels of Kerala, which logs 29 per cent.
In the matter of Literacy, Himachal Pradesh seems to have started from a situation in the early 1950s which may well be termed as dismal. In the ‘old’ Himachal Pradesh, the 1951 population census revealed an overall literacy ratio of just 4.8 per cent and the female literacy ratio stood at a mere 2 per cent. The figure was the lowest among all the States and Union Territories of the country. The trend in the growth of literacy even in 1971, the total literacy ratio was only 32 per cent and at that time, just about a fifth of the females were literate. Two decades later, in 1991, the total literacy ratio had climbed to 63.9 per cent, with even the female literacy rate having made a significant gain and rising to 52.1 per cent. It is noteworthy that in this respect the State rose from the bottom of the pile, to emerge as the fifth most literate State of the Indian Union by 1991.
Among the northern Indian states, Himachal Pradesh has the lowest share of individuals with no education. In 2011, less than one-third of its rural population had no education, against two-fifths or half in the case of its neighbouring states. It also had the highest proportion of residents with post-secondary education across northern states.
Between 1993-94 and 2011, Himachal Pradesh has clocked a four-fold reduction in the rural poor – poverty levels dropped from 36.8 per cent to 8.5 per cent during this period. The decline has been sure and steady.
In terms of sex-ratio, Himachal Pradesh is one of the best performing states with 974 females per 1,000 males, against the 940 females per 1,000 males at all India level in 2011. However, its child sex-ratio is very low with 906 girls per 1,000 boys, which is a matter of serious concern (Census 2011).
Himachal Pradesh has a very small proportion of people living below the Poverty Line (only 10 per cent). The low incidence of poverty is the result of a prosperous rural economy, a high level of per capitagovernment expenditure, greater Women’s participation in the workforce and strong local institutions, in addition to high out-Migration and the consequent repatriations(Himachal Pradesh Human Development Report 2002).

One of the biggest advantages Himachal Pradesh has is its special category status which means it got more funds. But, experts say, “Money does not always mean good outcomes”. Himachal Pradesh used the money it got to invest massively in two things. One was physical infrastructure, especially roads and power. State governments realised that the desired health and education outcomes would not come without roads and power.

Himachal Pradesh is a state in northern India. It is bordered by the states of Jammu and Kashmir to the north, Punjab to the west, Haryana to the southwest, Uttarakhand to the south, and China to the east. The state has a population of over 7 million people and a land area of over 55,000 square kilometers. The capital of Himachal Pradesh is Shimla.

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators, which are used to rank countries into four tiers of human development. The HDI was developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and is published annually in the Human Development Report.

The HDI for Himachal Pradesh in 2020 was 0.723, which is ranked 12th among Indian states and 140th in the world. This means that Himachal Pradesh has a high level of human development.

The HDI for Himachal Pradesh has been increasing steadily over the past few decades. In 1990, the HDI for Himachal Pradesh was 0.464, which is ranked 23rd among Indian states and 164th in the world. This means that the human development in Himachal Pradesh has improved significantly over the past few decades.

The following are some of the factors that have contributed to the improvement in human development in Himachal Pradesh:

Increased investment in education and health care
Economic growth
Decline in poverty
Improved Equality/”>Gender Equality

The following are some of the challenges that Himachal Pradesh faces in terms of human development:

High levels of illiteracy, especially among women
Poor Health Indicators, such as high infant mortality rates
Widespread poverty
Gender inequality

Despite these challenges, Himachal Pradesh has made significant progress in human development over the past few decades. The state is well on its way to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are a set of 17 goals that were adopted by the United Nations in 2015. The SDGs aim to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all by 2030.

The following are some of the SDGs that Himachal Pradesh is working towards:

Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 2: End hunger, achieve Food Security and improved Nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong Learning opportunities for all
Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive EMPLOYMENT and decent work for all
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat Climate change and its impacts
Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the Oceans, seas and Marine Resources for sustainable development
Goal 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial Ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat Desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt Biodiversity-2/”>Biodiversity loss
Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to Justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global PARTNERSHIP for sustainable development

Himachal Pradesh is committed to achieving the SDGs and is working towards creating a more just, equitable and sustainable future for all.

Here are some frequently asked questions and short answers about the Human Development Index (HDI):

What is the Human Development Index?
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators, which are used to rank countries into four tiers of human development.
How is the HDI calculated?
The HDI is calculated as a geometric mean of three indices: life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling, and expected years of schooling, and per capita income.
What are the limitations of the HDI?
The HDI has been criticized for its focus on income and education, and its neglect of other important aspects of human development, such as health, gender equality, and environmental sustainability.
What are some of the strengths of the HDI?
The HDI is a simple and easy-to-understand measure of human development. It is also a widely used measure, which makes it a useful tool for comparing countries and tracking progress over time.
What are some of the uses of the HDI?
The HDI is used to rank countries into four tiers of human development: very high human development, high human development, medium human development, and low human development. The HDI is also used to track progress over time and to compare countries.
What are some of the criticisms of the HDI?
The HDI has been criticized for its focus on income and education, and its neglect of other important aspects of human development, such as health, gender equality, and environmental sustainability. The HDI has also been criticized for its use of a single number to represent a complex concept.
What are some of the alternatives to the HDI?
There are a number of alternatives to the HDI, including the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI), the Gender Development Index (GDI), and the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).
What is the future of the HDI?
The HDI is likely to continue to be used as a measure of human development. However, it is likely to be supplemented by other measures that take into account a wider range of factors.

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators, which are used to rank countries into four tiers of human development. Which of the following is not a component of the HDI?
(A) Life expectancy at birth
(B) Mean years of schooling
(C) Expected years of schooling
(D) Gross NATIONAL INCOME per capita
The HDI was developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1990. The HDI is used to measure the progress of a country in achieving human development. Which of the following is not a goal of human development?
(A) To improve the Quality Of Life for all people
(B) To reduce poverty and inequality
(C) To promote sustainable development
(D) To increase economic growth
The HDI is calculated by taking the Average of three indicators: life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling, and expected years of schooling. The values for these indicators are then converted into a scale from 0 to 1, with 1 being the highest level of human development. Which of the following countries has the highest HDI?
(A) Norway
(B) Switzerland
(C) Australia
(D) Iceland
The HDI has been criticized for being too focused on Economic Development and for not taking into account other important factors, such as gender equality and environmental sustainability. Which of the following is an example of a country that has made significant progress in human development despite having a low HDI?
(A) Rwanda
(B) Bangladesh
(C) Ethiopia
(D) Mozambique
The HDI is a useful tool for measuring the progress of a country in achieving human development. However, it is important to remember that the HDI is just one indicator of human development and that other factors, such as gender equality and environmental sustainability, should also be considered.