Himachal Pradesh, ranked fifth overall, is categorised as the fastest mover of the 1990s. But there is concern about the financial sustainability of this success. There are also questions about the quality of the success on the human development front and whether it has really prepared the state to prosper in a globalising world. This article looks at possible explanations for both the relative success as well as falling short on indicators of sustainability and quality. It also explores the possible route to sustainable delivery of better quality basic services and the strategy that can enable adoption of such a route.
