Regional Disparity in Economic and Human Development in India

This paper examines the trends in regional disparity in India's economic and human development over the past two decades, and the direction of their causality. The Indian regional data suggest a two-way causality between human and economic development. The paper argues that the Planning Commission and the finance commissions need not be unduly concerned about regional imbalance in human or economic development. Emphasis on economic growth is likely to address the issue of disparities in income and human development speedily.