DNA EXCLUSIVE: Maharashtra takes up mission of improving human development index

The Maharashtra government, in a serious bid to improve human development index (HDI) in 125 talukas spread across 10 districts, has decided to increase the literacy rate of individuals that have passed their 10th exams, create more jobs in various livelihood sectors and upgrade health parameters in the coming years. The government has formed a committee headed by the division commissioners in all six revenue divisions. The government's decision comes at a time when it has formulated a roadmap to achieve a trillion dollar economy for the state.

The overall average of Maharashtra in HDI is 0.752 as per the Maharashtra Human Development Report (MHDR) 2012. Mumbai comprising Mumbai district and suburban district taken together has the highest HDI of 0.841 whereas the tribal dominated Nandurbar in north Maharashtra has the lowest HDI of 0.604. The government on February 17 has issued a notification in this regard whereby the HDI improvement programme will be conducted at the taluka level instead of district level by undertaking special projects for health, education and employment.

The government, in order to need to optimise spending on social sectors, has linked low income to low HDI in 10 districts including Nandurbar (0.604), Gadchiroli (0.608), Washim (0.646), Hingoli (0.648), Osmanabad (0.649), Jalna (0.663), Beed (0.678), Parbhani (0.683), Buldhana (0.684) and Yavatmal (0.700). These districts with low incomes have different problems. The farm crisis is quite common in all these districts while poor infrastructure is another issue which is being addressed by undertaking water conservation projects. The focus is on improving road connectivity and job creation through promotion of cottage industries.

A state government official told DNA, "Nandurbar, Gadchiroli, Jalna and Dhule districts continue to be the weakest and remain in low HDI category. Buldhana continues to remain in the relative medium HDI category while Nashik has joined the very high HDI category of Thane, Pune and Mumbai. The objective to form a committee headed by revenue divisional commissioners is to improve the monitoring of HDI on a mission mode. The government has also decided to rope in retired experienced government employees in this regard."

The official said that growth should not be confined to Mumbai, Thane, Pune and Nashik but should reflect across the state.

"The government's move to boost HDI improvement programme is also an attempt to complement its resolve to state's per capita income to Rs 6 lakh by 2030 and for that to happen the development process should pick up in 10 districts from Marathwada, to Vidarbha," he noted.