This is a study of contrast between two of the more "successful" states of India.

Gujarat is highly industrialised; Kerala hardly so. Gujarat has attracted high levels Foreign Direct Investments (FDI); Kerala has been far less successful in this front. Gujarat has been politically "right wing"; Kerala just the opposite -- with powerful labour unions and grass roots political activism influencing public policy.

Given these differences in political and social ethos, how have the two states fared since Independence?

Economic Indicators Kerala Gujarat All India Per capita net state domestic product (SDP) in Rs (2004-05) 27,048 28,355 23,222 Percentage share in total FDI approved (1991-03) 0.53 6.47 NA Average annual growth of state domestic product in per cent (1993-94 to 2003-04) 5 5.7 5.6* Per capita SDP in per cent (1993-94 to 2003-04) 4.1 3.6 3.8* Percentage of population below poverty line (1999-00) 12.72 14.07 26.1 Range of min wages for unskilled workers in Rs (2005) 72-189 50-99 61-115 Job-seekers registered with employment exchanges in thousands (2003) 3635.1 998.1 41388.7 Percentage employment share (public/private, 2001-02) 52.8/47.2 53.6/46.4 69.0/31.0 Percentage of urban population (2001) 25.96 37.3 27.81 How Women-Friendly? Kerala Gujarat All India No. of females per 1,000 males (’01 census) 1058 920 933 Juvenile (0-6) sex ratio (2001) 963 878 927 Mean age for marriage (2004) 22.9 20.5 20.4 Female literacy rate (2001) 87.7 57.8 53.7 Currently married women who usually participate in household decisions in per cent 62.5 56.7 52.5 Women who have experienced spousal violence in per cent 16.4 27.6 37.2 Percentage of women with more than 10 years of education 49 24 22 Percentage of women’s employment to total employment (2003) 39.3 12.7 18.1* Media, Roads, Slum and Voting Kerala Gujarat All India Percentage with regular exposure to media (TV, radio, newspaper at least once a week) 97 84 80 Percentage of slum population to total urban population (2001) 0.8 9.9 15 Teledensity per 100 persons (May 2007) 35.1 25.5 19.3 Total road length (km) per 100 sq km (2002) 386.8 70.2 74.7 Voting percentage (2004 elections) 71.45 45.2 58.1 Health Kerala Gujarat All India Life expectancy at birth (1999-2003, M/F) 70.9/76 62.5/64.6 61.8/63.5 Number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births in the last five years 15 50 57 Institutional deliveries in the last three years in per cent 100 55 41 Mothers who had at least three antenatal care visits for their last birth in per cent 93.9 64.9 50.7 Vaccination coverage in per cent 75 45 44 Children age 6-35 months who are anaemic in per cent 55.7 80.1 79.2 Population served per government hospital bed 1,172 1,544 2,257 Children under 3 who are underweight in per cent 29 47 46 Per capita expenditure on health in Rs (2001-02) 1,858 816 997 Well-Being/Prosperity Kerala Gujarat All India Percentage of households that: Have a television 67.7 53.8 44.2 Have a motorised vehicle 24.7 30.2 18.6 Live in a pucca house 84.1 56.4 41.4 Have access to a toilet facility 96 54.6 44.5 Use piped drinking water 24.6 72.7 42 Have electricity 91 89.3 67.9 Education Kerala Gujarat Literacy rate (2001 census) 90.9 69.1 Percentage of schools with one teacher 0.1 5.7 No. of students for each teacher 26 36 Transition rate from primary to upper primary in per cent 86.6 82.7 Average classrooms in each school 10.5 4.8 Average number of instructional days 181 210 Percentage who go on to Grade V 108.5 78.9 Net primary enrolment ratio 64.1 75.9 Dropouts (Grade I-V) in per cent 5.8 2.2

Source: Outlook India dated 16 July 2007

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