Articles by Satish B Agnihotri

The Paradox of Rural Development in India: The Devapur Experience by Suresh Suratwala, Bhopal: Kishore Bharati, 2020; pp 197, ₹150 (paperback).

This paper examines the relationship between rural female literacy and the size of the child population (0-6 years) using block level data from the population census of 1991 for West Bengal. Its purpose is to find out if there is any threshold level of female literacy associated with a rapid decline in the size of the under-6 population. The analysis is done separately for three social groups; the tribals, the scheduled castes and the rest or the 'general' population. The results have an important bearing on policy while processes behind these are of considerable significance to researchers. Further validation of these patterns using 2001 Census data and similar analysis for states is indicated.

Efforts to reduce infant mortality rates (IMR) in India appear to have reached a plateau in recent years, while the national population policy has set an ambitious goal of bringing these down to 30 by the year 2010. To achieve this, it is necessary to disaggregate the mortality data to identify groups or regions with high IMR levels and to intensify efforts to reduce mortality among these sections. Only then can a rapid reduction be made in the aggregate mortality levels. However, given wide variations in mortality levels among different states, such analyses should be state-specific. This paper analyses the infant and child mortality data for West Bengal in space through the district-level estimates and in time through the state-level estimates, comparing these with all-India figures. While the performance of the state has been well above the all-India average, mortality levels are high in certain regions and among certain groups. It is necessary to intensify efforts to reduce these through specific micro-planning. Similar state-specific analyses are necessary for other states and will serve useful purpose for design of policy.