North: SurgingAbsolutely no surprises here. The rankings virtually reflect the popular anecdotal view of performing states in the north. You could say Delhi and Punjab are beneficiaries of Central munificence and legacy but you can't deny Himachal Pradesh its glory. Uttar Pradesh at the bottom of the table in six categories faces an enormous challenge. The region's inability to leverage its strength in agriculture-create supply chains to deliver better incomes to farmers, and its failure to create an investment environment- is clearly mirrored in its position. Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Uttarakhand have the potential to challenge Punjab and Delhi.East: Catching UpMizoram is emerging as the smart-mover in the eastern region. Over the years, Sikkim and Mizoram have been tough competitors in development. Now they are joined by surprise contenders Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland which are vying for top honours. Each of them is topping at least in one category. What is not surprising in the ranking is the listing of laggards. Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa are all trailing the pack despite the advantage of scale. To get a sense of the key to development, see the table for Primary Education.South: TrailingThe slide and downfall of Kerala is much too apparent as is the inability of Andhra Pradesh, despite very dynamic chief ministers. Perhaps they are not playing to their strength. What is revealing is the success of Tamil Nadu to forge ahead among the big four in overall rankings. Its ability to leverage the rural economy to deliver consumption and attract investment seems to have paid dividends. On the other hand, the rise of Puducherry is not so much of a surprise though its rankings suggest that it could do better among smaller states if it paid attention to infrastructure.West: Flourishing.preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}Goa, multi-faceted and boosted by remittances, is ahead of big states. If it focused on failing law and order and poor infrastructure, it could probably top the national charts. Gujarat reflects the popular perception of a well-administered state. While it tops the list for law and order, it needs focus on education and health. Maharashtra manages to hold on to legacy advantages of the presence of industry, financial services and a dynamic rural cooperative sector to stay in the race.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Sep 17, 2009--- ENDS ---
