Is India's Economic GrowthLeaving the Poor Behind?

Datt, Gaurav ; Ravallion, Martin

World Bank, Washington, D.C.

关键词: ABSOLUTE POVERTY;    ABSOLUTE TERMS;    AGRICULTURAL GROWTH;    AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT;    AGRICULTURAL PERFORMANCE;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-2846
RP-ID  :  WPS2846

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

There has been much debate about howmuch India's poor have shared in the economic growthunleashed by economic reforms in the 1990s. The authorsargue that India has probably maintained its 1980s rate ofpoverty reduction in the 1990s. However, there isconsiderable diversity in performance across states. Thisholds some important clues for understanding why economicgrowth has not done more for India's poor. India'seconomic growth in the 1990s has not been occurring in thestates where it would have the most impact on povertynationally. If not for the sectoral and geographic imbalanceof growth, the national rate of growth would have generateda rate of poverty reduction that was double India'shistorical trend rate. States with relatively low levels ofinitial rural development and human capital development werenot well-suited to reduce poverty in response to economicgrowth. The study's results are consistent with theview that achieving higher aggregate economic growth is onlyone element of an effective strategy for poverty reductionin India. The sectoral and geographic composition of growthis also important, as is the need to redress existinginequalities in human resource development and between ruraland urban areas.