Managing Diversities, Achieving Human Development Assam HDR 2014

Government of Assam

National Institution for Transforming India Assam Human Development Report 2014

Managing Diversities, Achieving Human Development Assam HDR 2014

Photo Courtesy: Biju Boro/UNDP India UNICEF (page 29, 67, 74, 79, 182 and 190) GRASSHOPPER (page 48) Raj D Mushahary (page 164)

Designed by: Roots Advertising Services Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi Assam Human Development Report 2014 Managing Diversities, Achieving Human Development

Prepared by OKD Institute of Social Change and Development, Guwahati Institute for Human Development, New Delhi

On behalf of Planning and Development Department Government of Assam

Sarbananda Sonowal Chief Minister, Assam Guwahati

Message

Since the publication of the first Human Development Report (HDR) in 1990 by UNDP, discussions and policies on development have undergone a major change globally. The focus of development has shifted from ‘wealth’ and ‘income’ hasto ‘people’ not only and theirbrought ‘capabilities’. about a Enhancingfundamental people’s change capabilities in the throughapproach public to policies, thus, tends to occupy a central place in development discussions. The shift

development, but also generated a broad political consensus about the priorities of development, shaped public policies and improved the matrix for evaluating development outcomes. The HDRs, therefore, are considered not merely as an academic exercise, but more as a document to highlight the issues, lay out the development agenda and guide public policies at relevant levels – local, national and international. The publication of an HDR is, therefore, a significant exercise in itself.

Following the publication of the global HDR, several regional, national and sub- national HDRs have been published. India published its first national HDR in 2001 and Assam had its first HDR in 2003. These reports discuss issues related to key dimensions of human development, that is, health, education and standard of living of people of the country and the state. Since 2003, Assam has seen many changes – political, economic and social – and several interventions have been made in bringing about these changes. It is, therefore, both important and worthwhile to make an objective assessment of the status of human development in the state at this moment to move ahead with a clear focus, priorities and policies. The present report Theis envisaged report tois fulfil titled this objective in general. The central message of the report entails the understanding that differences in human Managing Diversities, Achieving Human Development. communities are conditioned by and contingent on myriad geographic, social and development achievements observed across the districts, regions, sectors and

economic diversities of the state. The report, therefore, stresses upon ‘managing’ these diversities in order to enhance the capabilities of people and achieve higher human development in the state. The report, accordingly, bring to the fore several key issues and concerns related to unemployment, inequality, multidimensional poverty, child survival and undernutrition, maternal health, early marriage and pregnancy amongst teenage girls, quality of education and healthcare with the objective of informing policy decisions at various levels.

The most unique feature of the report is related to its findings and observations on the ‘subjective well-being’ of the people of the state, which essentially means, the perception and satisfaction of people about the processes which have implications on achieving human development outcomes. The overarching concern of the report, in this context, emanates from the issues related to governance and the quality of delivery of public services. The report clearly highlights the significance of strengthening and improving the system and structure of governance in achieving better and higher human development outcomes. There is no doubt that without making a qualitative and distinctive difference in the system and structure of governance, the indicators of human development cannot be improved in the state.

The report is being published at a time when a newly elected Government has assumed office in Assam with a decisive mandate to bring about a ‘change’ in the state taking everybody onboard. The people of Assam have shown enormous trust in this newly formed Government and have high hopes, aspirations and expectations from it. The Government of Assam is committed to fulfil the hopes and expectations of the people of the state. I am sure that the report will facilitate peopleinformed in the debate most about desired many way. vital issues related to the development of the state and help the Government to chart out policies, which will impact the lives of

(Sarbananda Sonowal) Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, MA, LLB Ph.D Assam Secretariat (Block-E) Minister, Government of Assam Dispur, Guwahati-781 006 Telephone No. : (0361) 2237315 Finance, P&D, Health & F.W., Education, Guwahati Fax : 0361-2237012 Development Department, Tourism, Cooperation, email : [email protected] Handloom & Textile (Khadi & Village Industry), Pension & Public Grievance

Message

This is the second Human Development Report of Assam; the first one was published in 2003. It is about the people of Assam and their lives– how they are and how they are doing. The report has been prepared by the OKD Institute of Social Change and Development, Guwahati in collaboration with the Institute for Human Development, New Delhi under the aegis of the Planning and Development Department, Government of Assam. The report is an outcome of three years of research which involved the largest development survey conducted in the state till date covering 40,000 households and 1,90,000 individuals. The report is innovative in perspective; human development is attempted to be explained in terms of a range of diversities characterising the state. It is also inventive in analyses when it incorporates an index of ‘subjective well-being’ reflecting the perception and satisfaction of people about the critical processes affecting their lives. The report shows, in terms of the desired goal, that the average level of achievement in human development in the state remains about halfway. More importantly, the achievements have been almost the same in all three dimensions – health, education and living standards. However, the report observes that there have been improvements in achievements since the publication of the first HDR for the state. The halfway level of achievements in human development, on average, is suggestive of an underlying inequality which needs to be addressed urgently. In fact, the report observes that about one-third of the potential human development achievement in the state is lost due to inequalities in income, health and education among people. Besides, about 37 per cent potential achievement gets reduced due to inequalities in gender. Such disparities in achievement are also evident across the districts. The report ranks Kamrup Metro at the top followed by Jorhat in district-level achievements, while Hailakandi remains at the bottom of the list. The report, therefore, identifies addressing inequality as one of the critical policy options in achieving human development in the state. The Report comes with an interesting perspective on these differences in terms of geographical, social and economic diversities of the state. These diversities are recognised as critical contingent factors and economic drivers of these differences. The report, therefore, emphasises the ‘management’ of these diversities through appropriate public policies and interventions in order to achieve enhanced human development outcomes for the people of the state. The broad, overarching message that the report intends to offer entails the need for a focused, differentiated and decentralised development approach in the state instead of a homogeneous one. The report is informative, and policy oriented and, in general, should serve as a guide for development planning in the state.

Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma

V. K. Pipersenia, IAS Government of Assam Block-’C’, 3rd Floor, Chief Secretary Assam Sachivalaya, Dispur, Guwahati-781006 Tel.: 0361-2261120 (O) 2261403 (O) 2237200 (Fax) E-mail: [email protected]

Message

I take immense pleasure in presenting the second Human Development Report of Assam. The first Human Development Report of the state was published about a decade back. Based on careful analyses of data collected through a special household survey conducted for the purpose, the present report throws light on the development scenario of the state during the last decade. While on several fronts, including health as well as education, the state has been able to achieve significant progresses, there are areas where much needs to be done. The report, therefore, highlights both successes as well as areas of concern. Most importantly, it offers a clear message that not only going to school is important but also staying in schools and receiving quality education indeed matter. It also emphasises that decent and secure employment is central to a decent life; better health and nutrition to children hold a better future for all of us. Besides, it also highlights that processes are equally important for outcome, and the consequence of all types of inequalities is particularly a matter of serious concern. These messages also lay out possible policy directions and marks priority areas for concrete actions and public policies. The nature of the Human Development Report, in general, has always been suggestive – it suggests what the situation is and what can be done to make an improvement therein. It is envisaged that this improvement must relate to the lives of people, which the present report is also primarily concerned about. It is also important to note that Human Development Reports are not only meant for the Government alone but, in fact, for people in general. That is why these reports are written in a simple and accessible manner. The present report is also prepared in that fashion – it is nontechnical, lucid and easy to understand. Yet, the report is also full of first hand information, rich in insights, rigorous in analyses and focused on the way forward. Therefore, besides to the Government, the report will be of immense use to all those engaged with the development concerns of the state. It will be extremely useful for policy makers in particular and academics and public alike more generally. The report offers ample scope for investigating further, engaging in dialogue, questioning accepted norms and ideas. Apart from providing policy inputs to the Government, it is expected that the report will facilitate in generating an informed public debate regarding the pressing concerns of the development in the state.

(V.K. Pipersenia) Date: 17/8/2016

Hkkjr ljdkj uhfr vk;ksx] laln ekxZ ubZ fnYyh&110 001 Government of India National Institution for Transforming India NITI Aayog, Parliament Street, New Delhi-110 001 Tel.: 23096576, 23096574 Fax : 23096575 Email : [email protected], [email protected] Message

The Assam Human Development Report provides a comprehensive status of the state on a number of socio-economic parameters.

There are two unique features of this report. The first is that it not only compares districts in the state on these parameters, but also compares them through a lens of various diversities – spatial, demographic and socio- economic. The second is that the report takes into consideration various processes involved in the enhancement of cap