Analyzing the Status of Human Development  in Malda District, West Bengal

 

Arup Kumar Saha¹, Ashis Paul², Braja Mohan Karmakar³, Arpita Saha⁴

 

¹Assistant Professor, Dept. of Geography, Chandrapur College, Purba Burdwan, West Bengal

²Govt app. Part-time Teacher, Dept. of Geography, Chandrapur College, Purba Burdwan, West Bengal

³ Govt app. Part-time Teacher, Dept. of Geography, Chandrapur College, Purba  Burdwan, West Bengal

⁴ Ex-student Gour Banga University, Malda, West Bengal

 

ABSTRACT:

Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistical tool used to measure a country’s overall achievement in its social and economic dimensions. The social and economic dimensions of a country are based on the health of people, their level of educational attainment and their standard of living. This paper is an attempt to find out the  scenario of inter – block disparities in term of human development in Malda District, which is ranked as last in the state human development Report (2004). The methodology is mainly based on UNDP – HDR framework. The result revels that in 2013 three blocks are in Developed category, two blocks are in Medium developed category, ten blocks lies in Less developed category.

 

1.0 INTRODUCTION:

Human development can be defined as a process of enlarging people’s choice and building human capabilities (the range of things people can be and do), enabling  them to: live a long and healthy life, have access to knowledge, have a standard of living and participate  in the life of their community and decisions that affect their lives. The HDI is a comparative measure of life expectancy, literacy, education and standard of living of a country. It is also used to find out whether the country is a developed, a developing or an under developing country, and also to measure the impact of economic policies on quality of life. Ever since the publication of the human development Report (HDR) by

 

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the guidance of Mahbul–ul –Haq, efforts have been made to device and further refine measures of human development by several person. As reflected in the State Human Development Report (2004)  Malda is a bottom ranked district among the 17 districts in the state. It is ranked 17^th in terms of Human Development Index. Even for the component indices, it is ranked 17^th in terms of Health and ranked 13^th in terms of Income index and ranked 17^th in terms of Education index . The HDI value for Malda is 0.44 which is below these the state HDI value.   The present paper is an effort to prepare an index from block level data of 2013 of Malda district for spatial  analysis  in terms of healthy life , educational  attainment and standard of living.

 

2.0 OBJECTIVES: 

The present study aims at investing the following objectives

1.   To study the spatial in equality in the level of socio-economic development and identify the backward blocks of the district.

2.  To study the underlying  causes responsible for the inequality and areal variation in the development.

3. To suggest some strategic recommendation of improve in health scenario educational attainment & standard of   living .

 

3.0 STUDY AREA: 

Malda district is a centrally located district of West Bengal, having latitudinal & longitudinal extension of 24◦ 40’ 20’’ N  – 25◦ 32’ 8’’ N & 88◦45’ 50’’ E – 88◦ 28’ 10’’E long . Malda spreading over an area of 3733sq km , population is 3997970 in 2011. It covers 4.2% of the total land mass of the state of West Bengal and 4.38%  of total state population. The population density is 1069/km². The district is bounded to its due south by the district of Murshidabad across the river Ganga, by Bangladesh and Dakshin Dinajpur district to its east and north west by Uttar Dinajpur district to its direct north and by the state of Bihar to its direct west and Jharkhand across the Ganga to the south west. Three broad subregions can be defined physiographically within Malda district. The region of mature alluvium is known as Barind. The soil of this region are hard silty clays of a reddish hue that has developed through the accumulation of sesquioxides. The rest of the district covers an adjacent tract of lowlands between 27m and 21m contours forming the local catchments of the Mahananda and Ganga. This lowlands tract which slopes gradually from the north to south is classified into two additional physiographic regions locally known as the Tal and Diara. Diara is well –drained flat land with near alluvium and Tal is mostly composed of bog lands. The river of the district nagar, Mahananda, Tangan, Punarbhava, Kalindri are prone to inundate the Tal during the Monsoon. Annual precipitation rate is 1450mm per annuam. Summer temperature can be over 40◦C and winter temperature can be over 10◦C.

 

Figure 1: Location map of study area

 

 

4.0 DATABASE AND METHODOLOGY :

The major data source for this study was secondary. Data are collected from census 2011, 2001, District Statistical Handbook  2013, Human development Report of Malda Disrtict.

 

In calculating the Human Development Index (HDI), We have attempted to follow the methodology suggested by UNDP as for as possible. But unavailability of block level data for many important parameters proved a obstruction here. The HDI attempts capture in summary from the three basic dimensions of health, education and standard of living. Each of these indicators is defined as a dimensions with value between O and 1, with reference to minimum and maximum value.

 

The general formula for calculation of  each dimension index is

 

                Actual value – Minimum value

 Index =--------------------------------------------------                            

               Maximum value – Minimum value

 

The HDI is then calculated as a simple average of the three different dimension values.

 

HDI = (Health Index + Education Index +Standard of living Index)/3

 

Health Index (HI):

Here the health index has been calculated from the following indicators -

 

i)Health center density /10sq km.

ii) Number of beds /1000 population.

iii) Number of doctors /1000 population.

iv)Number of family welfare center/1000 population

 

Dimension Index (Health) = (Health centre density + Availability of beds + Availability of doctors + Availability of family welfare centre )/4

 

Educational Attainment Index (EAI):

Here the Educational attainment index has been calculated from the following indicators

i) Total literacy index is calculated = Actual percentage /100

ii) Combined Enrolment Index is calculated (CEI) = (No. of students in primary, Middle, Secondary and higher secondary )/4

 

Dimension Index (Education): 

The enrolment indices of each standard that is the Primary, Middle, High and Higher Secondary levels are prepared by using the following formula --

 

                                     Actual value – Minimum value

 Dimension Index =------------------------------------------

                              Maximum value – Minimum value

 

EAI = 2/3(Total Literacy Index )+1/3(Combined Enrolment Index)

 

Standard of living Index(SLI): 

Usually Per capita Purchasing Power (PPP) Consider as the measure for calculating the standard of living of the people but unavailability of such data at block create hindrance  for this. So we used substitute parameter for calculating Standard of living.

 

Here the Standard of living index has been calculated from the following indicators.

 

                                      Total small saving of each block

1. Per capita small saving =-----------------------------------

                                        Total population of this block

 

              (Actual value – Minimum value)

Index  = ---------------------------------------------------------- 

         ( Maximum value – Minimum value )

               

                                                      Mouzas electrified

2. Percentage of electrified mouzas =----------------- x100

                                                     Total no. of mouzas

                  (Actual value – Minimum value )

Index = ---------------------------------------------------------                                                                                    ( Maximum value – Minimum value )

 

              Total length of surfaced roads in each block

3. Surface road density =--------------------------------------

                           Area of that block

                      ( Actual value – Minimum value )

Index  =----------------------------------------------------------

 ( Maximum value – Minimum value )

 

                   Mouzas with drinking water

4.Percentage of =-----------------------------------------x100

mouzas with                       Total no. of mouzas

drinking water 

                                                               

                                                                                             

              (Actual value – Minimun value )

Index = ---------------------------------------------------

                   (Maximum value – Minimum value ) 

 

SLI=2/3(index of per capita small savings)+1/3(infrastructural index)

 

 

5.0 RESULT AND DISCUSSION : 

From the calculation of different index measurement we find the following result.

 

5.1 Result of Health Index (H.I.) :

On the basis of HI index value the blocks have been classified into three groups, representing levels of achievement in the Healthcare Index

a)      Less developed -- index value is   < 0.10 name of the blocks are Chanchal – II, Gazole, Habibpur, English Bazar, and Kaliachak – III.

b)     Moderately developed -index value is  0.10-0.13  the blocks lies inthis category  are  Harischandrapur – II, Ratua – I, Bamongola, Old Malda, Manikchak, and Kaliachak –II

c)      Devolped -  here index value is  >0.13  name of the blocks are Harischandrapur – I, Chanchal – I, Ratua – II, and Kaliachak – I.  

 

The above result shows that only blocks are in developed category,6 blocks are in moderately developed category and 5 blocks are in less developed category, the parameter used to detect healthy index like no. of health centre, no. of beds, no. of doctors, no. of family welfare centre are present in satisfactory position in developed blocks. Whereas  in less developed blocks the condition of this component is very poor 

 

Table 1: Calculating the block-wise health index in Malda (2013)

Sl. No.	C.D Block	Area  Km²	Popula-tion 2011	No .of . health center	Health Center/10Km²	No. of beds	No.of beds /1000 Pop	No . of Doctors	No.of doctors /1000 pop.	No. of family Welafare centers	No. of family Welfare center /1000 pop.	H.I (Health index )
1	Harischandrapur -I	171.4	199493	4	0.23337	70	0.35088	12	0.06015	1	0.00501	0.16235
2	Harischandrapur -II	217.22	251345	4	0.18414	45	0.17903	9	0.03580	1	0.00397	0.10074
3	Chanchal -I	162.08	204740	3	0.18509	78	0.38097	10	0.04884	1	0.00488	0.15494
4	Chanchal -II	205.22	205333	3	0.14618	40	0.19480	10	0.04870	1	0.00487	0.09864
5	Ratua -I	225.17	275388	4	0.17764	60	0.21787	8	0.02904	1	0.00363	0.10704
6	Ratua -II	101.29	202080	3	0.29617	40	0.19793	7	0.034639	1	0.00494	0.13342
7	Gazole	513.73	343830	5	0.09732	60	0.17451	17	0.049443	1	0.00290	0.08104
8	Bamongola	206.2	143906	3	0.14548	40	0.27795	9	0.062540	1	0.00694	0.12323
9	Habibpur	394.36	210699	3	0.07607	50	0.23734	9	0.042714	1	0.00474	0.09020
10	Old Malda	220.18	156365	4	0.18166	40	0.25581	8	0.051162	1	0.00639	0.12375
11	English Bazar	251.85	274627	3	0.11911	50	0.18206	6	0.021847	1	0.00364	0.08166
12	Manikchak	316.39	269813	4	0.12642	63	0.23349	14	0.051887	1	0.00370	0.10387
13	Kaliachak -I	106.6	392517	6	0.56285	50	0.12738	9	0.022928	1	0.00254	0.17892
14	Kaliachak -II	209.17	210105	3	0.14342	50	0.23791	13	0.061873	1	0.00475	0.11200
15	Kaliachak -III	254.74	359071	3	0.11776	50	0.13924	10	0.027849	1	0.00278	0.07191

 

 

5.2 Result of Educational Attainment Index  ( EAI) The blocks of Malda district divided into three categories on the basis of this index.

a)      Less developed -  index value is   <0.50  name of the blocks are  Harischandrapur – I, Chanchal – II, Ratua – II, Bamongola , Habibpur, and Old Malda.

b)     Moderately developed – index value is  0.50-0.60 name of the blocks are Harischandrapur – II, Chanchal – I, English Bazar, Manikchak, and Kaliachak – II.

c)      Developed – index value is   >0.60  name of the blocks are Ratua – I ,Gazol, Kaliachak – I and Kaliachak – III.

We know educational indicators is strong indicators to determine the level of development. Here due to the healthy condition in primary school, middle school, and high school the blocks namely Ratua-I, Gazole, Kaliachak-I, Kaliachak-III are consider as developed. Blocks. Whereas the above mentioned parameters is poor for the block of Harischandrapur-I,Chanchal-II,Ratua-II,Bamongola,Habibpur,Old Malda total 6 block are under less developed category.in case of moderately developed blocks this parameter neither in developed condition nor in poor also. 

 

Table 2: Calculating the block-wise educational attainment index in Malda (2013)

Sl. No.	C.D Block	Primary student	Primary index	Middle students	Middle index	High and H.S students	High and H.S index	Combind Enrollment Index (C.E.I)	Total literacy	Total literacy index	E.A.I
		2013	2013	2013	2013	2013	2013	2013	2013	2013	2013
1	Harischandrapur -I	20240	0.54094	1962	0.15053	26710	0.27743	0.32297	52.47	0.5247	0.457458319
2	Harischandrapur -II	27583	0.93272	2594	0.27188	34474	0.45042	0.55167	54.34	0.5434	0.546159612
3	Chanchal -I	13328	0.17217	1920	0.14247	27592	0.29709	0.20391	65.09	0.6509	0.501903801
4	Chanchal -II	19901	0.52286	1178	0	29226	0.33349	0.28545	57.08	0.5708	0.475684288
5	Ratua -I	27913	0.95032	4802	0.69585	49801	0.79192	0.81270	60.13	0.6013	0.671766855
6	Ratua -II	18120	0.42783	1374	0.03763	35724	0.47827	0.31458	56.19	0.5619	0.479461167
7	Gazole	23648	0.7227	3098	0.36866	56464	0.94037	0.67727	63.07	0.6307	0.646224121
8	Bamongola	10101	0	1274	0.01841	19704	0.12134	0.04659	68.09	0.6809	0.469463731
9	Habibpur	16056	0.31771	1756	0.11098	32346	0.40301	0.27725	58.81	0.5881	0.48447934
10	Old Malda	12711	0.13925	1936	0.14554	14258	0	0.09493	59.61	0.5961	0.429044145
11	English Bazar	22108	0.64061	1396	0.04185	42003	0.61817	0.43354	63.03	0.6303	0.564716414
12	Manikchak	28844	1	1738	0.10752	44196	0.66703	0.59152	57.77	0.5777	0.58230721
13	Kaliachak -I	23476	0.7135	4936	0.72158	59140	1	0.81172	65.25	0.6525	0.705575769
14	Kaliachak -II	19036	0.47671	4264	0.59254	31990	0.39508	0.48811	64.89	0.6489	0.595304629
15	Kaliachak -III	22601	0.66691	6386	1	46752	0.72398	0.79696	54.16	0.5416	0.626722555

 

 

5.3 Result of standard of living Index : 

The blocks have been classified into three group on the basis of this index.

a)      Les developed -  index value is   <0.35  name of the blocks are Habibpur, Manikchak and Kaliachak – III.

b)     Moderately developed – index value is   0.35-0.50 name of the blocks are  Ratua – I, and Kaliachak –II.

c)      Developed -  index value is   >0.50 name of the blocks are  Harischandrapur – I, Harischandrapur –II, Chanchal –I, Chanchal – II,Ratua –II, Gazol, Bamongola, Old Malda, English Bazar and Kaliachak – I.

 

In case of standard of living overall 10 blocks are in developed category out of 15 blocks.This is because Govt. take proper initiative in rural electrification program, rural drinking water program and rural roads project.But inspite of this where the benefits of this project not reached satisfactory level this block are in moderate and less developed category. Overall  5 blocks are in this category.

 

Table 3: Calculating the block-wise standard of living index in Malda (2013)

Sl. No.	C.D Block	Per capita savings	index	% of electrified mouzas	index	%Mouza With Drinking Water	Index	Surface Road Density/Km²	Index	SLI
		2013	2013	2013	2013	2013	2013	2013	2013	2013
1	Harischandrapur -I	1.15	0.00858	100	1	99.05	1	1.37	0.2460	0.56364
2	Harischandrapur -II	0.91	0.00587	100	1	97.3	0.90442	0.95	0.11182	0.50552
3	Chanchal -I	43.42	0.48588	100	1	98.02	0.94374	1.58	0.31309	0.68568
4	Chanchal -II	43.29	0.48441	100	1	95.65	0.81430	1.29	0.22044	0.62979
5	Ratua -I	5.77	0.06074	100	1	90.1	0.51119	0.92	0.10223	0.41854
6	Ratua -II	0.39	0	100	1	94.12	0.73074	3.73	1	0.68268
7	Gazole	45.68	0.51140	100	1	98.29	0.95849	0.6	0	0.61747
8	Bamongola	3.98	0.04053	100	1	97.24	0.90114	1.21	0.19488	0.53414
9	Habibpur	1.1	0.00801	100	1	80.9	0.00873	0.73	0.04153	0.26457
10	Old Malda	6.4	0.06786	100	1	97.46	0.91316	0.69	0.02875	0.50244
11	English Bazar	88.95	1	100	1	80.74	0	0.93	0.10541	0.52635
12	Manikchak	4.62	0.04776	98.88	0.16417	84.27	0.19279	0.6	0	0.10118
13	Kaliachak -I	27.81	0.30962	100	1	92.42	0.63790	2.28	0.53674	0.62106
14	Kaliachak -II	36.96	0.41294	100	1	87.7	0.38012	0.97	0.11821	0.47781
15	Kaliachak -III	35.03	0.39114	98.66	0	88	0.39650	1	0.12779	0.22886

 

5.4 Results of Human Development Index : 

On the basis of Human Development Index the blocks of Malda district have been classified into three categories Less developed , Moderately developed and Developed.

a)      Less Developed – here index value is   <0.40  10 blocks are less developed blocks which are Harischandrapur – I, Harischandrapur – II,Ratua – I, Bamongola,Habibpur , Old Malda.English Bazar, Manikchak,Kaliachak –II, and Kaliachak –III.

b)     Moderately Developed  - here index value is   0.40-0.44  two blocks are moderately developed blocks , which are Chanchal –II, Ratua –II.

c)      Developed – index value is  >0.44  only 3 blocks are developed blocks which are Chanchal –I, Gazol and Kaliachak –I.

 

Table 4: Calculating the block-wise human development index in Malda (2013)

 

 

 

 

6.0 CONCLUSION:

The result shows that the HDI value of the Malda district is below the average value of HDI of West Bengal. But on the basis of the calculated HDI value we divided the blocks of the district into three categories, High, Moderate and low. Only 3 blocks (20%) is consider as developed block which are Chanchal – I, Gazole, Kaliachak – I. This three blocks are adjacent to three notable settlement tract namely Chanchal town, Gazole and Kaliachak. So the people of this area enjoy better services provided by this town. Only two blocks (13.33%) lies moderately developed category. Comparatively the marginal blocks are consider as less developed category   block ,10 blocks (66.66%) are lies in this category. we are find out that most of the blocks are less developed. Different causes are responsible for this backwardness. Which may be listed as- Poor infrastructure facilities in healthcare, poor condition in educational infrastructure facilities also, especially the enrolment of students in primary and secondary section is not up to satisfactory level and the dropout no. of students also a big problem. Per capita income is less than the state average per capita income. Unemployment in rural area is  also a big problem ,due to this huge  no. of people migrate as a labour from this district to different states of India. Policy maker should have to give emphasis on to built up irrigation infrastructure, promotion of horticulture specially mango and food processing industry related to mango, emphasis must given to sericulture, and also animal husbandry. Integrated planning must to take for developmental educational facilities especially in tribal and minority blocks.

 

7.0 REFERENCE:

1.         District Human Development Report (2011) Malda, Govt. of West Bengal, West Bengal

2.         District Statistical Hand Book (2013) Malda, Bureau of Applied Economics and statistics, Govt. of West Bengal.

3.         Census of India (2011) District Census Handbook, Malda, Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal.

4.         United Nations Development Programme (1997) Human Development Report 1997. Oxford University Press, New York.

5.         Anand, S and  Sen, A (1994) Human Development Index” Second Edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

6.         Roy, A (2008) Status of Human Development in the District of Puruliya. Geographical Review of India, Vol L X X, No. 1, PP.80 - 86.

 

 

 

Received on 05.09.2018       Modified on 18.10.2018

Accepted on 10.11.2018      © A&V Publication all right reserved