The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : State ahead in human development index

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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

State ahead in human development index

Special Correspondent

TAMBARAM: Tamil Nadu figures among the top few States in terms of Human Development Index (HDI). It is next only to Kerala and Punjab, Naresh Gupta, Chief Electoral Officer said on Friday.

With 0.343 points on the HDI, it ranked seventh in India in 1981, from where it moved up to the third spot with 0.531 points in 2001, behind Kerala (0.638) and Punjab (0.537 ), Mr. Gupta said inaugurating a two-day national conference on Human Development at Madras Christian College here.

The conference was organised by the institution along with Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission.

He also pointed out that the percentage of people living below-the-poverty line in Tamil Nadu had declined from 56.94 in 1973-74 to 21.12 in 1999-2000.

This was possible due to the implementation of poverty alleviation programmes that aimed at income generation and employment creation, noon meal scheme for school children and other development programmes targeting senior citizens and improving the nutritional status of women and children.

Mr. Naresh Gupta, who was a Member Secretary of the State Planning Commission prior to assuming charge as Chief Electoral Officer, said Tamil Nadu was well above the national average in literacy, life expectancy at birth and income.

A. Besant.C.Raj, Chairman, Board of Directors of Madras Christian College, delivered the special address. V.J. Philip, principal, welcomed the gathering. V. Rajagopalan, Head, Department of English, detailed the issues to be discussed at the conference.

C. Joseph Barnabas, conference coordinator, said more than 400 staff and students from different parts of India were taking part.

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