Deprivation amid rise in Karnataka human development index

Hobbling North Karnataka

All districts in Karnataka have recorded an improvement in the human development index (HDI). But deprivation due to poverty and malnutrition is a “major” and the “biggest” challenge, according to a new government report.

The Karnataka Human Development Report 2022 says 10 districts in north Karnataka, including Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s Haveri, have performed poorly in terms of multidimensional poverty index (MPI). This, even as some of these districts improved on human development.

“The HDI has grown from 0.429 to 0.645 over 1990 to 2019 with an annual average growth of 1.42 per cent. Over the last two decades, the HDI of all the districts has improved significantly,” the report says, adding that Karnataka is above the national HDI average of 45.9 per cent.

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The top six districts where HDI increase is “significantly high” are Bagalkot, Ballari, Ramanagara, Mandya, Yadgir and Koppal. Even in Chamarajanagar, the district considered to be the most backward, HDI rose from 0.576 to 0.601 and its ranking from 25th in 2005, 22nd in 2015 to 21 in 2021.

These signs of progress belie the “high incidence” of poverty and malnutrition.

The 10 districts flagged for poverty are in north Karnataka -- Yadgir, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari, Bidar, Gadag, Bagalkot, Vijayapura and Haveri. They need “focused approach with a package of schemes to address the deprivations in health, education and quality of life”, the report says.

The report describes nutrition as “the area of concern” and lists Kalaburagi, Raichur, Yadgir, Koppal, Ballari, Bidar, Gadag and 102 taluks for high incidence of malnutrition. These places need “an integrated and holistic multi-sectoral approach.”

Even maternal mortality rate (MMR) is “comparatively high” in Dharwad, Chikballapur, Bidar, Hassan, Haveri, Shivamogga, Tumakuru and Chamarajanagar because 45.7 per cent of pregnant women aged 15-49 are anaemic or malnourished, the report says.

The report has asked the government to lift at least 20 per cent of the population from poverty in Yadgir, Raichur and Kalaburagi to reduce the incidence of MPI. It also asked the government to focus on housing and agricultural interventions to increase farm productivity.

Anaemic children in anganwadis should get special supplementary nutrition for 90 days to improve haemoglobin levels, the report says, adding that the government must spend Rs 85 crore over five years to eradicate child anaemia.

On a positive note, the report says life expectancy has increased to 69.5 years and MMR is down to 69 per lakh live births from 83 in 2020.

For the first time, the government has estimated HDI and MPI at the taluk level. Mangaluru taluk has topped, leaving Bengaluru South second.