StatsGuru: 2-June-2014

Decoding the numbers behind the formation of Telangana

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The process of bifurcation of the state of Andhra Pradesh will reach its climax with the formal announcement of the state of Telangana. Votaries of Telangana have long claimed the area has suffered excessive neglect. However, as Table 1 shows, it has actually seen per capita income growth in the first years of this century faster than coastal Andhra and much faster than poor Rayalaseema, even when Hyderabad is not considered. Its contribution to the state's GDP, however, as Table 2 shows, has largely remained static - as has the contribution of most other parts of the state. But income aside, Telangana can claim that several other measures suggest deprivation in comparison to coastal Andhra - if not in comparison to Rayalaseema. As Table 3 shows, non-agricultural bank credit in rural Telangana fell in the early part of this century, even as it rose elsewhere in Andhra Pradesh. In fact, in terms of the number of bank accounts per 1,000 people, Telangana excluding Hyderabad does even worse than Rayalaseema, as Table 4 shows. And, the difference in foreign direct investment in Telangana (excluding Hyderabad) and coastal Andhra, as revealed in Table 5, is startling. Even though, as Table 6 shows, all parts of Andhra have seen an increase in road-building, coastal Andhra still maintains a comfortable lead in road km per unit area. When it comes to irrigation intensity, in Table 7, Telangana has shown a marked improvement over Rayalaseema but still not enough to catch coastal Andhra. This is why land productivity, in Table 8, has improved in Telangana sharply but is still below coastal Andhra. Finally, it is worth noting that coastal Andhra has seen a reduction in the inequality of landholding, as Table 9 shows but Telangana and Rayalaseema have seen an increase.