Subir Roy’s article on the impact of economic reforms on Human Development Index (HDI) gave a new perspective (“Do reforms matter for development?” October 26). However, the conclusion that reforms did not do much for HDI seemed misplaced. The analyst’s expectation that economic reforms would alter the rankings is unrealistic. Kerala, having historically led the pack in HDI, was expected to hold on to its position anyway. So is the case for all better performing states. All these states were able to leverage economic reforms, which in turn helped them retain their respective positions. This theory gains strength from the fact that all states registered a respectable percentage increase in HDI during 2001-08. As observed by the author, relative percentage changes in top ranking states have been low because of their high bases. That helped the states with lower bases rank better in growth ratings. Therefore, the data indicate that the impact of economic reforms has been widespread, barring a few exceptions.
C V Sajan, New Delhi
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