Kerala's Economy

Book excerpt: The unique development experience of the Indian state of Kerala has attracted widespread interest. However, no serious attempt has so far been made to comprehensively assess both the positive and negative features of Kerala's economy. This timely volume amply fills this lacuna by providing a detailed examination of the development, growth and problems of the state's economy over the period 1956 to 1991 while also outlining the prospects. Twenty-two leading economists discuss in this volume a number of crucial issues such as the decline in the rate of growth of the state's economy, the alarming rise in unemployment, the repatriation of Gulf migrants, agricultural stagnation, industrial backwardness, and the financial crisis presently afflicting Kerala. Divided in six parts, the volume begins with an overview of broad trends in Kerala's economy. The second section contains essays on demographic trends, the changing structure of the workforce, poverty, and migration. The next part deals with issues pertaining to the agricultural and allied sectors including marine fisheries. The fourth section comprises papers on both small-scale and heavy industry and the power sector, while the next one discusses trade unionism, educational development and Kerala's external economy. The last section examines recent trends in the state's finances. Presenting a data-based and analytical account of the most recent trends in Kerala's economy, this comprehensive book will be of considerable interest not only to students and scholars of economics, political economy and development studies, but also to policy-makers and organisations involved in development work.