ABSTRACT
The relationship between incomes and human development, between electricity in households and learning, between good housing and health are often not studied in as much detail as needed. Better learning in schools needs disposable incomes in households. Unionized politics prevented industrialists from coming to Kerala and forcing the educated work force of the State to migrate to other States and countries in search of white-collar jobs. The lack of thrust on primary education and primary health however, further exacerbated the poverty situation. The diversification of livelihoods through women’s self-help groups (SHGs) that happened in the southern Indian States is now happening across most Indian States. The good news in the India of 2023 is that great strides in human development are possible in a short time as chronic poverty has come down considerably and the basic supply situation of services in elementary education and, to an extent, in primary healthcare is better than it used to be 15 years ago.
