Kerala 2005 - of Planning Commission

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average. There were about 78 telephone connections in
every sq. km area of the State in 2002-03. District-wise
variations throw up a surprising result – low connectivity
in Malappuram district which has the highest incidence of
migration (Table 2.15).
Kerala has had an edge over all-India in the number of post
offices also. A number of favourable demand factors were
at work behind the fast spread of post offices in Kerala,
including emigration of Keralites to other parts of India
and abroad, literary movements and spread of print media.
It is significant to note that out of the 5,077 post offices
in Kerala at present, as many as 4,197 are in rural areas.
Kerala stands far above the all-India average, with 13 post
offices per 100 sq. km of area. That is, every 7.7 sq. km of
area in Kerala is now served by a post office, whereas it is
21 sq. km of area for one post office all-India. Along with
this higher level of availability is an equally higher access
level. On an average, one post office in Kerala serves
6,271 persons in an area of 7.7 sq. km against 6,568 persons
in an area of 21 sq. km for all-India.
5. Concluding Observations
This chapter has mainly confirmed what is well-known
about Kerala’s development experience in certain nonincome
dimensions of human well-being. Additionally,
gender, rural-urban and inter-district disparities in
the levels of achieved functionings display a pleasing
divergence from the picture of group inequity, which
obtains for much of the rest of the country; however,
there are certain input indicators which display spatial
inequalities. It must be stressed that not only must the
achievements of human development be maintained at
their current high levels, but additional preparedness
should be forthcoming in order to tackle high levels of
morbidity, undernourished children and the enhanced
levels of dependency ratios caused by the trend of
increasing life expectancy in the State. Resources must
be found to maintain existing achievements and to meet
emerging needs: The importance of raising incomes and
alleviating income-related poverty cannot, therefore, be
exaggerated. The next chapter addresses these issues.