Kerala's mortality level has been lower than West Bengal's at least since the early 20th century. The difference became sharper in the 1970s. The wider distribution of health facilities in the rural areas of Kerala and their greater utilisation are found to be significant factors. Historically,...

The Sixth Five-Year Plan (1980-85) aims to reduce the proportion of population below the 'poverty line' to 30% by its terminal year, by means of growth and redistribution of aggregate consumer expenditure. The far higher than expected rate of increase in population, revealed in the results of...