Dynamics of socio-economic development in Maharashtra

The level of development of various districts of Maharashtra was obtained with the help of composite index based on optimum combination of forty three economic indicators. Twenty nine districts of the State were included in the study. The district-wise data for the year 1991-92 on forty three economic indicators were used. The level of development was examined separately for agricultural, industrial, infrastructural and overall socio-economic developments. The district of Pune was ranked first and that of Gad Chiroli was the last in the levels of socio-economic development in the State. Wide disparities have been observed in the level of development in different districts. The socio-economic development was positively associated with the growth and progress of development in agricultural and industrial sectors in the State. The agricultural and industrial developments are going hand in hand in most of the districts of the State. For bringing about uniform regional development, potential targets for various indicators had been estimated for low developed districts. The study revealed that the low developed districts required improvements of various dimensions in most of the indicators for enhancing the overall socio-economic development