Infrastructure and Regional Development: Interlinkages in India

Imbalances in regional infrastructural availability have been a major reason behind lopsided development in India. This paper examines the veracity of this argument in light of empirical results at the district level using a multidimensional approach with sub-sectoral, sectoral and composite indices of development and infrastructural availability. Significant association between infrastructural and development levels of regions is observed, though the magnitude has declined in recent years. This association is different for regions at different stages of development. The findings suggest that identification of specific requirements of different regions, benefit-cost analysis, followed by infrastructural expansion are major planks of balanced regional development.