Human Development in Northeastern Region of India: Issues and Challenges

The paper is a brief account of findings of various human development reports and studies undertaken by individual researchers on the states of northeast India. The findings reveal that achievement of northeastern region is quite satisfactory in comparison to all India average achievements in some dimensions of human development but it has miserably failed in bringing commensurate economic growth and equitable distribution. There exists wide spread disparity of socioeconomic achievements across different states and within, from urban to rural areas and between male and female. If the problems of poor economic growth, poverty, gender disparity and general health of the people are not properly addressed the region may fall into the trap of vicious quadrant instead of moving to a virtuous one. The way out from this trap is through achievement of a productive, balanced and sustainable economy with appropriate intervention in health sector and poverty alleviation programs.