Investigating regional inequalities in india: are indian districts converging?

Abstract

The study examines the regional inequalities in India across 315 districts during1999/2000–2010/2011. For examining convergence, parametric and non-parametric tests areemployed. Findings reveal that absolute and conditional convergences hold for the entire time period.Analysis of intra-period convergence reveals an overall divergence during 1999–2005 andconvergence during 2005–2011. Conditional variables included the number of bank branches,literacy rate and pupil –teacher ratio. Results for σ convergence reveal a higher level of dispersionduring 1999–2005 and a sharp decline thereafter. These results are supported by Kernel density plots.The study reveals that Indian districts exhibited convergent behaviour only after 2005. © 2020 JohnWiley & Sons, Ltd.