Availability and Spatial Inequality of Rural Infrastructure in Jungle Mahal Blocks of Purulia District, India

Abstract

Rural infrastructure is fundamental and central to the concept of quality of life as well as human development. The major characteristic of regional development is the constant widening of regional disparity in India after different plan period. Various Finance Commissions and Planning Commissions laid emphasis on the objective of achieving balanced regional development. The article identifies a gap in terms of education, health, communication and financial infrastructure in the study of panchayats of Jungle Mahal blocks. Mapping of regional disparities can aid in effective policymaking at the preliminary stage of planning. Panchayat level inequality has been analysing using dimension index and principal component analysis (PCA). Wide disparities in the availability of rural infrastructure have been pointed out and proper recommendation has also been made to minimise the gap in spatial inequality.