Immiserizing Growth and Poverty Dynamics: An Assessment of Twelve Indian States

Abstract

This chapter reconsiders the extent to which recent impressive growth performance in India has been associated with poverty reduction, using data collected by the Indian Human Development Surveys, a panel survey conducted in 2004/5 and 2010/11. The panel nature of the survey allows us to link income growth to poverty dynamics, and in particular to movements into and out of poverty as well as chronic poverty. While the overall story in India over this period is one of impressive poverty reduction, the data also reveal some cases of immiserizing growth. This chapter seeks to understand the nature and factors underlying immiserizing growth for the state of Chhattisgarh.