Interstate Divergences in Nutritional Expenditure in India: A Cluster Analysis Approach

Using NSS data (through 26 different rounds) on per capita consumption expenditure on various items (primarily, food), separately for rural and urban regions, we attempted to make a statistical measurement of the extent of interstate divergences in India. The basic objective was that, in a knowledge economy like ours, people need to be made aware of the gravity of the extent of such divergences. To accomplish the task, we performed Wilks' general classificatory analysis, duly followed by hierarchical and k‐means clustering of the states. General classificatory analysis pointed toward the existence of a high degree of overlap between rural regions of certain leader and laggard states. Results from the cluster analysis provided strong confirmatory evidence toward the presence of high‐profile gaps among the states. Constitution of the clusters of states for rural regions was at a gross variance with that for urban regions. The findings, thus, call for an urgent need to consider what is happening in individual states on social sector fronts, so as to be able to explain the reasons for interregional and interstate divergences. Region‐specific and state‐specific strategies need to be devised to enable the laggard states to replicate the success stories of the leading ones.