Exploring Rural–Urban Inequality in India in the Post-economic Reform Period

Abstract

Structural reforms were adopted by India in the early 1990s. Despite a slowdown in the major economies of the world due to global financial crisis in 2008–2009, Indian economy has consistently performed better and achieved a growth rate of 8–9 per cent in the past decade. The proponents of the economic reforms thus believe that the measures of structural adjustment would bring about economic growth and narrow down the rural–urban gap in India. In this context, this article examines the impact of the reforms on rural–urban disparities with regard to select indicators of socio-economic development. This has been addressed by studying the pattern of education attainment levels, employment level and status, and the wage and consumption expenditures of rural and urban workers in India from 1993–1994 to 2011–2012. The results from the four rounds of the national sample survey (NSS) show that in the corresponding period, the gap between rural and urban areas has come down in the select indicators except employment.