The document discusses the "Kerala model" of development, which refers to the Indian state of Kerala's achievements in social development indicators like literacy, life expectancy, and access to health care and education. Some key points:
- Kerala has near-universal literacy, low infant mortality, and a high life expectancy comparable to developed nations despite having a low per capita income.
- This "Kerala model" was coined based on a 1970s UN-sponsored study on Kerala's social and economic progress. Economists like Amartya Sen have since praised Kerala's social achievements relative to its income level.
- Kerala's success is attributed to factors like investment in health care, education, gender equity programs, and political participation