ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF SIKKIM IN THE POST REFORM REGIME

Abstract

The state is one of the most beautiful, cleanest, safest and strategically important places of the Indian union. The Mountains of the state are storehouse of valuable natural resources and deliver services to the humanity. Because of its landscape cultivable land is very scarce in the state. It has made progress in various aspects of economic development during the post reform period. The process of economic reforms in 1991 undertaken by Government of India because of major economic crisis consisted macroeconomic stabilisation and structural reforms. The rationale of various economic reform initiatives at the national level was that they would increase efficiency and lead to higher factor productivity and a consequent acceleration in their growth rate which, in turn, accelerate economic development. It is pertinent to understand first of all the growth and development pattern of India, since development of Sikkim as a part of India largely depends on the policies adopted in the country. It is important to know whether the growth rate has accelerated in the post reform period and how has this economic growth affected levels of inequality, employment and poverty in the state? And, it is also important identify factors accountable for the present situation and recommend suitable policies for the future development of the state. There are several studies that have sought to determine whether per capita GSDP/NSDP across states in the long term show convergence. This study focuses on the actual behavior of real NSDP in the pre- and post-reform period in the State of Sikkim. newlineChapter 1 introduces the research problem and represents a brief historical background of the study area and its location. It further points out the background of the study, research gap and expected contributions, objectives of the study, research questions, research hypotheses, methodology and data sources and chapterisation of the thesis in the context of the mentioned title of the thesis. Chapter 2 represents review of literature