AP jumps seven places to 3rd in access (in) equality index; behind Goa, Sikkim

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh achieved an impressive composite access (in)equality index (AEI) score of 0.61, securing the third position behind Goa (0.69) and Sikkim (0.63), according to the latest study by the Centre for New Economics Studies (CNES), with IDEAS, O.P. Jindal Global University. This marks a remarkable ascent from its 10th rank in 2021.
AP scored the highest points in socio-economic security among all states and UTs.Meanwhile, the state showed good progress in the healthcare sector, earning the second rank. The state's progress is highlighted by its leading position in the density of average primary health care centres per thousand people, signifying superior access to government healthcare facilities. The AEI framework evaluates five essential pillars: access to basic amenities, health, education, socio-economic security, and legal recourse.

Authors Siddhartha Bhasker, Deepanshu Mohan, Aditi Desai, Jheel Doshi, and Aryan Govindakrishnan highlighted Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh as top performers in urban medical expenditure for non-childbirth-related hospitalisations. Tamil Nadu spends Rs 433 per case, while it is Rs 1,208 for AP, reflecting a more economically accessible urban healthcare landscape.
A critical metric in the AEI study is the percentage of households with at least one member covered by health insurance. Rajasthan (87.8%) and AP (80.2%) lead in this area. These states demonstrate substantial financial protection against healthcare costs. The state also excels in gender representation within its police force, achieving the highest score of 21.8 for the number of women in the department. The study illustrates that a higher per capita GDP does not necessarily correlate with a high AEI score. AP, ranked 14th in terms of per capita income, has attained the third highest AEI score among all states and Union Territories. This underscores that greater income does not always translate to greater equality in opportunities.