ECONOMIC TRENDS

ECONOMIC PROSPECT

It may be noted here that there is no definite measure of economic growth, and that there are no objective standards to determine the rate of economic growth in an area like a district. It is very difficult to measure economic potentialities in terms of prospective development of a district. The potentialities of a district are to be viewed in the broad context of the whole economy and national planning.

The economic structure of this district underwent a number of changes from the beginning of this century in general and the last fifteen years in particular. The Five Year Plans have been bringing momentous changes in the economic life. Several schemes have been undertaken by the Government which have a vitalising effect on the district economy.

The main feature of the economic life of the district is its inherent backwardness. The sluggishness in economic growth which is quite an old phenomenon is attributable to a multiplicity of factors. These factors [More details are given in the sections which follow.] are lack of transport facilities, non-availability of credit, absence of developmental aid, shortage of aids to agricultural development and general sluggishness in social life. The economic backwardness which was never sought to be ameliorated by the ex-Nizam State Government has been perpetuated in all sectors of economic life.

The general pattern or population in the district gives an idea of the pattern of economic and social life. The following statistics taken from the census returns of 1951 and 1961 throw a searching light on it:—

It is quite evident from the above figures that about 90 per cent of the population is rural. The percentage of literate persons was 9 in 1951 and 15 in 1961. The ratio of earning population to total remained almost constant at 50 per cent over the decade. The agricultural population accounted for 81 per cent of the total working population in 1951 and 83 per cent in 1961.