Economic Survey of India (ESI)-2023: Punjab among top three states in food production, top five in life expectancy

The Centre undertook a survey-based assessment of logistics ease in various states in 2018 to gauge their logistics ecosystem. It was followed by surveys in 2019, 2021, and 2022. Each of these surveys were aimed at analysing the business environment at the state level relating to the logistics infrastructure, policy framework, and regulatory regime.

Taking a break from the past, states have not been ranked in order. This time, they have been allotted three performance categories, namely, achievers (with a score of 90 per cent or more), fast movers (score between 80 to 90 per cent, and aspirers (score below 80 per cent).

According to ESI, the survey is based on a stakeholders’ survey and uses the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index (LPI) methodology. The State LPI is arrived at using a ranking methodology for stakeholder engagement based on a series of meetings and online surveys in the key areas of logistics- infrastructure, services timelines, traceability, competitiveness, security, operating environments, and efficiency of regulation.

The report mentioned that Punjab’s fertility rate was 1.8 per cent in 2018 against the national average of 2.5 per cent and in 2020 it was 1.5 per cent against the national average of 2.2 per cent.

Punjab is placed at the bottom sharing the space with Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. West Bengal and Tamil Nadu record the lowest fertility rate of 1.4 per cent.

Punjab has improved the life expectancy rate at birth from 71.6 per cent in 2010-14 to 72.7 per cent in 2014-2018. It is among among top five states led by Kerala (75.3 per cent), Jammu and Kashmir (74 per cent), and Himachal (72.9 per cent). The national life expectancy rate at birth is 69.4 per cent.

Punjab is among top three states in total food grain production (28.21 million tonnes) in 2020-21 while having just 1.52 per cent of the total land share of the country.