INEQUALITIES IN CHILD MORTALITY IN INDIA.

This paper measures the degree of inequality in child mortality rates across districts in India using data from the 1981, 1991 and 2001 Indian population censuses. Results show that child mortality is more concentrated in less developed districts in all three census years. Furthermore, between 1981 and 2001, the inequality in child mortality seems to have increased to the advantage of the more developed districts. In the decomposition analysis, it is found that while a more equitable distribution of medical facilities and safe drinking water across districts has contributed to reducing inequality in child mortality between 1981 and 1991, different levels of structural change among districts have been responsible for a very large part of the inequality in child mortality to the advantage of the more developed districts in all three census years. The paper concludes with some brief comments on the policy implications of the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]