THE FULL CONTEXT
Tamil Nadu, along with Kerala, is noted for its relatively inclusive development path. Both States have registered higher levels of development and lower levels of poverty compared to other major States. Unlike Kerala, Tamil Nadu’s development trajectory however draws upon a dynamic manufacturing and high-end services sector for its sustenance. As Kalaiyarasan and I argue in our book The Dravidian Model: Interpreting the Political Economy of Tamil Nadu, it is the State’s ability to combine dynamic industrialisation with effective investments in public health and education that has translated into better social and economic outcomes. Why is the process of industrialisation critical to the State’s developmental vision?
