Background of the Seminar
The Eleventh Plan in India (2007-12) started with an enormous optimism
with a target of approximately 10 percent annual growth rate having
achieved about 7.7 percent annual growth rate during the 10th Plan
period. Inclusive development was a core concern as many of our
people still lack the basic amenities and infrastructure, health care
and access to quality education, basic requirements for a decent
living like access to nutrition, potable drinking water and
sanitation. Disadvantaged groups, especially the Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes and the minorities have benefited less than they
should have been. Regional imbalances have emerged across and even
within states. As declared by Dr. Man Mohan Singh, the Prime Minister
of India, that the 11th plan of India aims to help realizing our
vision of a prosperous, inclusive, happy, and caring India where all
citizens reap the benefits of economic development and feel empowered
1. Now India is poised to enter the Twelfth Plan (2012--2017) with
many challenges. We have done well on the growth front, but not so
well on inclusion 2.
The last two decades in India witnessed a sea change in policies that
helped achieving unprecedented growth in per capita GDP heralding a
new hope of reduction of poverty and hunger, full access to basic
needs and social requirements to everybody. Although the percentage of
the population below the official poverty line has come down over the
years, the proportion of poor is still high and the rate of decline in
poverty is not commensurate with the rising GDP, and also the
incidence of poverty among certain marginalized groups. Other
indicators of deprivation suggest that the proportion of the
population deprived of a minimum level of living is much higher.
Almost 46% of the children in the 0 to 3 years' age group suffered
from malnutrition in 2005?06, and what is more disturbing is that the
estimate shows almost no decline over the years. Indicators of human
development such as literacy and education, and maternal and infant
mortality rates, show steady improvement, nevertheless they also
suggest that the progress is slow and we continue to lag behind
several other Asian countries. India is the country with highest
number of illiterates. Life expectancy at birth has increased steadily
over time (63 years), but it is well below the life expectancy in the
developed countries (close to 80 years). More disturbing is the child
sex ratio (ages 0?6) which has declined sharply from 962 in 1981 to
914 in 2011. India's maternal mortality ratio of 212 per 100 thousand
live births in 2007-2009 and Infant Mortality rate of 50 (2009) are
also much higher than many countries of East and South East Asia
showing poor access to essential health care services.
With time, inequality sharpened and the poor people and poor regions
are an endless wait for reaping benefits from 'spread effect' or the
'trickle down' effect of development. It is well known that poor are
more vulnerable and suffer from exclusion. It is also true that in a
male dominated society such as India, the development might adversely
affect women. To achieve a healthy and inclusive growth, we need to
comprehend the different facets of development and its benefits across
population and across regions.
In the above context, the conference aims to highlight the nexus
between demography, development and inclusive growth. We invite papers
that address the following fifteen themes with special reference to
demographic transition and inclusive development:
1. Fertility, Family Planning and Reproductive Health
2. Mortality and Burden of Diseases
3. Migration and Urbanization- Exclusionary and Inclusionary processes
4. Sustainable Development: Climate Change, Disaster and Exclusion
5. Population and Regional inequality, Spatial exclusion
6. Gender Inequality
7. Education and Social Inequality
8. Income and Wealth inequality
9. Employment and Unemployment
10. Health status and Health care
11. Food and Nutrition
12. Water supply and Sanitation: Rural and Urban Contexts
13. Vulnerable Social groups
14. Historical Demography: colonial and contemporary contexts
15. Inclusive Policy and Programmes
Call for Papers
Researchers, academicians, non-government organizations and the
student community in population, social sciences and health related
fields are invited to contribute research papers. The paper must be
based on empirical evidences, theoretical perspectives, projected
trends and policies and program framework relevant to the broad
research themes.
The individuals interested to contribute papers in oral or poster
sessions for the conference should submit an abstract by email of not
more than 800 words by 16 January 2012 in MS-Word format only. The
contributors are requested to mention whether they would like to
present the paper in oral or poster sessions.
Best Paper/Poster Awards
Best paper (based on full paper and presentation) and best poster
(based on full paper and poster) awards for students will be declared
on the last day of the conference.
Students who would like to participate for the best paper award in
oral sessions are requested to mention their participation in bold
letters in the abstract itself. They must submit the full paper
timely, failing which their paper will not be considered for the
award.
In addition to an award for oral presentations, two best posters will
also be given awards.
All correspondence to be sent via conference email ID: [email protected]
Important Dates:
Last date of Abstract submission 16 January 2012
Notification of accepted papers 31 January 2012
Full paper submission 29 February 2012
Conference Date 15- 17 March 2012
Registration Fee: Rs. 500/- (Spot payment on the first day of conference)
Full Financial Support (lodging, boarding and travel) shall be
provided to attend the conference for the participants who have
submitted full paper on or before the due date.
Venue: Kolkata, West Bengal
Contact Details
Professor F. Ram,
Director & Senior Professor
Email: [email protected]
Tel : 022 42372888
Professor R. B. Bhagat,
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 022-42372473
Dr. Rajiva Prasad,
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 022-42372426
Dr. Aparajita Chattopadhyay
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 022-42372417
Dr. Manoj Alagarajan,
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 022-42372403