How similar, how different!

The literacy rate in both Telugu States is lower than the all India average of 72.99 percent. This is the dubious legacy of the combined State which both the successor States share. Interestingly, both the States have almost the same literacy rate. The literacy rates in AP and Telangana as per 2011 census are 67.4 per cent and 66.46 per cent respectively. However, female literacy in AP is marginally higher compared toTelangana. Again Hyderabad contributes to marginally higher urban literacy rate in Telangana as compared to AP. It is a matter of concern that literacy rate in both the Telugu States is lower than those in some of the lower income States like Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh

The two Telugu States are locked in several controversies. Governments of both States compete on several counts. But a comparative study of the socio-economic profile presents an interesting reading. The data taken for this comparison is from the Socio-Economic Survey presented to respective State legislatures along with the budget documents.

Andhra Pradesh is a bigger State than Telangana in terms of population. Andhra Pradesh with a population of 4.95 crores account for 4.10 per cent of country’s population. The State is the 10th most populous in India. The new State of Telangana has a population of 3.52 crore. It is the 12th largest State in terms of population in the country, thus closely following its Telugu cousin.

Compared to Telangana, AP is predominantly more rural in character. For instance, 70.53 per cent of Andhra Pradesh population lives in rural areas, as against 61.33 percent in Telangana. This is mainly due to Hyderabad city falling in Telangana. Perhaps, the construction of the ambitious capital in AP may alter this comparison in demographic dimension.

The social comparison also presents an interesting contrast. The proportion of scheduled castes is more in Andhra Pradesh while the tribal population constitutes a higher proportion in Telangana in the overall population in the respective states. SCs constitute 17.08 per cent in AP as against 15.44 per cent in Telangana. On the contrary, tribals constitute 5.53 per cent of total population of AP and 9.34 per cent in Telangana.

Andhra Pradesh is a more progressive State in terms of population control. The rate of growth of population in AP was only 11.89 per cent during 1991-2001. This has further come down to 9.21 per cent during 2001-2011. The corresponding figures for Telangana state are 18.77 percent and 13.58 percent. Thus, the two Telugu states performed better than all India performance in terms of population control. The population growth rate in India in the preceding decade stood at 17.69 per cent.

But interestingly the population density in both the Telugu states is almost the same. The density of population is 304 and 307 in AP and Telangana respectively as compared to the all India figure of 368. But disaggregated data reveal a different picture. The density of Telangana is similar to that of AP, precisely because of very high density of population in Hyderabad. This stands at 18,172 per sq.km.

The sex ratio in both the Telugu States is higher than the national average. Sex ratio is defined as the number of females per thousand males. But, Telangana lags behind AP in this regard despite having a higher per capita income. The sex ratio in AP is 997 in 2011 as compared to 988 in Telangana. The national average is 943. The sex ratio which is also called Female Male Ratio (FMR) is also considered as a crucial indicator of human development.

However, the Child Sex Ratio (CSR) remains a point of concern in both AP and Telangana. The CSR declined almost at the same level in both the States. This reveals that girl child discrimination is rampant in both the States. The CSR in AP declined by 20 points to 944 in 2011 census from 964 in 2001. Similarly, Telangana State saw decline in CSR from 957 in 2001 to 933 in 2011. This is a 24 point decline.

The literacy rate in both Telugu States is lower than the all India average of 72.99 percent. This is the dubious legacy of the combined State which both the successor States share. Interestingly, both the States have almost the same literacy rate. The literacy rates in AP and Telangana as per 2011 census are 67.4 per cent and 66.46 per cent respectively. However, female literacy in AP is marginally higher compared toTelangana. Again Hyderabad contributes to marginally higher urban literacy rate in Telangana as compared to AP. It is a matter of concern that literacy rate in both the Telugu States is lower than those in some of the lower income States like Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

The growth rate in Andhra Pradesh is much higher as compared to Telangana. The GSDP at constant prices for the year 2014-15 (advance estimates) is estimated at 7.21 per cent as compared to only 5.3 per cent in Telangana. But the sectoral compositions of the growth rates present a different picture. The services sector in Telangana grew at a marginally higher rate compared to AP. But, the agricultural growth rate in Telangana is much worse.

The corresponding sectoral growth rates in AP are 5.90 per cent for agriculture sector, 5.25 per cent for industry, and 8.48 per cent for services sector. The sectoral analysis reveals that during the year 2014-15, the growth rate of GSDP in Telangana is also higher in services sector with 9.7 percent, followed by industry sector at 4.1 per cent. However, the agriculture sector is expected to register a negative growth rate of (-)10.3 per cent.

This made a difference in the case of Telangana as compared to AP. The growth estimates of mere 5.3 per cent in Telangana would have been better, but for the negative growth of (-)10.3 per cent recorded in agriculture and allied sectors. However, the per capita income in Telangana is higher as compared to AP. The per capita income of Andhra Pradesh has increased to Rs 90,517 in 2014-15 from 81,397 in Rs 2013-14, posting a growth of 11.21 per cent. However, the per capita income of Telangana State has increased to Rs 1,03,889 in 2014-15 from Rs 95,361 in 2013-14.