Inequalities in Institutional Deliveries among Social Groups of Empowered Action Group (EAG) states in India: A District level Analysis

The Government of India launched several programmes to improve rate of institutional delivery in the country, but the performance of empowered action group (EAG) states on institutional delivery remains a major concern dominated by social customs and vulnerabilities that create barriers to access health care by different social groups. Despite such profound distributional concerns, studies on maternal health in India have exclusively focused on inter-personal inequalities whereas estimates regarding the magnitude of inter-group inequalities are unavailable. An explicit concern for horizontal inequalities not only substantiates the intrinsic concern for equity but also offers vital policy insights that are evidently lost while engaging with a thorough going individualistic approach. The paper calls for explicit targeting of backward castes across the country and improved inter-sectoral collaboration to ensure equitable access to education, healthcare, water and sanitation, particularly across underdeveloped regions. For analytical purposes, the study utilizes the District Level Household and Facility Survey (DLHS-3), conducted during 2007–08. Preliminary analysis reveals that distribution of institutional delivery varies starkly among social groups of which Schedule caste are the most deprived compared to Upper caste Hindus.