India, March 9 -- Last year marked the 35th year of the Human Development Index (HDI). The HDI's adoption in 1990 shifted how development is measured, moving from an exclusive focus on economic growth to greater emphasis on people's choices and capabilities. Human Development Reports (HDRs) have proven a powerful tool for tracking economic and social advances. India is known for producing a remarkably high number of sub-national HDRs - more than any other country. States, and increasingly districts, prepare their own HDRs to inform local planning and policy debates. However, district HDRs have so far been prepared for only about 30 districts across nine states. Haryana is not on this list of nine.

To design robust and effective policies ...