District Human Development Reports also shows slight improvement in life expectancy THE State Planning Commission on Wednesday released the District Human Development Reports (DHDRs), which show a marginal improvement in life expectancy and infant mortality rates. The study was conducted in five districts: Thiruvannamalai, Sivaganga, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Dindigul. Prof M Naganathan, vicechairman, State Planning Commission, said: "Tamil Nadu occupies the third position in the country on the Human Development Index. This transformation was possible only because of the social welfare schemes and the industrialisation undertaken by the DMK government." In fact, the State has retained its third position in the country since 1991. According to the study, in 2004-05, the literacy rate in the State was 79.16 per cent. A year later, in 2006, the school enrollment rate was 88.82 per cent. Life expectancy increased from 66.38 years in 1997 to 70.42 in 2006 in rural areas and from 70.84 in 1997 to 75.65 in 2006 in urban areas. The report also found a drop in the infant mortality rates -- from 55 per 1,000 live births in 2001 to 39 per 1,000 live births in 2005 in rural areas. In urban areas, it dropped from 35 in 2001 to 34 in 2006. The per capita income increased from Rs 31,663 in 2005-06 to Rs 45,058 in 2008-09. Though the synopsis of the report pointed out that 21.6 per cent of the people were below the poverty line in 2004, it did not provide any data on the present status. In the UNDP Human Development Index report released recently, India maintained its last year's rank of 134. The country had fared much better in 2007 with a rank of 128. According to Prof Naganathan, "the reason for the slip is not Tamil Nadu but the general increase in the population and poor social indicators in states like Bihar and UP." The State Planning Commission, the nodal agency for the UNDP, conceived this project called `Strengthening State Plans for Human Development'. Key indicators TN maintains its third rank in the country's Human Development In dex. It has maintained that position since 1991 In 2004-05, TN literacy rate was 79.16 per cent Life expectancy up from 66.38 years in 1997 to 70.42 in 2006 in rural areas and from 70.84 in 1997 to 75.65 in 2006 in urban areas Infant mortality rate down from 55 per 1,000 live births in 2001 to 39 per 1,000 live births in 2005 in rural areas and from 35 in 2001 to 34 in 2006 in urban areas Per capita income up from Rs 31,663 in 2005 06 to Rs 45,058 in 2008 09