Unveiling socio-economic inequalities and spatial disparities across districts in Meghalaya, India

Spatial disparities in socio-economic conditions are increasingly recognized as a significant challenge for policymakers. Even minor discrepancies can exacerbate societal inequalities, posing risks to both economic and social stability. In terms of literature, there is hardly any study that includes spatial disparity in Meghalaya with respect to socio-economic aspects. Thereby, to address this lacuna in previous studies, this research focuses on the pronounced spatial disparities in the state of Meghalaya, using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Moran’s I, Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) and Prin score, through which it aims to identify clusters, spatial autocorrelation and rank districts based on socio-economic indicators and identify underlying factors contributing to these disparities. Additionally, Z-scores have been employed to assess the severity of backwardness among different districts. The study found notable spatial disparity in Meghalaya, with districts like East Khasi Hills and West Garo Hills being more developed, while others remain moderately to less developed, reflecting Matthew's effect and core-periphery pattern. The paper concludes by proposing balanced regional development through potential mitigation strategies, including enhanced community participation, expansion of welfare schemes (e.g., Meghalaya State Rural Livelihood Mission and Border Area Development Programme) in underdeveloped districts and equitable resource allocation.