COVID-19: Indices of economic and health vulnerability for the Indian states

Abstract

In this paper we construct indices of health vulnerability (HVI) and economic vulnerability (EVI) for 22 major states of India. We also study changes in the relative ranking of these states when compared to their pre-COVID-19 vulnerability, in order to focus policymakers’ attention to the most vulnerable states. We also provide Overall Vulnerability Index (OVI) for the states. We find that states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and Jharkhand have been high risk states throughout, according to all the indices in both the periods: pre- and post-COVID-19. Some states like Maharashtra, West Bengal, Haryana, and Odisha are the only states which have a high post-COVID-19 HVI in spite of a not-so-high pre-COVID-19 HVI. Our recommendation is to focus on the states: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and Jharkhand as they have the highest indices of each type (HVI, OVI) and their vulnerabilities either remain same or have increased significantly.