This book offers a comprehensive perspective of population and human development dynamics in districts, the lowest tier of population and development administration system, in India. It addresses long-standing gaps in the availability of data at the local level by examining inter-district disparities in population growth and prospects, fertility, longevity, and human development. It explores key themes such as population estimates and forecasts, population stabilization, variation in human development, and the relationship between fertility and human development. With a strong focus on supporting evidence-based planning and monitoring of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this book serves as a vital resource for researchers, students, policymakers, and administrators in demography, development studies, and public policy. By providing district-level insights, this book empowers local governance and strengthens the foundation for inclusive, data-driven development strategies across India.

Aalok Ranjan Chaurasia holds a M.Sc. from Kanpur University, India, a Ph.D. from Jiwaji University, Gwalior, India, and a postgraduate diploma in Population and Development from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India. He participated in the United Nations Global Training Programme in Population and Development, 1990–1991 and has published more than 40 books and 160 research papers. He is a member of the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population and a life member of the Indian Association for the Study of Population, and he is the editor of the Indian Journal of Population and Development and serves on the editorial board of the Indian Journal of Human Development. He has also served as the member of the editorial board of the journal Demography India.