Social development refers to the overall transformation of individuals and society to improve well-being and enable people to achieve moral, social, physical and material well-being. It involves progressive changes across aspects of society. Social development is measured using indicators like the Human Development Index, social indicators across areas like education, health, and income, environmental indicators related to pollution and infrastructure, and basic needs indicators of resources like food, water, and medical care. Health policy indicators and socioeconomic indicators also measure aspects of social development. The concept has been studied by social scientists and is important for understanding dynamics in developing societies.

1. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
YATHEESH BHARADWAJ HS

2. Concept Of Development
The concept of development generally denotes some sort of an
‘advancement’ in the positive (desired) direction. In the societal
context, it is referred to as progressive transformation of certain
aspect of a given society. The idea of development as such has found
expressions in the writings of the founding fathers of social sciences.

3. The concept of social development has been introduced to appraise
the dynamics of the developing societies. Social scientists have
enumerated the contents of development under various categories
such as nutrition, shelter, health education, leisure and recreation,
security and opulence level or under the categories like output and
income, conditions of production, levels of living, attitude towards
life and work, institutions and policies.
Social development is about improving the well-being of every
individual in society so they can reach their full potential. The
success of society is linked to the well-being of each and every
citizen.
social development refers to the overall transformation of
individuals and society, which may enable every person to achieve
moral, social physical and material well-being

4. INDICATORS OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Human Development Index (HDI) : It is a composite measure of human development
containing indicators representing three equally weighted dimensions of human
development. These are: a) Longevity b) Knowledge (literacy) c) Income (purchasing
power).
Social Indicators: United Nations Statistical Office has divided social indicators into 13
categories:
a) population b) family formation c) families and households d) learning and
educational services e) income earning activities f) distribution of income,
consumption and accumulation g) social security and welfare services h) health
services and nutrition i) housing facilities and its environment j) public order and
safety k) time use l) leisure and culture m) social stratification and mobility

5. Environmental Indicators: These reflect quality of physical
and biological environment in which diseases occur and
affect people. These include: a) pollution of air and water, b)
solid waste disposal, c) exposure to radiation and toxic
substances, d) accessibility to safe water, and e) adequate
sanitation facilities at home and surroundings

6. Basic Needs Indicators
ILO has listed certain indicators like: a) calorie consumption,
b) access to water, c) life expectancy, d) deaths due to
disease, e) illiteracy, f) doctors and nurses per population, g)
rooms per population, and h) GNP per capita.

7. Health For All Indicators
HEALTH POLICY INDICATORS
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
INDICATORS
INDICATORS FOR
PROVISION OF HEALTH
CARE
HEALTH STATUS
INDICATORS, imr,mmr
Health for all

8. References
Sharma, S.L. (ed.), 1986. Development : Socio-Cultural Dimensions.
Rawat Publication : Jaipur
Gore, M.S. (1988), “Social Development: The Asian Experience”,
Bharatiya Samajik Chintan (Special Issue), Vol. XI, No. (1-4), Mar-
Dec.88, Indian Academy of Social Sciences, Allahabad
Ignou textbook on social development