The city might well be one of the most affluent pockets in India, but its women are some of the country’s least secure, found a compilation of data by the Tata Strategic Management Group.
The data, which found no relation between affluence and the security of women, puts Mumbai high on
the Well-Being Index (WBI) — a broad indication of economic and living standards — but the city fared poorly on the Female Security Index (FSI).
The data, released on Tuesday, has been complied on the basis of economists Joseph Stiglitz and Amartya Sen’s well-being theory on National Sample Survey Organization and the National Crime Bureau statistics of 2006-07.
The Group derived its rankings on the basis of expenditure, health, education, transport and food for 2006-07 in 600 Indian districts. The FSI is based on the gender ratio and crimes against women.
“In Mumbai, the Female Security Index is below average only because of the poor gender ratio,” said Raju Bhinge, chief executive of the Group.
“Any data that shows such vast differences between the Well-Being Index and Female Security Index would be very useful for policy makers,” said Julio Riberio, former police commissioner of Mumbai.