MUMBAI: The Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister Narendra Modi submitted its report -- Relative Economic Performance of Indian State that revealed that Maharashtra’s contribution to India has slid down for the first time by 2.1 per cent in this last decade.
The report revealed Maharashtra’s GDP contributions went down from 15.2 per cent in the year 2010-11 to 13 per cent to 13.3 per cent in the year 2020-21 and 2023-24 respectively.
On the other hand, Gujarat’s GDP contributions went up from 7.5 per cent in the year 2010-11 to 8.0 per cent in the year 2020-21 and up to 8.1 per cent in the year 2023-24.
The report submitted by the Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister Narendra Modi titled -- Relative Economic Performance of Indian states: 1960-61 to 2023-24, written and submitted by Sanjeev Sanjay and Aakanksha Arora, revealed that the growth engine of Maharashtra has slowed down in the last decade.
“In Western states -- Maharashtra and Gujarat have consistently performed well throughout the study period. Maharashtra has maintained the highest share of India’s GDP for almost all periods. Gujarat initially lagged behind Maharashtra in per capita income and GDP growth, but later it surpassed in the last decade,” stated in the report.
Maharashtra’s contribution to India's GDP was reported 15.2 per cent in 2010-11 while in the same period, Gujarat’s GDP contribution was 7.5 per cent only.
“Maharashtra’s GDP growth and contributions went down from 15.2 per cent in the year 2010-11 to 13% to 13.3% in the year 2020-21 and 2023-24 respectively while Gujarat’s GDP contributions in the year went up from 7.5 per cent in the year 2010-11 to 8.0 % in the year 2020-21 and up in 8.1% in the year 2023-24. Nevertheless, Maharashtra’s contribution is highest in India’s GDP,” stated the report.
Maharashtra’s GDP contributions not only slowed down but per capita income also went down in comparison with Gujarat. “Gujarat lagged behind in per capita income while Maharashtra surpassed Gujarat. Maharashtra’s per capita income surged by 133.7 per cent in the 1960s while Gujarat’s per capita income was 118.3 per cent. This disparity persisted until 2010-11, when Gujarat surpassed.
By 2023-24, Gujarat’s per capita income has risen to 160.7 per cent of the national average as compared to 150 per cent for Maharashtra. Goa’s per capita income also doubled since 1970-21. In 2020-23, the per capita income of Goa was nearly three times the national average,” stated the report.
Former Union Minister, Sharad Pawar said that the decline in per capita income and GDP growth and contributions to India’s growth is cause for concern. He said that people who are ruling the state have failed the state and its people.
"Maharashtra was always the number one state in GDP and per capita income, but its ranking is going down year by year and this is a serious issue," he said.
We need to replace this present failed leadership of the state with the new leadership that will put the state once again on the path of growth.