The people of Sikkim experienced the highest growth in share of net state domestic product (NSDP) during the 2004-05 to 2011-12 period. The net state domestic product (NSDP) per capita increased by four-and-a-half fold during the eight-year period, whereas the population of Uttarakhand -- the second-most prosperous state in terms of income growth -- only witnessed a three-and-a-half times growth in per capita income.

In sharp contrast, Manipur’s per capita NSDP only rose by 73.2 per cent between March 2004 and March 2012, as per CEIC Data. Most Indian states and Union Territories saw per capita incomes double during the period, with the exception of the Chandigarh (88.8 per cent), Jammu & Kashmir (94.6 per cent), Jharkhand (92.6 per cent), Mizoram (97 per cent) and Puducherry (98.3 per cent).

In monetary terms, residents of Goa enjoy the higher per capita NSDP out of any Indian state of Rs 1,92,652 per annum, followed by Delhi, where the average annual income is Rs 1,75,812. On the other hand, Bihar continues to hold on to the dubious distinction of being India’s poorest state, with a per capita NSDP of Rs 23,435 per annum, followed by Uttar Pradesh with NSDP per capita of Rs 30,052 per year.

The residents of Chandigarh, Haryana, Sikkim and Maharashtra all enjoyed per capita NSDP of over Rs 1 lakh per annum. The average per capita NSDP across the country stands at Rs 74,077 per annum.

In this regard, states and Union Territories like Tamil Nadu (NSDP per capita of Rs 84,496), Kerala (Rs 83,725) and Puducherry (Rs 95,759) were better places to earn a living than most parts of the country. In particular, the per capita net state domestic product of West Bengal (Rs 54,830), Nagaland (Rs 56,638) and Jammu & Kashmir (Rs 42,220) was below the national average.

While the per capita NSDP figures are undoubtedly skewed by the population of each respective state, it is nevertheless useful in determining whether the income of the people of a state has been at pace with the rest of their countrymen.

>arvind.jayaram@thehindu.co.in