Telangana Budget: The curious case of two neighbouring districts

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu presents the state Budget 2024-25, in Hyderabad on Thursday. | Photo Credit: ANI

Though averages give a broad picture, they can be misleading sometimes; for instance, per capita income of Telangana. At ₹3.47 lakh, Telangana is among the top performers in the country when it comes to per capita income. Considering the national average is only ₹1.83 lakh, Telangana’s performance looks amazing.

But if you look into the details, you will notice stark contrast within the State. While Ranga Reddy district tops the list in the State with a per capita income of ₹9.46 lakh, its neighbour Vikarabad has to settle with just ₹1.80 lakh, which is less than the national average. 

Presenting the full Budget for 2024-25 in the Assembly on Thursday, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka says this reflects the stark reality and shows how unequal the distribution of wealth is across the 33 districts. 

Disparities

Though the State’s per capita income stood at ₹3.47 lakh in 2023-24, far surpassing the national average of ₹1.83 lakh, the wealth was not equally spread out within the State.

Kumuram Bheem district, with ₹1.81 lakh, also recorded a per capita income that is lower than the national average. The district was carved out of Adilabad, one of the most backward districts in the country.

Stating that the State’s per capita income is ₹1.64 lakh more than the national average, the Finance Minister said the wealth was not equally distributed.

“This indicates that the economic development among Districts is grossly unequal. Our government will take measures to bridge the gap among districts,” he said.

While Ranga Reddy is home to some of the highly developed neighbourhoods in Hyderabad, Vikarabad district is yet to benefit from the development of the capital.