Sikkim Per Capita Income -2nd highest in NE

source: iSikkim

Sikkim’s economy is the smallest economy among all Indian states as per data for economy of the Federal Indian States for year 2010 released by VMW Analytic Services. But the Himalayan state’s per capita income at Rs 48,937 is the second highest in the whole of northeast. Per capita income is calculated by evenly dividing the national income among the country’s population. Arunachal Pradesh is richest among north eastern Indian states in terms of per capita income. The frontier state has a per capita income of Rs. 51,644. At 3rd and 4th position are Mizoram at Rs 45,982 and Meghalya at Rs 42,601.

In terms of economy Assam is the largest among north eastern states. Sikkim is again the smallest economy among all Indian states. But due to small population of the state, the overall prosperity is high. As in 2011 Assam with a GDP of $19.520 billion and GDP per capita $574 as in 2011 is the largest north-eastern economy.

Sikkim’s GDP was US $ 0.73 billion in the year 2010 as per VMW report. In 2008, The Economist compared Sikkim’s then economy at US $ 0.6 billion with St Kitts and Nevis.

Though, various reports give varying data, overall, the per capita income in five North Eastern states has increased substantially over last 5-6 years.

According to the data provided by Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Paban Singh Ghatowar in reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Arunachal, Mizoram and Sikkim have average earnings more than the national figure of Rs 33,731. The per capita income in Arunachal Pradesh has increased to Rs 39,679 in the year 2009-10 against Rs 27,271 in 2004-05. The national figure for 2009-10 is Rs 33,731.

The per capita income in Sikkim increased to Rs 36,075 in 2009-10 from Rs 26,693 in 2004-05 while average earning of people in Mizoram rose to Rs 35,323 from Rs 24,662 in the same period. The per capita income in Assam and Meghalaya is less than the national average and is actually one of the lowest in the country.

People in Assam earned an average income of Rs 20,279 in 2009-10 against Rs 16,782 in 2004-05. Per capita income of Meghalaya was recorded at Rs 29,656 against Rs 23,793 in 2004-05.

India’s per capita income in 2009-10 was Rs 46,492. In 2010-11 it is projected to grow by 17.3 per cent to Rs 54,527. However, the increase in per capita income would be only 6.7 per cent in 2010-11 if it is calculated on the basis of 2004-05 prices (Rs 36,003), according to the latest data on national income.

The size of Indian economy at current prices is projected to rise to Rs 72,56,571 crore at the end of the 2011, up 18.3 per cent from Rs 61,33,230 crore in FY 2010