Sunday, May 22, 2011

Raking in the moolah! Delhi third richest state in India : North: India Today

Raking in the moolah! Delhi third richest state in India : North: India Today

Delhiites are among the most affluent people in India, according to a report on the state's GDP (gross domestic product) for the last year released on Friday by chief minister Sheila Dikshit.

With a per capita income of Rs 1,16,886, Delhi ranks third in a list of the most affluent states and union territories in India, behind only Goa (Rs 1,32,719) and Chandigarh (Rs 1,20,912), the report prepared by Delhi government's directorate of statistics indicates.

In what might bring cheer to its residents, the estimate for 2010-11 indicates this growth is expected to continue. The projected growth in income is Rs 1,35,814, making Delhi one of the most affluent states in the country.

Delhiites will earn around Rs 7,995.25 a month, against a national average of only Rs 3,000.

Dikshit highlighted the report's findings as a success of her three successive terms as chief minister.

"We estimate that this pace of growth will be maintained over the next few years. In the last year alone, our gross state domestic product (GSDP) increased by 18.1 per cent against the national average of 16.1," she said.

Thanks to the contribution of the tertiary sector, which includes services, trade, hotels, restaurants and transport services, Delhi has been riding a growth high. The national capital's per capita income grew by 13.2 per cent between 2008-09 when it was Rs 10,1381 and 2009-2010 when it reached Rs 1,16,886.

With the frenzied real estate activity in the city, it is no wonder that construction is one of the biggest sectors driving Delhi's economy, estimated to contribute almost 10 per cent to the GDP. It is the tertiary sector that has registered maximum growth, contributing over 82 per cent to the state's economy. It also employs the maximum people.

But primary sectors such as forestry, mining and agriculture contribute less than one per cent to the economy, while manufacturing and industry account for only around 17 per cent.

With a population of 1.67 crore, Delhi also registered a 10.53 per cent jump in its GSDP. This means the average Delhiite earns almost twice as much as his counterparts in the rest of the country.

The national per capita income averaged at Rs 4,6492 for 2009-10.

The report also highlighted the harsh impact of inflation. After countering inflation, the state's per capita income for 2009- 10 was only Rs 8,9037, though still much higher than the national average of Rs 3,3731. Even the per capita estimates for 2010-11 are reduced to Rs 9,5943 after factoring in inflation.

After factoring in the GSDP, Delhi is ninth of all states and union territories. Its GSDP of Rs 21,7851 crore is one fourth of topranked Maharashtra and over 62 times that of Sikkim, the state with the lowest GSDP.

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