Bengaluru tops in per capita income survey in Karnataka

According to the Economic Survey of Karnataka 2021-22, Bengaluru Urban's per capita income (PCI) is more than five times that of Kalaburagi, highlighting the state's glaring developmental disparities once more.

The Economic Survey of Karnataka 2021-22 discovered that Bengaluru Urban's per capita income (PCI) is more than five times that of Kalaburagi, highlighting the state's glaring developmental disparities once more. Four of the districts with the lowest per capita income, including Kalaburagi, are in Kalyana Karnataka, the state's historically poorest region.

Representational image (Source: unsplash.com)

Bengaluru Urban had the highest PCI at current prices, at 5,41,638, while Kalaburagi had the lowest, at ₹1,00,446. Dakshina Kannada came in second place with a PCI of ₹3,71,771, while Belagavi was 22nd with a PCI of ₹1,16,510. According to the Survey, which collects data from 30 districts, the PCI of 26 districts was less than half of that of Bengaluru Urban.

The PCI data was compiled for the fiscal year 2019-20, when Bengaluru Urban District contributed 36.9 percent of the state Gross State Domestic Product, followed by Dakshina Kannada (5.7 percent) and Belagavi (5.1 percent) (4.3 percent ). District income, according to the Survey, is "a measure of the level and growth of economic development prevailing at the district level," as well as "a useful policy indicator to monitor the nature, degree, and inter-district variations" and "disparities in the process of economic growth at the state level."

An assessment of PCI in the state's four revenue divisions revealed significant variations in PCI. The Bengaluru Division, which included the districts of Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapur, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Kolar, Ramanagara, Shivamogga, and Tumakuru, had an average PCI of ₹3,26,099.

Mysuru Division (Chamarajanagar, Chikmagalur, Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Kodagu, Mandya, Mysore, and Udupi districts) came in second at ₹2,23,305, Belagavi Division (Bagalkot, Belagavi, Vijayapura, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, and Kannada districts) came in third at ₹1,37,089 followed by Kalaburagi division (Ballary, Bidar, Kalaburagi, Koppal, Raichur, and Yadgir districts) at ₹1,23,489.

However, the Bengaluru division ultimately won due to the Bengaluru Urban district, without which the former's PCI would be ₹1,65,361, which is lower than the Mysuru division.

The PCI of the Belagavi and Kalaburagi divisions, which are primarily located in North Karnataka, was less than half that of the Bengaluru division, according to revenue data by division. According to the Economic Survey, "growing inter-district variation is an important indicator and source of broader inter-regional disparities in the process of state economic development."