Bengaluru on top in per capita income

Per capita income (PCI) of Bengaluru Urban is more than five times that of Kalaburagi, the Economic Survey of Karnataka 2021-22 has found, revealing once more the glaring developmental disparities in the state.

Four districts with the lowest per capita income, including Kalaburagi, are from Kalyana Karnataka, a region that has historically been the most underdeveloped part of the state.

The PCI of Bengaluru Urban at current prices was at 5,41,638, the highest, while it was Rs 1,00,446 in Kalaburagi, the lowest in the state. Dakshina Kannada stood second at Rs 3,71,771 as compared to Belagavi which languished at 22nd place with a PCI of Rs 1,16,510.

The Survey, which provides data on 30 districts, shows that PCI of 26 districts was less than half of Bengaluru Urban.

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

Divisional differences

An analysis of PCI of four revenue divisions of the state also reflected significant variations in PCI.

Bengaluru Division consisting of Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapur, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Kolar, Ramanagara, Shivamogga and Tumakuru districts had an average PCI of Rs 3,26,099.

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

However, Bengaluru division came on top mainly due to Bengaluru Urban district, without which the PCI of the former would be just Rs 1,65,361, a figure that would be lower than that of the Mysuru division.

Division-wise revenue data also showed that PCI of Belagavi and Kalaburagi divisions, falling primarily in North Karnataka region, was less than half that of Bengaluru division.

“The growing inter-district variation is an important indicator and a source of broader inter-regional disparities in the process of State’s economic development,” the Economic Survey noted.

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