Chhattisgarh's GDP growth highest in 2009-10

Posts a growth rate of 11.49 per cent, surpasses Gujarat.

Chhattisgarh, often considered a hot-bed of left wing extremism, has emerged as the state with the highest economic growth in the last financial year.

The state, which was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in November 2000, posted a growth rate of 11.49 per cent in constant prices to Rs 60,079 crore in 2009-10.

“Better work plan and strategy powered with the commitment of the state government to deliver it to the people resulted in surpassing other states in terms of growth rate,” Chief Minister Raman Singh said. The state was set to give better results ahead, he added.

Chhattisgarh had been dubbed as one of the worst Naxal-infested states in the country and left extremism had stranded the growth of the state. “But the data (of GDP growth) released underlined that state was on fast track of progress and prosperity,” the chief minister noted.

In the process, it even bested industrialised states like Gujarat which emerged as the runner-up with a GDP growth rate of 10.53 per cent. Gujarat’s GDP at constant prices over the last decade went to Rs 2,52,528 crore.

In contrast, the previous year’s topper Bihar, could only manage the 14th position, with a GDP growth rate of 4.72 per cent. Its GDP during the financial year was Rs 1,09,420 crore.

The third place was bagged by Uttarakhand, carved out of Uttar Pradesh in November 2000. Maharashtra, long known as the country’s industrial and commercial powerhouse, secured the fourth rank, followed by Orissa.

Senior officials in the finance department here said that Chhattisgarh had recorded average growth of 10.9 per cent in last five years, while the same figure for the other states in the country stood at 7.44 per cent.

“The factors that resulted in the state’s success in achieving the highest growth rate included growth in agriculture and industrial production,” they added.