Himachal Pradesh's per capita income is equal to Gujarat's: Analysis

Gujarat assembly poll is due in December

With the Himachal Pradesh poll getting over and that of Gujarat due in December, there has been an electoral debate on development between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the two primary contenders for power in the state. Since 1990, Gujarat has been governed by the BJP for 22 years. Over the same period, Himachal has been alternatively governed by the Congress (15 years ) and the BJP (12 years). Analysis of data suggest while Himachal Pradesh’s per capita income is almost equal to Gujarat’s, the Himalayan state is better off in six of the seven social indicators — Infant mortality rate, sex ratio, literacy rate, underweight prevalence among children, crime rate against women and crime rate against scheduled castes (SCs). Among the 29 states, Gujarat is India’s second-most industrialised by gross value added. Its state gross domestic product is fourth highest in the country, and is ranked fifth by per capita income. Despite Gujarat’s economic power — the state produces almost 7.5 per cent of India’s gross domestic product — Himachal Pradesh does better on selected social indicators, barring the rate of cognisable crimes (which the police can investigate without a magistrate’s order) against women. While Gujarat registered 26.3 crimes per 100,000 women, the figure was 37.4 in Himachal Pradesh, according to 2015 data from the National Crime Records Bureau.

More than 39 per cent of children in Gujarat are underweight — the national average is 36 per cent — compared with 21 per cent in Himachal Pradesh, according to National Family Health Survey 2015-16, the latest available data. Gujarat is ranked 25th among 29 states — only ahead of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.

— Data and text-National Health Survey, National Crime Records Bureau and assorted government agencies; IndiaSpend