Western, southern states dominate in key metrics: Careedge Ratings

States in Western and Southern India "dominate" in the key metrics, an annual survey released by a domestic rating agency said on Tuesday.

The agency assessed states on the basis of economic strengths, fiscal situations, financial development, infrastructure, social situations, governance, and environment.

"Western and Southern states dominate the top five rankings," Careedge Ratings said.

Fiscal, economic and financial development pillars are strong points for Western states, while the Southern states performed well across the economic, financial development, environment, and governance pillars, the study said.

Maharashtra has emerged as the best in overall composite rankings, followed by Gujarat and Karnataka in an annual analysis carried out by the rating agency.

The state topped in the financial development pillar and performed strongly across the economic, fiscal and social pillars, it added.

Gujarat, its neighbour to the north-west, scored on its leading economic rank, favourable outcomes in the fiscal and infrastructure pillars, it said.

The exercise is an attempt to capture the long-term growth potential of states, while also focusing on the quality and inclusiveness of the growth model, the agency's managing director and group chief executive Mehul Pandya said.

Pandya hoped that the findings would facilitate informed decision-making and fine-tuning of existing policies to suit the diversity in Indian states.