Punjab, Pondicherry top state rankings

Punjab leads in agriculture, consumer market; Kerala in law & order, health.

Punjab tops the list of big states, Pondicherry of small states and Chandigarh of Union Territories in India Today's 2004 rankings of India's best states. Called "The State of the States", the study was released at the India Today Chief Minister's Conclave here today.

The states and Union Territories have been ranked on 49 parameters in eight categories, including agriculture, the consumer market, education, law and order, health, infrastructure, the investment environment, and prosperity. The research was carried out by economist Bibek Debory and data mining expert Laveesh Bhandari over four months.

Among the big states, Punjab leads the pack in agriculture, the consumer market, infrastructure, the investment scenario, and prosperity, while Kerala is on top in law and order, health, and education.

It is worth noting that the ranks of the top five big states this year are the same as last year. The only gainers are Maharashtra, which has moved up one notch to the sixth spot, and Madhya Pradesh, which, too, has improved its ranking by one slot to 12. Bihar continues to be at the bottom of the table.

Commenting on Punjab, the India Today study says the state is now suffering from a "stunted growth syndrome."

With remittances from the state's 2-million strong diaspora drying up and the state's fiscal management hijacked by sectional appeasement, the study has put a question mark on Punjab's continuance as the country's top state.

The India Today study has also projected that Pondicherry will replace Goa by 2020 as the state with the highest per capita income.

At the same time, Haryana will replace Punjab as the state with the least number of poor and Mizoram will replace Kerala as the most literate state.

Kerala will, however, retain is numero uno position in life expectancy and infant mortality. Maharashtra, too, will continue as the country's biggest state economy.