Gujarat tops growth chart (Bihar at bottom) SUBODH GHILDIYAL TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ THURSDAY, AUGUST 04, 2005 10:34:02 PM ] Surf 'N' Earn - Sign in now NEW DELHI: Bibek Debroy - who kicked up a shindy with his top rating for Gujarat in the growth charts in his report for the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation - now has company. The Planning Commission has put its seal of approval on Debroy’s controversial rating. Gujarat remains ahead of all states in terms of growth in per capita income in 2003-2004 over 2001-2002. Also, it ranks a close second after Madhya Pradesh in growth in per capita income of states, calculated for 2003-2004 over 2002-2003. Bihar ranks last on both counts. The figures are an eye-opener in terms of where the growth rate lies across the length and breadth of the country. Interestingly, the Centre’s figures also show that Gujarat has attracted the maximum investment in the last five years followed by Andhra Pradesh. According to the Planning Commission, Gujarat has registered a 10.3% of compound annual growth rate, a measure of annual per cent increase in per capita income, between 2000-01 and 2003-04. Manipur follows Gujarat with a compound annual growth rate of 8.5%. However, the gulf between the first two and the rest of the country is yawning. West Bengal ranks third with 5.7% followed by Orissa with 4.9%. On the lower part of the ladder are usual suspects besides a few eye-openers. Bihar has a negative compound annual growth rate of 1.5%, with the per capita income of Rs 3,879 in 2000-2001 dipping to Rs 3,707 in 2003-04. Arunachal Pradesh has an annual growth rate of minus 1% and Punjab registered a growth of only 1.6%. Uttar Pradesh has a measly 0.4% to show. Meghalaya and Rajasthan are among others with lower figures. Rate of growth apart, per capita income of Chandigarh in 2003-04 is the highest at Rs 31,865 followed by Rs 23,610 for Pondicherry. The same for Gujarat is Rs 16,779, Rs 15,800 for Punjab and Rs 15,721 for Haryana. The per capita income for states presents a similar picture. Madhya Pradesh’sper cent increase in 2003-04 over 2002-03 stands at 22, with the hike in figures being from Rs 11,483 to Rs 14,011. Ranking a close second is Gujarat - with 18.1% increase, Rs 22,838 in 2002-03 to Rs 26979 in 2003-04. Rajasthan’s per capita income for state rose by 15.6% and that of Kerala by 10.1%. Maharashtra has registered a rise from Rs 26,113 in 2002-03 to Rs 28,414 in 2003-04 with a per cent increase of 8.8.