2 months ago
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While Karnataka cements its presumption arsenic India’s maturation motor with the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) expanding from ₹29.06 lakh crore successful 2024-25 to ₹32.81 lakh crore successful 2025-26, the latest Economic Survey for 2025-26 reveals a stark and widening determination disparity.
Kalaburagi territory and Kalyana Karnataka portion (Kalaburagi Revenue Division) proceed to stay astatine the bottommost of Karnataka’s income ladder.
According to the Karnataka Economic Survey 2025-26, Kalaburagi occupied the past rung successful per capita income (PCI) grid successful the State with ₹1,44,449 successful 2024-25, falling from ₹1,45,377 successful 2023-24, a antagonistic maturation of minus ₹928. The State mean PCI is ₹3,86,156.
The show of different Kalyana Karnataka districts is besides not impressive. Of the bottommost 8 districts, six are from the portion – Yadgir (₹1,64,388), Raichur (₹1,78,888), Koppal (₹1,81,152), Bidar (₹1,85,079) and Vijayanagara (₹1,93,230), isolated from Kalaburagi astatine the bottom-most rung. The different 2 are Belagavi (₹1,83,217) and Vijayapura (₹1,87,429). Only Ballari managed to execute better, occupying the 11th rung with ₹3,24,111.
Disparity
In contrast, Bengaluru Urban district, which leads the State economy, recorded a PCI of ₹8,55,960, astir six times that of Kalaburagi.
Dakshina Kannada (₹6,26,279), Udupi (₹6,00,683), Chikkamagaluru (₹4,94,787) and Shivamogga (₹3,89,743) besides stay acold up successful income levels. While Bengaluru accrued its PCI by ₹89,198 compared to 2023-24, different top-performing districts besides accrued their PCI importantly successful the aforesaid twelvemonth – Dakshina Kannada (₹58,735), Udupi (₹56,492), Chikkamagalur (₹42,647) and Shivamogga (₹30,079).
In contrast, the maturation of PCI successful Kalyana Karnataka districts are meagre — Yadgir (₹15,287), Raichur (₹8,403), Koppal (₹17,834), and Bidar (₹13,711) and Vijayanagara (₹20,814). Belagavi (₹20,414) and Vijayapura (₹19,195) from Kittur Karnataka were among the bottommost performers.
The worst show is from the Kalaburagi district, which recorded a antagonistic growth. Earlier also, successful 2015-16 and 2020-21, the territory recorded antagonistic growth.
The clustering of a bulk of Kalyana Karnataka districts astatine the little extremity of the income ladder underscores the persistent determination imbalance wrong Karnataka’s economy.
GDDP disparity
The disparity is besides disposable successful the size of territory economies measured done Gross District Domestic Product (GDDP). According to the survey, Kodagu recorded the smallest territory system successful the State with a GDDP of ₹21,510 crore successful 2024-25, followed by Yadgir (₹26,517 crore) and Gadag (₹28,603 crore). Koppal reported ₹33,020 crore, reflecting the constricted standard of economical enactment successful respective districts.
There has been a hold by some the Union and State governments successful taking the Mega Textile Park successful Kalaburagi forward. | Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO
In contrast, economically stronger districts study acold larger output levels. Bengaluru Urban unsocial recorded a GDDP of ₹11,73,574 crore, portion Dakshina Kannada (₹1,54,509 crore) and Belagavi (₹1,11,225 crore) besides reported importantly larger territory economies. Together with different large districts specified arsenic Tumakuru (₹1,00,988 crore) and Mysuru (₹99,527 crore), these apical 5 economical centres relationship for much than fractional of the State’s full economical output, highlighting the attraction of economical enactment successful a fewer regions of Karnataka. Though GDDP unsocial is not needfully a measurement of development, arsenic smaller districts people thin to grounds little output portion larger and much urbanised districts study higher economical size, it indicates a district’s publication to the GSDP.
State measures
The survey noted that the State authorities has attempted to code determination imbalance done argumentation initiatives aimed astatine decentralising economical enactment beyond Bengaluru, including the Karnataka Startup Policy 2025–30, unveiled with an outlay of astir ₹518.27 crore. The argumentation seeks to foster 25,000 caller start-ups crossed the State. A cardinal diagnostic of the policy, the survey noted, is its accent connected spatial decentralisation, with a people of nurturing astatine slightest 10,000 start-ups extracurricular Bengaluru.
Pointing to structural issues, Sangeeta Kattimani, subordinate of the State Policy and Planning Commission, Karnataka, said, “With constricted industrialisation, a poorly developed work assemblage and mostly untapped tourism potential, northbound Karnataka remains heavy babelike connected agriculture. The adust upwind besides contributes, arsenic utmost vigor affects the productivity crossed sectors.”
Sharanabasappa M. Pappa, president of the Kalyana Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that portion a sizeable magnitude of wealth is being pumped into the portion done peculiar grants, determination is small clarity connected however efficaciously the funds are utilised.
Pointing to the PM-MITRA Mega Textile Park projected successful Kalaburagi, Mr. Pappa said that ample projects of this standard could accelerate industrialisation and make important employment opportunities. However, helium expressed dissatisfaction implicit what helium described arsenic the prolonged hold by some the Union and State governments successful taking the task forward. “The State authorities has approved ₹390 crore for processing infrastructure astatine the projected PM-MITRA Mega Textile Park successful Kalaburagi but allocated lone ₹75 crore successful the caller Budget. If that continues to beryllium the approach, the task could get dragged connected for different 5 years,” helium said.
