Nagaland first in Northeast to release district domestic product report

DIMAPUR — Nagaland has become the first state in the Northeast India to release a District Domestic Product (DDP) report, offering a detailed analysis of economic activity at the district level.

Advisor for Economics & Statistics and IT & C, H Sethrongkyu Sangtam, released the report during a one-day state-level workshop organised to promote User Producer Interface on Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and District Domestic Product (DDP), said an update from DIPR.

Speaking at the workshop organised by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics at Capital Convention Centre in Kohima on Friday, Sangtam said the GDSP is a key indicator of economic development and Nagaland’s the current GSDP is estimated at INR 39,566 crore with a growth rate of 7.73%.

He said that the GSDP estimate is used by the Ministry of Finance for devolution of funds to the states, and as per the Finance Commission’s recommendation, state governments are allowed to borrow 3% of the estimated GSDP from financial institutions.

The 16th Finance Commission will use the estimates to establish the principles governing the grant-in-aid provision to the states, he said, adding that in order to avail grants, urban local bodies’ revenue collection should be commensurate to the simple average growth rate of the state’s own GSDP at current prices.

Dimapur tops in GDDP

The advisor informed that the availability of a reliable socio-economic data is essential towards achieving the Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat (Developed India), and the DDP report will help address inter-district economic disparity, bring about balanced regional development and help release the economic potential of each district.

He informed that Dimapur has the largest economy among the districts with a Gross District Domestic Product (GDDP) value of INR 5,43,611 lakh during 2019-20, while Longleng is the smallest with a value of INR 62,112 lakh, as per the report.

In terms of per capita income too, Dimapur leads with INR 1,54,002, while Mon district has the lowest at INR 77,738.

Chief Secretary, Dr. J Alam, acknowledged the department’s progress in improving data quality and stressed the importance of accurate data for effective policymaking. He also said that the DDP report will help in dispelling wrong perceptions about the state and urged department heads to maintain a strong interface with the Statistics department to ensure that the data they supply is as accurate as possible and prompt.

Dr. Prafulla Chandra Mishra, Additional Director & Head, National Accounts Division of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, commended the release of the DDP report, stating that it will “play a crucial role in achievement of the aspirational district and also in local development”.

Also addressing the gathering, Commissioner & Secretary, Economics & Statistics, IT & C P, Mohammad Ali Shihab A, emphasised the importance of accurate and quality data for informed policy-making and development planning, and requested the line departments to provide full access to their official data.

Stating that the importance of data at the micro-level will be highlighted through the DDP, he said Nagaland should serve as a model for other states.

Delivering the welcome address, Director, Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Neidilhou Keditsu said that the state government is making efforts to create a system for robust estimation of GSDP. He said the efficiency in data collection, transparency in data utilisation and adequate transmission of data is crucial for a sound economy.

The workshop, which was attended by senior officials, policymakers and representatives from various departments, had technical sessions on regional accounts, GSDP overview, and DDP details. It was aimed at enhancing the understanding of GSDP and DDP among stakeholders and promote collaboration between data producers and users.