So much that our states could learn from Tamil Nadu and Gujarat!
Without Tamil Nadu & Gujarat, India’s development story is a lopsided, half-baked mess where most states prop up one or two shiny cities while the rest rot in neglect.
Without Tamil Nadu & Gujarat, India’s development story is a lopsided, half-baked mess where most states prop up one or two shiny cities while the rest rot in neglect.
Mumbai+Pune hog 70% of MH’s industrial output, while Aurangabad/Nashik barely register
Noida & Greater Noida cling to Delhi’s coattails, contributing 25% of UP’s GSDP, while the hinterland drowns in poverty
Hyd’s IT towers cast a shadow so long, the rest of Telangana might as well be a desert - 80% of its IT exports come from that one city
Karnataka? Bengaluru’s the golden goose, powering up 60% of the state’s GDP, with Mangalore/Mysuru scraping by on crumbs
Sure, this is progress. But, it’s failing a good chunk of 1.3bn - after removing TN & GJ - the only states to have been repeatedly blessed with political leadership with vision to SPREAD THE WEALTH.
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Look at the data - it’s damning.
TN’s urbanisation rate hits 48.4%, GJ’s 42.6% (Census 2011) - miles ahead of the national average of 35%
TN’s got 10 cities with populations over 5 lakh. Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Trichy, Salem, you name it - each a hub for something: IT, textiles, manufacturing. Its industrial GSDP share? 34%, highest in India
GJ’s no slouch - Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Banaskantha, Kutch, Bhavnagar, Mehsana, Anand - textiles, diamonds, chemicals, petrochem, pharma. You can blindfold yourself, point to a spot on the map and start a factory
TN’s TIDCO built industrial estates in 30+ towns; GJ’s GIDC mapped 200+ estates since the ’90s. Haryana has done some good work on this too
Power? Both states boast near-100% electrification. Talent? TN’s literacy rate is 80%, GJ’s 78% - UP’s at 67%, Karnataka’s 75%
But, close your eyes, pick a spot in most states, and you’ll hit a void.
In TN/GJ, you’ll hit opportunity.
And yes, TN/GJ aren’t perfect, but they prove India can do better. The rest are either too lazy or too corrupt to try. Take UP.
Its 24.3cr people see 40% of their economic activity jammed near Delhi’s orbit, while e Purvanchal lag with 50% poverty rates
80% of its 75 districts with per capita incomes below Rs 50k - a fifth of Noida’s and less than a third of the national avg
This is development for Noida. Not UP.
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Same for other major states.
Non-Bengaluru districts get 20% of Karnataka’s capex, leaving tier-2 cities like Hubli/Belagavi to fend for themselves - combined GSDP contribution? Under 10%
Despite 40% of the MH’s land, Vidarbha & Marathwada limp at 15% of GSDP
Telangana’s rural teledensity is 60% vs Hyderabad’s 130% - no connectivity, no growth
These states lack politicians with a vision to spread the opportunities & build multiple growth drivers. What do you think?
Best,
Jayant Mundhra
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