Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s per capita income (PCI) has grown 9.2% in 2025-26 fiscal to Rs 1,86,761, narrowing the gap with the national average of Rs 2,19,575, the state’s Economic Survey has pointed out.The growth in the state’s per capita income outpaced the national rate of 6.9%, marking continued convergence with the country’s average income levels. In over a decade, Odisha nearly tripled its PCI from Rs 64,835 in 2015-16 to the current estimate, reflecting gains across industry, services and public investment.Economists said the surge indicated a structural shift. “Odisha’s higher-than-national PCI growth rate shows a sustained improvement in productivity and diversification of the economy. The state moved far beyond its earlier dependency on primary sectors like mines and minerals,” said Prafulla Pradhan, a city-based development economist.However, the survey’s state-wise comparison for 2023-24 showed that Odisha still sit in the middle. With a PCI of Rs 1,55,125 in 2023-24, it remained ahead of West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, but trailed states such as Telangana, Karnataka, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Kerala.Experts cautioned that narrowing the gap with national leaders will require sharper private investment and job creation. “The state did well on infrastructure and capital expenditure, but future income gains will depend on strengthening the manufacturing ecosystems,” said Prabir Hota, a retired professor of economics.The survey noted that Odisha’s long-term PCI growth is consistently higher than the country’s, helping reduce the gap from the national average. India’s PCI rose from Rs 94,797 in 2015-16 to Rs 2,19,575 in 2025-26, but Odisha recorded a steeper climb, closing in at nearly 85% of the national figure.Policy observers said the trajectory is encouraging, but uneven. “Odisha gained pace, but the challenge now is accelerating income growth in rural areas. Balanced regional development will determine whether the state can sustain this catch-up,” said Hota.The survey added that if current trends hold, Odisha is likely to further narrow the income gap in the coming years, though top-performing southern and western states continue to pull the national average upwards. “This is high time that Odisha should focus on further improving its PCI,” Pradhan added.Social activist Preeti Mahapatra, however, questioned whether these numbers translated into real change on the ground. “Are rural incomes rising, jobs increasing, and basic services improving, or is this just good accounting and projected estimates? High growth on paper doesn’t always mean prosperity for every citizen,” she wrote on X.
