Nagaland becomes first Northeast state to release district domestic product report

Nagaland became the first state amongst the North Eastern states to release a report on the District Domestic Product (DDP). Advisor for Economics & Statistics and IT & C, H. Sethrongkyu Sangtam released the 1st report on the District Domestic Product of Nagaland during the one-day state-level workshop to promote User Producer Interface on Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and District Domestic Product (DDP) held at Capital Convention Centre, Kohima on 21st June 2024 which was organised by the Directorate of Economics & Statistics.

Speaking as the Guest of Honour, Advisor for Economics & Statistics and IT & C, H. Sethrongkyu Sangtam stated that Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) was the most important indicator to know the level of development achieved by the economy. He informed that the GSDP of Nagaland at present was estimated to be Rs 39,566 crore with a growth rate of 7.73 per cent. Emphasising the importance of Gross State Domestic Product, he said the GSDP estimate is used by the Ministry of Finance for the devolution of funds to the states. He also said that as per the Finance Commission’s recommendation, state governments are allowed to borrow 3 per cent of the estimated GSDP from financial institutions. He added that the 16th Finance Commission will use the estimates to establish the principles governing the grant-in-aid provision to the states. He stated that to avail of grants, urban local bodies’ revenue collection should be commensurate to the simple average growth rate of the state’s own GSDP at current prices. He said that the availability of reliable socio-economic data is essential towards achieving the Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat (Developed India).

Advisor, Sethrongkyu stated that the District Domestic Product (DDP) report will help address the inter-district economic disparity in the State bring about balanced regional development and realize the economic potential of each district.  He informed that as per the report, Dimapur district has the largest economy with a Gross District Domestic Product (GDDP) value of Rs 5,43,611.00 lakh during 2019-20, while Longleng is the smallest with a value of Rs 62,112.00 lakh. He also said that Dimapur district has the highest per capita income with a value of Rs 1,54,002.00 while Mon has the lowest amongst the districts with a value of Rs 77,738.00. Sangtam called upon the officers and staff to work diligently and usher the people to greater economic prosperity and social inclusivity.

Earlier, Chief Secretary, Dr. J. Alam, IAS, acknowledged the significant improvement in the quality of data being published by the Department and commended their efforts. He emphasized the negative impact of data when it is understated or overstated due to inaccurate figures, leading to grievances when data is not properly projected.

Alam highlighted the issue of regional disparity and mentioned that the DDP will help in dispelling the wrong perceptions about the state. He requested the Additional Heads of Departments (AHoDs) and Heads of Departments (HoDs) to maintain a strong interface with the Statistics Department, ensuring that the data they supply is as accurate as possible and promptly provided.

Special invitee, Additional Director & Head, National Accounts Division, Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, Government of India, Dr. Prafulla Chandra Mishra, ISS stated that Gross State Domestic Product is the pulse monitor of a state’s economy while the Gross Domestic Product is the pulse monitor of the economy. He stated that GSDP is an important criterion for the devolution of funds to the states and added that it measures the performance of the state’s economy. He said that the District Domestic Product report will play a crucial role in the achievement of the aspirational district and also in local development. He also highlighted the importance of comparative analysis of the performance of the state. Dr Mishra congratulated the Department for being a model and releasing the District Domestic Product report.

Addressing the gathering, Commissioner & Secretary, Economics & Statistics, IT & C P, Mohammad Ali Shihab. A, IAS, emphasized the importance of accurate and quality data for informed policy-making and development planning. He requested the officials from the line departments to provide full access to their official data. He added that through the DDP, the importance of data at the micro-level will be highlighted, and Nagaland should serve as a model for other states.

The introduction of the DDP is a significant step towards understanding the economic dynamics at the district level and addressing regional disparities and workshop aims to promote the user-producer interface and enhance the understanding of GSDP and DDP among various stakeholders, Shihab said.

Delivering the welcome address, Director of, the Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Neidilhou Keditsu said that the State Government was making a huge effort to create a system for robust estimation of Gross State Domestic Product. He said the efficiency in data collection, transparency in data utilization and transmission of data are crucial for a sound economy. He started to attain the targets of the State Government in making the state’s economy sizeable, the workshop was organised to produce an impact to deliver the goods.

The workshop had three technical sessions where Deputy Director General, National Accounts Division, MoSPI, Dr. Subhra Sarker, ISS spoke on the importance of regional accounts and Joint Director, National Accounts Division, Shirke Shrinivas Vijay, ISS gave the overview of GSDP. Deputy Director, Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Vikosieto Krose spoke on the details of District Domestic Product.