Seven districts of Maharashtra contribute 54% to GSDP, revealed in a report released by the government

Seven districts out of 36 districts in Maharashtra are contributing 54% to the state's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), which was Rs 45 lakh crore in 2024, as revealed from a government report. Economic activities are highly centralized in the state, which has been branded an economic superpower in India, and these seven districts are Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur.

A report submitted by the government to the 16th Finance Commission has found that 18 districts in Maharashtra have growth rates lower than 0.8 times the GSDP growth rate. Besides this, per capita income is low compared to the average state income too. GSDP refers to the value of all goods and services that are produced in a given duration within the state boundaries.

It said that Maharashtra's per capita income is 148% of the national average, while 12 districts of the state have per capita income less than the national average. According to the report, the state government has prepared five-year district strategic plans, supported by the World Bank project, to accelerate balanced economic development based on the relative strengths of these 36 administrative units.

According to the report, the state government has taken several decisions to provide funds to the administration for development strategies. In the current financial year, the district's annual plan outlay has been increased by 11% to Rs 20,150 crore. Under this, district collectors have been directed to spend at least 25% of the annual plan amount to approve the projects identified in the District Strategic Plan (DSP). Quick financing will help increase the income of the districts and will further increase development. Additional funding is being provided to aspiring districts and blocks.

The Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district of eastern Maharashtra is being developed as a steel hub, the report said. The districts have been divided into three segments based on economic growth and GDP. The report said more than 50 per cent of the 36 districts are in the third segment (low gross district domestic product or per capita GDP). The seven districts responsible for most economic activity and contributing 54 per cent to GSDP are: Raigad, Nagpur, Pune, Thane, Palghar, Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban.

The second segment has 11 districts - Wardha, Chandrapur, Ahilyanagar, Solapur, Satara, Ratnagiri, Sangli, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik, Sindhudurg and Kolhapur - whose GSDP contribution was 26 per cent. The report said that 18 districts - Yavatmal, Amravati, Akola, Nanded, Bhandara, Gondia, Dhule, Jalgaon, Hingoli, Buldhana, Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Latur, Parbhani, Beed, Washim, Dharashiv and Jalna - contribute 20 per cent to the state GDP.