Stark economic disparities reflect skewed growth in Telangana

Telangana’s per capita is income one of the highest in the country. At ₹3.79 lakh, the State’s per capita income grew at 9.6 per cent outpacing the national average of ₹2.05 lakh. This means that the State’s per capita income is ₹1.74 lakh, or 1.8 times, more than the national average.

But a close look at the district-wise figures shows wide-spread income disparities within the State. While Rangareddy tops the list of districts with a per capita income of ₹10.55 lakh, its adjacent district Vikarabad is at the bottom of the list with just ₹1.98 lakh – a huge gap of ₹1.81 lakh. Hanumakonda comes close to Vikarabad with a per capita income of ₹1.99 lakh.

Hyderabad stands at the second spot with 5.54 lakh, followed by Sangareddy with 3.45 lakh, Medchal-Malkajgiri ₹3.43 lakh, Bhadradri Kothagudem ₹3.21 lakh and Peddapally with ₹2.74 lakh.

Vikarabad, despite its proximity to Hyderabad, has the lowest PCI, highlighting the failure to distribute economic benefits evenly. Similarly, other districts such as Kumaram Bheem Asifabad

and Hanumakonda reflect Telangana’s uneven growth trajectory, where urban hubs prosper while large rural and semi-urban regions remain neglected.

All the top 3-4 districts that performed very well on the per capita front benefit from strong industrial, IT, and service sector growth, as well as proximity to the State capital, which drives high-income levels.

The Socio-Economic Outlook – 2025 takes note of the disparities within the districts. “The per capita income (PCI) data for 2023-24 at current prices exposes the stark economic disparities across Telangana, with development heavily skewed toward a few urban districts,” the report, which was released on Wednesday, said.

“Rangareddy and Hyderabad are the only districts with per capita incomes significantly above the State average, underscoring the concentration of wealth and economic opportunities in and around Hyderabad,” it said.

“The data exposes the widening economic gap, raising concerns about inclusive development. While Telangana showcases strong overall economic growth, the failure to ensure equitable prosperity across districts points to the urgent need for targeted policies and investments to bridge these glaring disparities,” the report pointed out.

District growth

A similar trend is reflected in the growth of various districts. While the State achieved a Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of ₹16.12 lakh crore, only three districts breached the ₹1-lakh crore mark. Rangareddy topped the list with ₹3.17 lakh crore followed by ₹2.57 lakh crore, and Medchal-Malkajgiri district with ₹1.04 lakh crore in Gross District Domestic Product (GDDP).

The fact that one-third of the 33 districts in the State ended up with a GDDP below ₹20,000 crore reflects a very stark disparity between the economic growth in districts.

• Also read: Telangana Budget 2025 Highlights: ₹3.05 lakh cr Budget prioritises farmers, rural development and economic expansion