Report Calls Attention to Economic Imbalance Across Nagaland Households

A government report on income distribution in Nagaland has highlighted stark economic inequality in the state, showing a wide gap between high-income and low-income households.

The “Report on Income Disparity in Nagaland,” released on Thursday by Chief Secretary Sentiyanger Imchen, stated that the bottom 50 per cent of households receive only around 18 per cent of the state’s total income.

In contrast, the top 5 per cent of households account for nearly 21 per cent of the gross income generated in the state.

According to the report, the average monthly income of households in the top 5 per cent category stands at Rs 71,028, while households in the bottom 50 per cent earn an average monthly income of just Rs 1,639.

The findings underline a substantial concentration of wealth among a relatively small segment of the population.

The report also recorded a Gini coefficient of 0.46 for the state. The Gini coefficient is a globally recognised measure of income inequality, where a value of 0 indicates complete equality and 1 represents extreme inequality.

Economists generally interpret a coefficient of 0.46 as reflecting moderate to high levels of income inequality.

The report is expected to contribute to policy discussions on inclusive growth, employment generation, rural development and targeted welfare measures in Nagaland.

Experts believe the findings could encourage renewed focus on economic opportunities, skill development and income support initiatives aimed at reducing disparities across regions and communities in the state.