SHIMLA
PRENEETA SHARMA
The State of Himachal Pradesh experienced significant economic development, improving high financial circumstances while maintaining good growth in the financial year 2024-25. As per the economic survey, the per capita income is 9.6% more than the previous fiscal year. In the meantime, ₹234,859 is the national per capita income (PCI).
Construction, horticulture, and service industries like tourism are responsible for this astounding amount of Himachal’s per capita revenue. In terms of per capita income, Solan district leads the state of Himachal Pradesh as well. Its industry, along with the production of tomatoes and mushrooms, is to blame for this. Fifth place goes to Shimla district. In contrast, Kangra district has the lowest per capita income. The population of Kangra is one factor contributing to this.
It is important to remember that a number of things affect per capita income. These consist of the density of people, the degree of industry, the number of visitors, and the availability of natural resources. The United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report 2025 discloses these numbers.
Himachal Pradesh’s high per capita income can be attributed to a number of factors, according to former Finance Secretary K.R. Bharti. There aren’t many people living here. The GDP is greatly influenced by the tourism industry. Off-season veggies and horticulture boost the rural economy. Together with industry, agriculture has contributed to Solan’s success by producing mushrooms, tomatoes, and ginger. Additionally, Himachal has a sizable military population and a sizable population employed by the government. The per capita income statistics could be considerably higher if Himachal’s tourism industry were further expanded.
Which district is ranked where?
Information on per capita income by district for 2022–2023. Based on these figures, the Solan district is at the top. Industry is to blame for this. The BBN (Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh) Industrial Area is located in the Solan district. Parwanoo is a significant industrial center as well. Curiously, in addition to Solan, the districts of Lahaul and Kinnaur are listed. Their low population density is the main factor contributing to their wealth. In the fiscal year 2022–2023, the expected per capita income in the Solan district was ₹8 lakh.
Solan is followed by Lahaul-Spiti. Lahaul-Spiti district’s per capita income is over ₹3 lakh. Similarly, the per capita income in Sirmaur district is somewhat more than ₹2.5 lakh. Despite being a remote region, Sirmaur has prospered because of its connections to industry and Haryana. The numbers for Kinnaur and Sirmaur districts are comparable as well.
At about two lakh rupees, Shimla district comes in sixth on the list. Kullu, Una, Chamba, Bilaspur, Mandi, Hamirpur, and Kangra come next. This area’s large population and dearth of industries are the causes of its low per capita income. The districts from Kullu to Kangra have per capita incomes below two lakh rupees. With a per capita income of slightly more than one lakh rupees, Kangra comes in last on the list.
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