N Singh Mehta
Shimla – ( Feb. 8 ) – With higher agriculture sector output, Himachal economy is expected to accelerate at a growth rate 7.3 percent (gross state domestic product) in 2018-19, .1 percent higher than the national average, said latest Economic review tabled by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur in the State assembly here today. The farmers, who are the most neglected community in the state, are the principle driver of the economy with agriculture sector contributing nine per cent in the total GSDP.This is the highest economic growth rate in the last three with last year (2017-18) clocking at 6.5 percent and two year ago (2016-17) at 7 percent.The Economic Review point out that the income per person has jumped to Rs 1,76,968 in 2018-19, rising by Rs 16,257 over the bygone year 2017 -18 .“The gross state domestic product (GSDP) in 2018-19 is projected at Rs 1,51,835 crore. Earlier, the GSDP at current prices in 2017-18 increased to Rs 1,36,542 crore from Rs 1,25,122 crore in 2016-17,” the Economic Review reads.With climate playing extremely hostile last year, apple production contributed about 79 per cent to the total fruit production in the state amounting 3.60 lakh tonne as compared to 4.47 lakh tonne in the previous year, a sharp fall, show the data in the survey.Himachal Pradesh could exploit only 39 percent amounting to 10,547 MW of hydel potential out of the total 27,436 MW available in the state. A state of 70 lakh people received 164.54 lakh tourists last year, 2.4 times of its population.
The farmers, who are the most neglected community in the state, are the principle driver of the economy with agriculture sector contributing nine per cent in the total GSDP.This is the highest economic growth rate in the last three with last year (2017-18) clocking at 6.5 percent and two year ago (2016-17) at 7 percent.The Economic Review point out that the income per person has jumped to Rs 1,76,968 in 2018-19, rising by Rs 16,257 over the bygone year 2017 -18 .“The gross state domestic product (GSDP) in 2018-19 is projected at Rs 1,51,835 crore. Earlier, the GSDP at current prices in 2017-18 increased to Rs 1,36,542 crore from Rs 1,25,122 crore in 2016-17,” the Economic Review reads.With climate playing extremely hostile last year, apple production contributed about 79 per cent to the total fruit production in the state amounting 3.60 lakh tonne as compared to 4.47 lakh tonne in the previous year, a sharp fall, show the data in the survey.Himachal Pradesh could exploit only 39 percent amounting to 10,547 MW of hydel potential out of the total 27,436 MW available in the state. A state of 70 lakh people received 164.54 lakh tourists last year, 2.4 times of its population.
