A report on income disparity in Nagaland has revealed significant income inequality within the state, with a Gini coefficient of 0.46. The Gini coefficient, a measure of statistical dispersion representing income or wealth distribution, indicates that Nagaland experiences notable economic disparity.
Rural and Urban Inequality
According to the report, the Gini coefficient for rural Nagaland stands at 0.42, while urban areas in the state have a slightly higher coefficient of 0.44. This suggests that urban income inequality is marginally greater than rural income inequality, though both remain substantial.
Report Release and Collaboration
The report was released by Nagaland Chief Secretary Sentiyanger Imchen at the Nagaland Civil Secretariat in Kohima on Thursday. It is the outcome of a project undertaken as part of the central sector scheme of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, under the Support for Statistical Strengthening sub-scheme. The project was conducted in collaboration with Hyderabad University.
Survey Methodology and Data Collection
The field survey for the report was conducted between October 2024 and December 2024, with the reported data pertaining to the year 2024. Data was collected from 4,396 households across the state. In urban areas, 1,315 households from 60 wards were surveyed, while 3,080 households from 140 villages were surveyed in rural areas. This comprehensive sampling provides a robust basis for the findings.
District-Level Disparities
Among the districts, Longleng tops the list with the highest income inequality, recording a Gini coefficient of 0.492. In contrast, Phek has the lowest income disparity, with a Gini coefficient of 0.366. These figures highlight the varying levels of economic equality across different regions of Nagaland.
Understanding the Gini Coefficient
The Gini coefficient is a widely used measure of statistical dispersion intended to represent income inequality, wealth inequality, or consumption inequality within a nation or social group. A Gini coefficient of 0 reflects perfect equality, where all income or wealth values are identical. Conversely, a Gini coefficient of 1 indicates maximal inequality, where a single individual possesses all the income while others have none. Nagaland's coefficient of 0.46 falls in the moderate to high range, signaling a need for targeted policy interventions.
