Meeting of Western Zonal Council Discusses the Contribution of Western Region to India’s Economic Growth

Meeting of Western Zonal Council Discusses the Contribution of Western Region to India’s Economic Growth

The Western Zonal Council, one of the five zonal councils established under the States Re-organisation Act, 1956, includes the states of Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and the Union Territories of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.

Contribution of the Western Region:
The Western region contributes 25% to India’s GDP, ranking second only to the Southern region, which contributes around 30%. In comparison, the Northern, Central, and Eastern regions contribute approximately 18.5%, 13.6%, and 12.5% respectively, highlighting regional disparities.
This region also accounts for more than half of India’s global trade and serves as a key gateway for international trade to Northern and Central regions.

Factors Contributing to Regional Disparity:

• Historical: British colonial policies favored resource-rich areas such as Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai.
• Geographical: Uneven growth has resulted from varying availability of resources, such as ports and raw materials, in some regions, while others face challenges like difficult terrain (e.g., the Himalayas and North-Eastern states) and disaster risks.
• Economic: A lack of basic infrastructure (like transportation, power, and technology) and a focus on primary economic activities in some states have hindered growth.
• Governance: Industries tend to favor more developed states with efficient governance systems and policy stability.

Tags : UPSC 2025 current affairs preparation, UPSC current affairs January 2025, UPSC 2025 daily current affairs, Best sources for UPSC current affairs 2025, UPSC 2025 current affairs for prelims, UPSC 2025 current affairs for mains, Important current affairs for UPSC 2025, UPSC current affairs strategy 2025, UPSC 2025 current affairs notes, UPSC current affairs PDF 2025, Current affairs for UPSC 2025 preparation, UPSC 2025 current affairs online classes, UPSC current affairs quiz 2025, How to study current affairs for UPSC 2025, UPSC 2025 current affairs magazines, Current affairs for UPSC 2025 prelims and mains, Current affairs updates for UPSC 2025, UPSC 2025 current affairs analysis, Current affairs for UPSC 2025 PDF download, UPSC 2025 current affairs important topics,