Report Reveals Significant Income Inequality in Nagaland with Gini Coefficient of 0.46

A government report titled 'Report on Income Disparity in Nagaland,' released by Chief Secretary Sentiyanger Imchen, highlights severe income inequality within the Indian state. The findings indicate that the bottom 50% of households receive only 18% of the total income, whereas the top 5% account for nearly 21%. The average monthly income for the top 5% is ₹71,028, compared to just ₹1,639 for the bottom half. Nagaland recorded a Gini coefficient of 0.46, indicating moderate to high inequality. The study, conducted between October and December 2024 under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation's Support for Statistical Strengthening Sub-scheme in collaboration with the University of Hyderabad, surveyed 4,396 households. Results show urban areas have slightly higher inequality (0.44) than rural areas (0.42). Among districts, Longleng exhibited the highest disparity with a Gini coefficient of 0.492, while Phek registered the lowest at 0.366. This data underscores significant economic disparities across different regions and demographic segments within Nagaland.