Southern States Lead in GP Revenue Mobilisation

Southern states have emerged national leaders in local revenue generation, with Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu together accounting for over 60% of the Rs 25,595 crore Own Source Revenue (OSR) collected by gram panchayats across the country between 2017-18 and 2021-22.

- VINCENT D'SOUZA @Mangaluru

Karnataka stood out with a total collection of Rs 3,137 crore and a per capita OSR of Rs 148, well above the national average of Rs 59. Kerala, with Rs 286 per capita, recorded the highest figure among major states, while Andhra Pradesh (Rs 209), Telangana (Rs 159), and Tamil Nadu (Rs 109) rounded out the southern dominance in grassroots fiscal performance. Odisha recorded an average OSR of just Rs 42.09 crore, with a per capita figure of Rs 11, placing it among the lowest-performing states despite its large rural population.

The figures place Karnataka seventh among 30 states and UTs in terms of per capita revenue mobilisation by Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), according to a report presented in the Lok Sabha on July 29 by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

Karnataka has seen consistent year-on-year growth in OSR collections: Rs 385.94 crore in 2017-18, Rs 552.86 crore in 2018-19, Rs 671.37 crore in 2019-20, Rs 715.41 crore in 2020-21, and Rs 812.21 crore in 2021-22.