Maharashtra, hailed as India’s economic powerhouse, presents a paradox. While cities such as Mumbai, Pune, and Thane thrive as global commerce hubs, regions such as Marathwada and Vidarbha are poor and underdeveloped. This stark regional imbalance, persistent since the State’s formation in 1960, has widened economic inequality and fuelled social crises, including caste agitations, farmer suicides, and rural discontent.
In 2023-24, the per capita nominal net domestic district product (NDDP) in prosperous districts exceeded ₹3 lakh, while regions such as Washim, Gadchiroli, and Yavatmal recorded per capita incomes below ₹1.5 lakh. This economic gap mirrors disparities in social and human development indicators. A recent NITI Aayog report states that in districts such as Pune and Nagpur, only 3-4% of the population is deprived of essential services such as health, education, and basic amenities. But in Vidarbha and Marathwada, over 10% of the population is classified as multidimensionally poor, with Nandurbar and Dhule seeing alarming rates of 33% and 24%, respectively.
Marathwada’s underdevelopment is compounded by its lack of industrial infrastructure. While Western Maharashtra boasts state-planned industrial clusters in places such as Chakan and Ranjangaon, Marathwada has only one major industrial hub at Waluj. This absence of industrial investment, combined with the region’s reliance on agriculture, has left it vulnerable to droughts and climate variability. Agricultural distress is further exacerbated by limited irrigation facilities, erratic monsoons, and an overreliance on cash crops such as cotton and sugar cane, which are highly sensitive to climate fluctuations.
Farmers continue to rely on unpredictable rainfall and depleting groundwater levels, leading to distress migration and a rise in farmer suicides. Additionally, the growing demand for water-intensive crops in the face of persistent drought conditions has worsened the crisis, making the need for sustainable water management solutions all the more pressing.
Despite multiple efforts to address regional disparities, progress remains slow. Maharashtra has previously appointed two committees — the Dr. V. M. Dandekar Committee in 1984 and the Vijay Kelkar Committee in 2011 — to offer recommendations for equitable development. Unfortunately, many of these recommendations remain unimplemented, and the Statutory Development Boards, which were created to correct the developmental backlog in Marathwada and Vidarbha, remain inactive. This administrative inertia has deepened the developmental divide and bred resentment among marginalised communities.
The State Budget for FY 2024-25 reflects this ongoing imbalance. While larger shares of the divisible outlay have been allocated to regions such as Konkan, Western Maharashtra, and Vidarbha, Marathwada continues to receive a disproportionately smaller portion of resources. While infrastructure and industrial development in Western Maharashtra have received significant investments, Marathwada struggles with basic necessities such as roads, healthcare, and education. The disparity in educational institutions and employment opportunities has led to a talent drain, as young people from Marathwada seek better opportunities in urban centres, further weakening the region’s economic base.
This regional imbalance is not merely an economic issue; it is a governance challenge. To ensure inclusive and sustainable growth, the State must adopt a balanced development approach. This includes not only allocating more resources to backward regions but also expediting critical projects such as the Marathwada Water Grid and fostering industrial growth in these areas. The time for half-measures and empty promises is over. The solution lies in bold policy decisions, unwavering political will, and a commitment to ensuring that no region is left behind. Investing in human capital, sustainable infrastructure, and industrial diversification is the key to unlocking balanced growth. The prosperity of Maharashtra must not be the privilege of a few but the right of all its citizens. Only through a holistic and inclusive approach can the State move forward as a truly united economic powerhouse, where Mumbai’s skyscrapers and Marathwada’s fields flourish together in shared progress.
Piyush Zaware is a researcher at the University of Chicago
Published – February 11, 2025 01:13 am IST
