India is one of the fastest growing economies of the world and is poised to continue this impressive path, with aspirations to reach the developed economy status by 2047, the centenary year of India’s independence. India is also committed to ensuring its strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth track equipped to deal with the challenges of climate change, in line with goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. In the process, the spatial dimensions remain an integral element in its achievement and the development process. In this context, the availability of cogent data on various indicators of the States/regions can be useful for the examination and implementation of various policy options, at the sub-national level. To further analysis and research on these aspects, since 2016, the Handbook of Statistics on Indian States is being published by the Reserve Bank of India every year to fulfil this objective.

This eighth edition updates the existing data series besides expanding the coverage to incorporate six new State-wise tables, viz., (i) Population Estimates - Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (under Social and Demographic section); (ii) Natural Population Growth Rate (under Social and Demographic section); (iii) Public Expenditure on Health (under Health section); (iv) Expenditure on Relief on Natural Calamities (under Environment section); (v) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Score (under Environment section); and (vi) Roads Constructed under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (under Infrastructure section).

This publication has been prepared under the supervision and overall guidance of Dr. Deba Prasad Rath, Principal Adviser, Department of Economic and Policy Research (DEPR). It is the result of combined efforts by the Regional Economy Monitoring Division (REMD) team comprising Amarendra Acharya, Shivam, Ramesh Golait, Pratibha Kedia, Akash Kovuri, and officers from DEPR Regional Offices, Rajmal, Raj Rajesh, B.S. Choudhary, Shromona Ganguly, Alice Sebastian, Kirti Gupta, T.P. Meitei, Upasana Sharma, Rasmi Ranjan Behera, Prabal Bilantu, Sudhanshu Goyal, Pallavi, Priyanka Bajaj, Barkha Gupta, Madhuchhanda Sahoo and Sarita Sharma.

The Handbook is available on the RBI’s website (www.rbi.org.in). Feedback/comments are solicited to help improve the contents of the Handbook and responses can be sent at email

Muneesh Kapur
Executive Director
November 15, 2023