Cost of living in rural Orissa lowest in the country: report

Bhubaneswar, Feb 15 (PTI) Cost of living in ruralOrissa was one of the lowest in the country even as the stategovernment claimed reduction in poverty by 11.73 between2004-05 and 2007-08.

This was part of the Economic Survey 2010-11 reportpresented at the state assembly yesterday. "The cost of livingin urban Orissa also used to be lower than the rest of Indiain the past. This is, however, no longer the case," the reportsaid.

The rural-urban poverty gap remains larger than allIndia average. While coastal region registered the sharpestdecline of poverty according to 61st round of NSS (nationalsample survey), the extent of poverty in southern and northernregions is still very high and remains a matter of concern, itsaid.

Pointing out that the state witnessed wide range ofregional and social disparities in development, the reportsaid that all regions have not developed uniformly.

The analysis presented in the survey 2010-11 clearlybrings out that there is perceptible structural change inOrissa''s economy.

The service sector has become more and more pronouncedwith its share being 54 per cent of GSDP as per quickestimation of 2009-10.

The share of the industrial sector has increased to 28per cent and that of the agriculture sector has come down to18 per cent of GSDP in 2009-10. .