What if I tell you that Rajasthan also needs to develop its own version of Gurugram or Noida? You might wonder why I am saying this. But before understanding my reasoning, let’s take a look at Rajasthan’s current reality.
Yes, Rajasthan is the largest state in India by ar
ea, and its name itself means "Land of Kings." However, the harsh truth today is that Rajasthan is considered one of India's backward or BIMARU states. This is because its economy, which is largely based on agriculture, mining, and tourism, has not yet achieved its true potential.
Reports consistently highlight how Rajasthan is struggling with massive unemployment. Additionally, poor fiscal health, a lack of basic infrastructure like roads and power, and weak policy implementation have prevented the industrial and service sectors from developing properly. As a result, despite being India's largest state, Rajasthan is still lagging in socio-economic development.
In this situation, Rajasthan also needs a growth engine, just like Haryana has Gurugram or Uttar Pradesh has Noida. If Rajasthan can achieve this, its development will not only get back on track but also accelerate rapidly. However, the challenge is that Rajasthan cannot do this alone—it will need the support of both the Delhi government and the central government.
Now, you might be wondering what this puzzle is all about. So, let’s try to analyze this issue in detail and understand why Rajasthan needs to develop its own Gurugram or Noida.
Can you guess which city contributes the most to Haryana’s economy? Yes, it is Gurugram—one of the most important financial and technology hubs in India. Gurugram alone contributes nearly 24% to Haryana’s state GDP and attracts 70% of the state’s annual economic investments. This has made Gurugram the leading hub for high-tech industries and IT services in North India.
Moreover, according to media reports, Gurugram generates 60% of Haryana’s total income tax revenue. This is why Gurugram is considered the economic epicenter of Haryana, and it is impossible to imagine the state without it.
But Gurugram wasn’t always this way. Until the early 1980s, it was considered an economic wasteland due to infertile rocky soil and a lack of local government support. There was neither a railway link nor an industrial base. However, Gurugram’s industrialization began with the establishment of Maruti’s manufacturing plant in 1982. Since then, industrial and infrastructure development in Gurugram gained momentum, and today, after nearly four decades, it has become India’s second-largest IT hub, largest civil aviation hub, largest hospitality hub, and second-largest management consulting hub.
Similarly, if we look at Uttar Pradesh, do you know which city contributes the most to its economy? It is Noida, which alone contributes over 10% to UP’s state GDP, followed by Lucknow, which contributes only 3.85%. As a result, Noida has the highest per capita income in Uttar Pradesh.
Noida is also rapidly emerging as a hub for software and mobile app development companies. But Noida’s story is not very different from Gurugram’s. Noida (New Okhla Industrial Development Authority) was established in 1976 under the Uttar Pradesh Industrial Area Development Act. The government’s main objective was to create an industrial town and planned city near Delhi to ease congestion and overburden in the capital, primarily by targeting small and medium-scale industries.
However, at that time, no one could have predicted the significant role Gurugram and Noida would play in shaping the economies of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. If these cities had not been developed with a vision for the future, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh would look very different today.
But why are we discussing Haryana and UP while talking about Rajasthan? The answer lies in the fact that Rajasthan's development key is also hidden in the success of Gurugram and Noida.
As we saw, these cities were not always economic powerhouses. Their transformation happened within the last three to four decades. If Rajasthan can develop a similar city, it can accelerate its development as well.
But how can this be achieved? Rajasthan's proximity to the National Capital Region (NCR) could play a crucial role in this.
Both Gurugram and Noida are part of the Delhi-NCR region. Their biggest advantage has been their development as satellite towns of the national capital, Delhi. Due to effective and timely policies implemented by both the central and state governments, these cities grew in synergy with Delhi. Many industries and companies that wanted space and infrastructure near the national capital found a solution in Gurugram and Noida, turning them into growth engines for their respective states.
If we look at the NCR map, Rajasthan is also a part of it. Spanning over 55,000 square kilometers, the Delhi-NCR region includes parts of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. In Rajasthan, the districts of Alwar and Bharatpur account for over 13,500 square kilometers within NCR—only about 1,300 square kilometers less than UP's share in NCR.
This means that Rajasthan has the same development potential that UP and Haryana had. The only thing it needs is to convert this potential into actual development. By leveraging its proximity to NCR, Rajasthan can establish its own growth engine near Delhi, boosting its economy and generating employment for its youth.
Efforts have already begun in this direction. Over the past few years, Jaipur has emerged as a growing startup hub due to positive steps taken by the state and central governments. However, due to its distance from existing industrial and service hubs, Jaipur’s growth has been slow.
By capitalizing on its NCR-adjacent areas, Rajasthan can achieve faster and more sustainable development. But how can this be done?
Rajasthan is a mineral-rich state and ranks second in installed renewable energy capacity in India. Additionally, key infrastructure projects like the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and Amritsar-Jamnagar Expressway pass through Rajasthan. The state also has a 500-km freight corridor.
If the Rajasthan government effectively utilizes these advantages, it can ensure rapid economic growth. In fact, efforts to develop NCR-adjacent areas as growth engines have already started. Recently, the Rajasthan government organized a Global Investment Summit and announced the development of a new IT city just 50 km from Gurugram.
Furthermore, the Rajasthan government, in collaboration with Tata Group, is upgrading over 100 ITI institutes to provide skilled labor for future industries. Additionally, the central government has approved a special financial assistance package of ₹10,000 crore, with ₹3,333 crore allocated specifically for Rajasthan’s Bharatpur-Alwar NCR region.
This amount, as per the NCR Planning Board, will be used for upgrading hospitals and trauma care networks in these districts, ensuring state-of-the-art blood banks, air ambulance services, and superior emergency care.
Clearly, the government is making continuous efforts to ensure that Rajasthan benefits from its inclusion in NCR, not just for economic gains but also for social development.
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