By Dr Asangba Tzudir
The recent news highlighting income inequality in Nagaland published by this paper highlights a deeply troubling and sad reality. On the income, while the top 5% of households earn an average of Rs 71,028 per month, the bottom 50% survives on merely Rs 1,639 monthly. Such a disparity is not just a statistical concern but reflects a widening social and economic divide thereby threatening the very foundation of fairness, opportunity, and social harmony in the state.
Beyond the statistics, the figures reveal a lot more than unequal earnings. It exposes unequal access to education, healthcare, employment opportunities, political influence, and social mobility. When half the population survives on an amount which is insufficient even for basic necessities, inequality ceases to be merely an economic issue. It becomes a developmental, and more so a moral crisis.
Income disparity is indeed one of the primary drivers of excessive inequality in Nagaland. But it is also closely linked with several structural problems. One major factor is the limited nature of the state’s economy. Nagaland continues to reel under the dependency syndrome, remaining heavily dependent on government employment, and with comparatively weak industrial development and limited private sector growth, it has only resulted in a small section of society with access to stable government jobs, contracts, businesses, or political networks leading to wealth accumulation, while a large number of people remain trapped in unstable or low-income livelihoods.
Another contributing factor is unequal access to quality education. In many rural and economically weaker households, children continue to face difficulties in obtaining good schooling, competitive coaching, digital access, and professional exposure. Meanwhile, families with economic advantage can afford better educational opportunities, thereby perpetuating the vicious cycles of privilege. The gap between the rich and the poor only keeps widening, not merely because of income, but because opportunity itself becomes unequal.
Corruption and misuse of public resources also play a significant role. Development funds meant for public welfare often fail to reach the grassroots effectively. Poor infrastructure, lack of sustainable industries, and insufficient employment generation deepen frustration among the youth even as both ‘educated’ and ‘uneducated’ and ‘employable’ and ‘unemployable’ increases. Under such circumstances, wealth becomes concentrated in the hands of a few, while ordinary citizens struggle with rising prices, unemployment, and economic insecurity.
However, a simple stat relating to income disparity alone cannot explain every dimension of inequality. Social attitudes, tribal dynamics, regional imbalances, and ‘patronages’ can also influence who gains access to resources and opportunities. While urban centres like Dimapur, Chumoukedima and Kohima tend to attract more investment and facilities, remote areas frequently remain underdeveloped. Such uneven development only heightens perceptions of exclusion and stories of neglect.
The consequences of extreme inequality are serious because it weakens social trust, increases resentment, and creates feelings of hopelessness especially among the younger generation. A society where wealth and therefore prosperity is concentrated among a few while many remain economically vulnerable cannot achieve long-term progress. Excessive inequality also affects democratic participation, because economic power often translates into political influence.
Nagaland must therefore move beyond merely acknowledging inequality and really seek meaningful solutions. Strengthening rural economies, encouraging entrepreneurship, improving vocational training, ensuring transparency in governance, and investing in quality education and healthcare are some of the essential steps. Where government sector is ‘over-employed’, the private sector and civil society must also play a greater role in creating sustainable opportunities for ordinary citizens.
Ultimately, the real resources and strength of a society lies not in the wealth of a privileged few, but in the dignity and wellbeing of its people as a whole. For Nagaland to move toward inclusive progress, reducing economic inequality must emphasize both on policy as well as build a collective social responsibility.
(Dr Asangba Tzudir contributes a weekly guest editorial for The Morung Express. Comments can be emailed to asangtz@gmail.com).
