Bhubaneswar: Despite registering impressive strides in mining, steel and IT sectors, Odisha appears to have put up a dismal show in terms of ownership of vehicles.
As per nationwide survey of vehicle ownership, Odisha virtually ranks near the bottom though the state has posted a positive economic growth in last few years.
As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 of 2019-21, only 2.7 per cent of households in Odisha own a car. The data showed that Odisha is positioned much below the national average of 7.5 per cent in ownership of cars.
Similarly, two-wheeler penetration was also quite low as only 43.5 per cent of households in the state own a motorcycle of scooter, compared to the all-India average of 49.5 per cent.
Vehicular penetration in Odisha appears to be quite low when compared with the state’s performance in key sectors like steel and industry as well as mining. Economic growth achieved by the state also happens to be quite impressive.
Odisha is placed slightly better than Bihar, where 2 per cent of households own a car and 27.2 per cent a two-wheeler. West Bengal is positioned a little better showing 2.8 per cent car ownership and 28.5 per cent for two-wheelers. These states happen to be a part of a cluster where economic limitations and poor transport infrastructure deeply restrict personal mobility.
In sharp contrast to Odisha, states like Goa (45.2% car and 86.7% bike) and Kerala (24.2% car and 58.2% bike) present high vehicular penetration. Ownership of vehicles in these states seems to be a reflection of higher per capita income, better road infrastructure, and access to affordable credit facilities.
One of the major reasons for low vehicular penetration in Odisha could be the fact that majority of the people in the state live in rural and tribal-dominated areas. As around 83 per cent of the population reside in rural areas, many villages lack all-weather roads, banking access, or public transport connectivity. For large segments of the population, owning a vehicle is either economically unviable or impractical.
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