The author states that the criteria to be adopted should be per capita income and percentage of people living
below the poverty line. But prosperity also means access to physical and social infrastructure, and is a function of economic integration with the neighboring states.
Using the above mentioned criteria, the western states (Gujrat, Maharashtra, and Goa) will be in the first tier, followed by the southern states (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala). Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Delhi – all small states - will also do well due to their proximity to the National Capital Region.
The overall prosperity of the nation will depend on the large and populous states of the Hindi heartland. The author states that some of these states (Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan) are still too large to be governed efficiently, and suffer on that account.
Looking ahead a decade, the author says that the bottom tier of states will constitute of the states of Jharkhand, Orissa and Bihar. In that respect, at least, nothing much would have changed!