According to the latest estimates from India's Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the ten poorest states and union territories for 2026 have been identified based on per capita income. Bihar remains at the bottom with an estimated income of ₹60,000 to ₹65,000. Following Bihar are Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, both with incomes ranging from ₹85,000 to ₹95,000. Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh report per capita incomes between ₹1.2 lakh and ₹1.4 lakh. Assam, Manipur, and Meghalaya show similar figures, with incomes around ₹1.3 lakh to ₹1.5 lakh. Odisha has improved, now estimated between ₹1.5 lakh and ₹1.7 lakh. The union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu also falls within this range. Despite some progress in infrastructure and digital access, the income disparity across regions remains significant, highlighting the need for increased job creation and investment in these areas.