West Bengal has experienced a significant economic decline, falling from the third richest state in India in 1960 to 24th in 2024, according to an analysis of per capita income data. The state, once an industrial powerhouse with a per capita income significantly above the national average, has seen its economic standing deteriorate over decades. This downturn is attributed to factors including "systematic ideological poisoning" and "militant unionism" which reportedly led to capital flight and structural relegation.