India per capita income expected to double over past 7 years

NEW DELHI, Feb. 9 (Chinese media) -- India's per capita income is expected to

double over the last seven years in the 2008-2009 fiscal year which ends on

March 31, said an official projections of national income released on Monday.

National per capita income is expected to stand at 38,084 rupees (784 U.S.

dollars) in 2008-2009, 14.4 percent or 4,801 rupees (99 U.S. dollars) over the

previous fiscal year, said the release of the Central Statistical Organization.

The country's per capita income stood at 18,885 rupees (389 U.S. dollars)

in the 2002-2003 fiscal year.

The growth in the per capita income also takes into account India's

increasing population, which is expected to increase to 1.154 billion by March

2009 from 1.138 billion one year ago.

The Indian economy is expected to grow by 7.1 percent in the 2008-2009

fiscal year, slower than last year's 9 percent and the lowest in six years.

The 2008-2009 fiscal year started on April 1, 2008 and ends on March 31,

2009.