A careful analysis of the computed Agricultural Development Indices for different districts of Orissa reveals that the four coastal districts (Balasore, Cuttack, Puri and Ganjam) and two districts of central table land area (Sambalpur and Bolangir) are agriculturally more advanced than other districts in the three reference years over three decades (1980-81, 1998-99). Districts of the northern plateau zone, namely Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Sundergarh and Koraput of eastern ghat area are found to be most backward districts as they have secured the lowest ranks during the reference years. A significant proportion of gross cropped area in these districts is under rainfed agriculture, and, thus, drought prone.