india-s-household-expenditures-surges

Household consumption expenditure on goods and services in both rural and urban areas of India has seen a robust increase over the last decade, reflecting the rising standard of living and well-being of the population, according to the latest survey released by the Ministry of Statistics.

 

The monthly per capita household consumption in rural India jumped by over 40 per cent in 2022-23, after adjusting for inflation, compared to the corresponding figure recorded for 2011-12.

 

In absolute terms, the monthly per capita consumption expenditure in rural areas rose to Rs 2,008 in 2022-23 from Rs 1,430 in 2011-12.

 

Urban India also recorded a significant gain of 33 per cent, with per capita household consumption expenditure increasing to Rs 3,510 in 2022-23 from Rs 2,360 in 2011-12, after adjusting for inflation.

 

 Without adjusting for inflation, the figures stood at Rs 6,459 for urban households and Rs 3,773 for rural households in 2022-23, compared to Rs 2,630 and Rs 1,430 respectively in 2011-12.

 

Household consumption expenditure includes spending on food, fuel, electricity, medical services, transport, and education.

 

In 2022-23, food accounted for about 46 per cent of the average rural household’s consumption, while urban households allocated about 39 per cent of their monthly per capita consumption to food.

 

The survey also indicates a gradual decline in the per capita consumption of cereals such as rice and wheat in both rural and urban India, as people are consuming more pulses, milk, vegetables, fruits, eggs, and meat.

 

This shift in consumption patterns reflects an improvement in the standard of living over this period, driven by rising incomes as India has emerged as the world’s fastest-growing major economy.

 

The survey covered 8,723 villages and 6,105 urban blocks, encompassing as many as 262,000 households across the country.