FROM THE EDIT PAGE
Behind the rise in rural consumption spending
The significant gains in Monthly Per Capita Expenditure (MPCE) in the 2022-23 Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO), compared to the level reported in 2011-12, have made headlines. The rate of increase for rural households (40.42%) is sharper than that for urban ones (33.5%) and, for the first time, non-food items account for more than 50% of the total consumption expenditure. Relatively poorer states such as Uttar Pradesh (UP), Madhya Pradesh (MP), and Bihar reported significant gains from 2011-12 levels, but continue to lag the southern states. Among the states, Kerala ( ₹ 5,924) has the highest average rural MPCE, followed by Punjab ( ₹ 5,315), Tamil Nadu ( ₹ 5,310) and Andhra Pradesh ( ₹ 4,870). What explains this performance? How can it be improved further? Read more.
