Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023-24

Overview

The survey highlighted a decline in spending inequality between rural and urban areas, as well as among different social categories in 2023-24.

Key Findings

• Rural-Urban Spending Gap:
  • The gap narrowed to 69.7% in 2023-24 from 71.2% in 2022-23.
  • The gap was significantly higher at 83.9% in 2011-12.
• Average Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE):
  • In rural areas, MPCE increased by 9.2% to ₹4,122 in 2023-24 from ₹3,773 in the previous year.
  • In urban areas, MPCE rose by 8.3% to ₹6,996.
• Composition of Expenditure:
  • Non-food items remained the primary driver of average monthly expenditure.
  • In rural areas, the share of food items in MPCE rose slightly to 47% in 2023-24 from 46.4% in 2022-23.
  • In urban areas, this share increased to 39.7% from 39.2% in 2022-23.
• Share of Non-Food Items:
  • In rural areas, the share of non-food items slightly declined to 53% from 53.6% in the previous year.
  • In urban areas, it fell marginally to 60.3% from 60.8% in 2022-23.

Social and Economic Analysis

• Spending Growth by Social Categories:
  • Higher growth among scheduled tribes, scheduled castes, and other backward classes compared to other categories.
• Spending Growth by Employment Type:
  • In urban areas, the increase in spending by casual labour and self-employed individuals was higher than regular wage workers.
  • In rural areas, casual labour in agriculture recorded a higher increase than casual labour in non-agriculture.
  • Self-employed individuals in agriculture experienced greater increases compared to those in non-agriculture.