Andhra tops urban per capita spending in Sothern region

On 28 Dec 2024 17:11:54

Southern India continues to dominate in monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE), with states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh,

• Southern States lead India in per capita spending

• Northern States falling short of national averages spending

Southern India continues to dominate in monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE), with states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka significantly outpacing the national average, as per the recently released Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023-24.

Among these, Andhra Pradesh has emerged as the leader in urban MPCE in the Southern region. Kerala's MPCE figures show rural households spending Rs 6,611 and urban households Rs 7,834, against the national averages of Rs 4,122 and Rs 6,996, respectively. Tamil Nadu reports Rs 5,872 in rural and Rs8,325 in urban areas, while Telangana's numbers stand at Rs 5,675 and Rs 9,131. Andhra Pradesh, however, leads the pack with rural households spending Rs 6,107 and urban households topping the charts at Rs 9,877.

Karnataka rounds out the top five with Rs 5,068 in rural areas and Rs 8,169 in urban zones. Survey highlights consumption gaps : Conducted between August 2023 and July 2024, the survey covered 261,953 households across rural (154,357) and urban (107,596) sectors. It reveals sharp regional disparities, with populous northern States like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan falling short of the national averages in both rural and urban spending.

Industrialized states such as Gujarat and Maharashtra showed MPCE levels aligning closely with national averages. Meanwhile, Sikkim outperformed all states with rural households recording Rs 9,377 and urban households Rs 13,927, while Chhattisgarh reported the lowest MPCE at Rs 2,739 in rural and Rs 4,927 in urban areas. Rural-urban divide and disparities : The report also highlights the growing rural-urban divide, with Meghalaya displaying the largest gap (104 percent), followed by Jharkhand (83 percent) and Chhattisgarh (80 percent).

Across India, only nine states recorded MPCE levels exceeding the national average in both rural and urban sectors. Changing consumption patterns : Consumption trends show a modest increase in spending on cereals, with rural areas allocating 4.99% of their MPCE and urban areas 3.76%, slightly up from the previous year.

However, average cereal consumption declined marginally in both rural and urban areas. Expenditures on other food items, such as beverages, pulses, vegetables, fruits, eggs, meat, and spices, saw a noticeable rise. Conversely, rural households cut spending on non-food items like medical care, education, rent, fuel, and durable goods, while urban households trimmed expenses on pan, tobacco, transport, and consumer services.