New Delhi: The gap in average monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) between rural and urban households has decreased to 71.2 per cent in 2022-23 from 83.9 per cent in 2011-12, as per the latest Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2022-23 published on Saturday by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
The data indicates that rural consumption spending has increased more than urban spending in the past 11 years.
The report shows that rural average monthly consumption spending per person rose to Rs 3,773 per month in 2022-23 from Rs 1,430 per person in 2011-12, a surge of 164 per cent, outpacing the 146 per cent increase in urban average monthly consumption expenditure per person to Rs 6,459 in 2022-23 from Rs 2,630 per person in 2011-12.
Despite the five-year interval for Household Consumption Expenditure surveys, the government did not publish the results of its 75th round for July 2017-June 2018, citing significant variations in consumption patterns and direction of change. The unreleased survey reportedly indicated a drop in consumption expenditure.
The Household Consumer Expenditure Survey (HCES) factsheet revealed that the average Monthly Per Capita Expenditure (MPCE) for the lowest 5 per cent of the rural population is Rs 1,373, and for the same percentile in urban areas, it is Rs 2,001.
For the top 5 per cent of the population in these areas, the MPCE stands at Rs 10,501 and Rs 20,824 respectively.