Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Delhi has the highest per capita expenditure among all states of the country. This is as per a report on Household Consumer Expenditure prepared by the Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Government of NCT of Delhi for the period July, 2011 – June, 2012 under NSS 68th Round.
The report also states that the average monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE) of Delhi (urban) has increased from Rs 2905 during 2010 to Rs 3842 in 2012.
In the urban areas at the national level the monthly per capita expenditure is Rs 2630. The monthly per capita expenditure in the urban areas of Haryana is Rs 3817, while in Gujarat it is Rs. 2581. In Kerala the monthly per capita expenditure amounts to Rs 3408, while in Punjab it is Rs 2794. In Tamil Nadu, the monthly per capita expenditure figures at Rs. 2622, while in Andhra Pradesh it is Rs. 2685. Uttar Pradesh has a monthly per capita expenditure of Rs. 2051.
The report also states that Madhya Pradesh and the urban areas of Bihar have monthly per capita expenditures of Rs 2058 and Rs 1507 respectively.
In the urban areas of Delhi about 39percent of monthly per capita expenditures were on food items and the remaining 61percent was on non-food items. Breakup under Food Items reveals that 11percent was spent on milk & milk products, 6percent on cereals & pulses, 2percent on edible oils, 5percent on vegetables, 3percent on fresh and dry fruits etc.
Under the category of Non Food items, about 6percent of the total monthly per capita expenditure was on fuel and light, 6percent on clothing & bedding, 8percent on education, 3percent on medical, 6percent on rent and 1percent on pan, tobacco & intoxicants.
However, at the national level (urban area) the monthly per capita expenditure is 43percent on food items and 57percent on non-food items.
The per capita monthly consumption of wheat in urban areas of Delhi is 6.79 Kg and that of rice is 1.48 Kg as compared to 4.32 Kg of wheat and 4.66 Kg of rice consumed in the urban areas at the national level. Thus, in Delhi, wheat consumption is about 4 times higher than the rice.
About 6percent (2.64 lakhs) of the total households are being headed by female members of the family. Out of the total female population (79.60 lakhs) in Delhi about 52percent (42 lakhs) were currently married and 6percent (4.72 lakhs) widows, 0.84percent (0.67 lakhs) were divorced/separated and 41percent (32.46 lakhs) were not married.
The distribution of occupation of household reveals that 56percent (23.43 lakhs) were regular wages/salaried household followed by 35percent (14.84 lakhs) self employed household, 5percent (1.90 lakhs) household were in the category of casual labour and remaining 4percent (1.87 lakhs) were other households.
The report further reveals that about 64percent (26.72 lakhs) of the total households were living in their own houses, whereas 34percent (14.44 lakhs) were in rented/hired houses and 2percent (0.88 lakhs) in other categories.
