The Hindu 06.04.2010
Delhi's urban population spends the most in the country: Survey
Special Correspondent
37 per cent of the expenditure was on food items and 63 per cent on non-food items
NEW DELHI: The monthly per capita expenditure in the urban areas of Delhi is the highest in the country, reveals a report on “Household consumer expenditure in Delhi” brought out by the State Directorate of Economics and Statistics on the basis of a sample survey conducted between July 2007 and June 2008.
The report was released by Delhi's Finance and Planning Minister A. K. Walia here on Monday. Speaking about its findings, the Minister said the average monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE) of Delhi (urban) had increased from Rs.1,972 during 2007 to Rs.2,078 in 2008 and was the highest in the country. At the national level, he said, the monthly per capita expenditure was much lower at Rs.1,472.
The affluence of Delhi, he said, was also demonstrated by the MPCE in the urban areas of other States which was much lower than that of Delhi. While Bihar recorded an MPCE of Rs.1,080, in Uttar Pradesh it was Rs.1,121, in Tamil Nadu Rs.1,410, in Gujarat Rs.1,471, in Andhra Pradesh Rs.1,550, in Haryana Rs.1,628 and in Punjab Rs.1,633.
Dr. Walia added that in the urban areas of Delhi about 37 per cent of the monthly per capita expenditure was on food items and the remaining 63 per cent on non-food items. The break-up revealed that 10 per cent was spent on milk and milk products, 8 per cent on cereals and pulses, 4 per cent on vegetables, 2 per cent on edible oils, and 2 per cent on fruits.
About 9 per cent of the total monthly per capita expenditure was on fuel, 8 per cent on education, 6 per cent on clothing and bedding, 6 per cent on rent, 3 per cent on medical, and 1 per cent on paan and tobacco.
Interestingly, the survey has also revealed that about 7 per cent of all households in Delhi are headed by female members of the family. Out of the total female population of 75.9 lakh in Delhi, about 51 per cent or 38 lakh are married, 5 per cent or 3.85 lakh are widows and 0.33 per cent are divorced or separated.
Dr. Walia said the distribution of occupation has revealed that 45 per cent of households have regular waged or salaried people while 43 per cent have self-employed persons. He said in 62 per cent of the households people were living in their own houses.The Minister said the survey revealed that the literacy level in urban areas of Delhi was 85 per cent in 2008. “The literacy level in males was about 90 per cent and in case of females it was 80 per cent.”
The survey has also revealed that about 18 per cent had studied up to primary level, 35 per cent up to middle and secondary level, 12 per cent up to higher secondary level, and 19 per cent up to graduate or post-graduate level and above.
