1. A recent survey reveals a significant rise in spending on paan, tobacco, and intoxicants over the last decade.
2. Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2022-23 highlights the increased allocation of income to these products in both rural and urban areas.
3. Expenditure on paan, tobacco, and intoxicants as a portion of total household spending has seen a notable increase, as per the survey findings.
New Delhi, March 03: Over the past decade, spending on paan, tobacco, and intoxicants has surged, with households allocating a larger share of their income to these products, according to a recent survey.
The Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2022-23, released last week, indicates a notable uptick in expenditure on paan, tobacco, and intoxicants as a proportion of total household spending, both in rural and urban areas.
In rural regions, expenditure on these items has risen from 3.21% in 2011-12 to 3.79% in 2022-23. Similarly, in urban areas, spending has increased from 1.61% to 2.43% over the same period.
Conversely, spending on education has decreased, accounting for 5.78% of urban expenditure in 2022-23, down from 6.90% in 2011-12. In rural areas, the proportion dropped to 3.30% from 3.49% during the same timeframe.
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The survey, conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, aims to gauge monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) and its distribution across different demographic segments and geographic regions.
Additionally, spending on beverages and processed foods has seen a significant rise, comprising 10.64% of urban expenditure and 9.62% of rural expenditure in 2022-23, up from 8.98% and 7.90%, respectively, in 2011-12.
Expenditure on conveyance has also increased, climbing from 6.52% to 8.59% in urban areas and from 4.20% to 7.55% in rural areas over the past decade.
The survey reveals a doubling of average MPCE from 2011-12 to 2022-23. In urban areas, the average MPCE surged to ₹6,459 in 2022-23 from ₹2,630 in 2011-12, while in rural areas, it increased to ₹3,773 from ₹1,430 over the same period.
Furthermore, the estimates of MPCE, based on data collected from over 2,60,000 households across states and Union Territories, demonstrate an increase even when adjusted for inflation and imputation.
Despite this, the survey underscores a concerning trend of rising expenditure on substances like tobacco and intoxicants, signaling potential health and societal implications.
