Monthly urban per capita spending highest in Delhi

NEW DELHI: The average Delhiite tends to spend less on food than what would be spent nationally, though it’s the most spendthrift among all the states. According to a report on household consumer expenditure from the Delhi Directorate of Economics & Statistics, monthly per capita expenditure in urban areas of Delhi is the highest among all states.

Urban Delhi has seen average per capita expenditure (MPCE) increase from Rs 2,905 during 2010 to Rs 3,842 in 2012, compared to a national average of Rs 2,630, according to the report prepared under National Sample Survey for July 2011-June 2012. It ranks Bihar’s MPCE at Rs 1,507, followed by Uttar Pradesh (Rs 2,051) and Madhya Pradesh (Rs 2,058).

Gujarat (Rs 2,581) is at the sixth position after Haryana (Rs 3,817), Kerala (Rs 3,408), Punjab (Rs 2,704) and Tamil Nadu (Rs 2,622). For Delhi, monthly expenditure on food items was 39% while the remaining 61% was on non-food items. This is compared to national MPCE of 43% on food items and 57% on non-food items. Urban Delhi spent 11% on milk and milk products, 6% on cereals and pulses, 2% on edible oils, 5% on vegetables and 3% on fresh and dry fruits.

Per capita monthly consumption of wheat was 6.79 kg and 1.48 kg for rice, compared to 4.32 kg wheat and 4.66 kg rice consumed at the national level. Education was an area where Delhi spent the highest, at 8%, followed by 6% house rent. The report says about 64% — around 26.72 lakh of total households — of Delhi live in their own houses, whereas 34% or 14.44 lakh resided in rented/hired houses and 2% (0.88 lakh) in other categories.