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Urban Delhi tops in per capita expenditure

Staff Reporter

34 % of monthly per capita expenditure on food items: Report

NEW DELHI: Delhi tops the per capita expenditure in the country so far as urban areas are concerned. The average monthly per capita expenditure in Delhi increased from Rs.1,563 during 2003 to Rs.1,606 in 2004, according to figures released on Tuesday.

Compared to this, the monthly per capita expenditure in the urban areas of Gujarat stood at Rs.1,092, Haryana at Rs.1,050, Punjab at Rs.1,059, Tamil Nadu at Rs.1,131, Andhra Pradesh at Rs.1,102, Uttar Pradesh at Rs. 827, Madhya Pradesh at Rs.793 and Bihar at Rs.784.

Releasing the "Household Consumer Expenditure in Delhi" report brought out by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics on the basis of a sample survey, State Finance Minister A.K. Walia said in the urban areas of Delhi about 34 per cent of monthly per capita expenditure was on food items that included 10 per cent on milk and milk products, 7 per cent on cereals and pulses, 2 per cent on edible oil, 4 per cent on vegetables, 2 per cent on fruits.

About 8 per cent of the total monthly per capita expenditure was on fuel, 5 per cent on clothing and bedding, 8 per cent on education, 2 per cent on medical, 6 per cent on rent and 1 per cent on pan and tobacco.

Therefore in Delhi about 34 per cent of the expenditure was on food items and 66 per cent on other items.

However at the national level (urban areas) 42 per cent was on food items and 58 per cent on other items.

There were around 32.75 lakh families in Delhi with overall average family size of 4.62 persons. Of the total families, 2.03 lakh were living in rural areas and 30.72 lakh in urban areas.

Interestingly, the survey reveals that a female member of the family was heading about 11 per cent of the total households. Of the total female population (68.25 lakhs) in Delhi about 49 per cent (33 lakhs) were married and 7 per cent (4.82 lakhs) widows and 0.45 per cent either divorcees or separated.

The distribution of occupation of household revealed that 47 per cent were regular waged or salaried households followed by 36 per cent self-employed household, 4.68 per cent households were in the category of labour.

Dr. Walia informed that 66 per cent of the total household were living in their own houses, whereas 26 per cent were living in rented or hired houses and 8 per cent in other categories.

About 59 per cent of the total households were residing in independent houses and 23 per cent in flats and about 18 per cent in the chawl or JJ basti. About 85 per cent of the total households were using LPG as source of cooking in Delhi followed by 10 per cent on kerosene. Dr. Walia said as per the survey literacy levels stood at 86 per cent in Delhi compared to 82 per cent at the national level.

The literacy level in males stood at about 91 per cent and in case of females the figure was 80 per cent. 74 per cent of households belonging to Scheduled Castes category were literate.

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