Guwahati, Dec 27: Meghalaya’s urban households spend 104% more than their rural counterparts on average, revealing a striking economic disparity within the state.

The Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2023-24 highlights this divide, ranking Meghalaya as the state with the highest rural-urban difference in Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE). Jharkhand (83%) and Chhattisgarh (80%) follow closely behind. The report was released today.

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) carried out the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey. It decided to conduct two consecutive surveys on household consumption expenditure during 2022-23 and 2023-24, once the situation normalized after the Covid-19 pandemic. The fieldwork of the second survey on the subject has been undertaken from August 2023 to July 2024 throughout the entire country.

Conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), HCES tracked household consumption trends during 2022-23 and 2023-24 to evaluate post-pandemic economic recovery. In Meghalaya, rural households reported an average MPCE of ₹3,578, while their urban counterparts spent ₹7,292.

HCES is designed to collect information on consumption and expenditure of households on goods and services. The survey provides data required to assess trends in economic well-being and to determine and update the basket of consumer goods and services and weights used for the calculation of the Consumer Price Index.

The urban-rural disparity in Meghalaya could be due to more opportunities in urban areas providing better access to education, technology, and amenities, driving higher urban expenditure. Another factor could be geographical challenges as rugged terrain isolates rural areas, restricting access to markets and infrastructure re, and land imiting economic activity.

Across India, non-food items constitute a significant share of household spending—53% in rural areas and 60% in urban. Major non-food expenditures include conveyance, clothing, and durable goods. Food expenditures remain prominent in rural budgets, dominated by beverages, processed foods, and staples.

State-wise, Sikkim recorded the highest MPCE (Rural: ₹9,377; Urban: ₹13,927), while Chhattisgarh reported the lowest (Rural: ₹2,739; Urban: ₹4,927).

Also Read: Dr. Manmohan Singh, India’s chief architect of economic transformation, no more

Also Watch

Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.

Also, Follow us on-

Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub

Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020

Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub

Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub