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ECONOMIC TRENDS
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LOWER INCOME GROUP
The family in this group generally comprised 5.5 units corn posed of four adults and three minors. There were on an average two earners per family. Many families in this group were staying in their owned premises which were generally small huts constructed on the outskirts of towns or villages. About 30 per cent of them were living in rented premises. About 20 per cent of the families in this group owned landed property and were thus able to
supplement their occupational income by about Rs. 150 per annum. The average occupational income of a family was placed at Rs. 800 per annum. With such a meagre income, no large savings were expected. However 22 per cent of the families reported an average saving of Rs. 600. About 50 per cent of the families were found to have contracted debts which were placed at Rs. 650 per family
The maximum and minimum monthly expenditure incurred by a family in rural and urban areas on different items of consumption is given below:
|
Expenditure Items |
Rural |
Urban | |
Maximum |
Minimum |
Maximum |
Minimum | |
Cereals and Pulses |
115 |
25 |
55 |
30 | |
Oil, ghee, etc. |
16 |
4 |
10 |
5 | |
lighting |
20 |
3 |
20 |
6 | |
Vegetables, eggs, mutton etc.. |
8 |
1 |
8 |
2 | |
Domestic services |
8 |
1 |
8 |
1 | |
Education |
30 |
1 |
10 |
3 | |
Entertainment |
12 |
I |
-- |
-- | |
Milk |
20 |
2 |
7 |
5 | |
Rent |
15 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
In addition to the items mentioned above these families spent on items such as clothing, religion, medicine, social obligations, etc., on annual basis. The maximum and minimum expenditure incurred by these families on these items is given below: |
Expenditure Items |
Rural |
Urban
|
|
Maximum |
Minimum |
Maximum |
Minimum | |
Clothing |
400 |
60 |
175 |
120 | |
Religious |
30 |
2 |
5 |
-- | |
Medical |
300 |
10 |
100 |
30 | |
Social Obligations |
10 |
2 |
-- |
-- | |
Miscellaneous |
25 |
2 |
25 |
-- |
The average monthly expenditure incurred by a family in this group towards the purchase of cereals and pulses required for consumption in a month was Rs. 47. In case of only four families from the rural areas (i.e., only 6 per cent of the families surveyed) were they consuming the produce grown on their own farm for a month or two. They spent about Rs. 10 per month on oil. Their average expenditure on vegetables, eggs, mutton, etc., was only Rs. 8 per month. The family spent about Rs. 4 per month on lighting. Even though the people in this group had a small income, it was found that about 60 per cent of the families were providing education to
their children and were spending about Rs. 6 per month towards the same. Only 43 per cent of the families in both urban and rural areas were found spending on an average Rs. 2 per month on entertainment. Their expenditure on milk was Rs. 7 per month, calculated on an average basis. About 28 per cent of the families spent about Rs. 6 per month on rent.
The family on an average spent Rs. 220 per annum on clothing, Rs. 24 on religious matters, Rs. 12 on social obligations and Rs. 60 on miscellaneous items and travelling.
Their household equipment was meagre, generally consisting of a copper drum or an aluminium pot to store water, a few aluminium utensils and earthen pots. Their bedding was also poor without a mattress or a pillow. The percentage of literacy was also very poor among the families in this group and their education was mostly limited to a primary stage.
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