Better ForeCaste: Gap in consumption shrinks; spending by SC, ST, OBCs rose 1% faster each yr
Consumption spending in marginalised groups such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes rose a percentage point faster every year compared with the other groups, indicating a decline in consumption inequity between upper and lower castes in the country since 2011-12, official data showed.
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The average consumption spending of marginalised groups across both rural and urban areas grew at a compounded annual growth rate of 9.2% between 2011-12 and 2022-23, while the consumption spending of other categories or general class increased 8.1%.
The monthly per capita consumption of scheduled castes in rural areas nearly tripled.
Faster Catch-up in Urban Areas
It reached Rs 3,474 in 2022-23, compared with `1,252 a decade ago in 2011-12, according to the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey released late Friday. During this period, per capita spending of scheduled tribes and other backward classes increased 2.7 times, whereas spending of other groups was up 2.6 times.
In urban centres, the catch-up was much faster as spending of STs, SCs and OBCs was up 2.5, 2.6 and 2.7 times, respectively, compared with the 2.3 times jump witnessed by other categories. The marginalised groups still consume 20-25% less than other categories across rural and urban areas, even after substantial increases over the last
