Working Indians are spending more: Survey

A survey done by the Ministry of Labour and Employment says as much as 41 per cent of working class families in the country stay in independent houses.  

The expenditure on housing rose to 16.01 per cent as against 9.84 per cent at constant prices in the survey conducted during 1981-82, Minister of State for Labour and Employment Oscar Fernandes said.  

The survey also shows rise in average monthly incomes per family at constant prices from Rs 810 in 1982 to Rs 1,486. The per-capita income change at constant prices is Rs 333 over Rs 183.  

The average prevailing income per family and per capita in 1999-2000 has however been reported at Rs 6,466 and Rs 1,448 respectively.  

The average monthly expenditure per family at prevailing prices during the survey period has been recorded at Rs 4,951.

However, at constant prices, the average expenditure has been put down at Rs 1,138 for 1999-2000 against Rs 778 in the previous decade.  

From the expenditure category, food remains the biggest expense for families but has dropped in terms of total expenditure percentages from 56.95 per cent in the last decade to 47.48 per cent.  

Medical expenses have risen from 2.54 per cent to 4.54 per cent, education from 3.15 per cent to 6.19 per cent, and transport and communication from 2.69 per cent to 5.25 per cent.

With increasing demand for readymade clothing, expenses on clothing in general had dropped from 10.03 per cent to 4.99 per cent.  

The percentage of families with outstanding debts in the country had also dropped between the survey period of 1982 and 2000 from 50.17 per cent to 38.11 per cent.  

The average amount of outstanding debt per indebted family at current prices was Rs 22,920 at current prices and at Rs 5,269 from constant prices of 1982, Fernandes said.