Per capita income during FY10 rises 14.5%

The country's per capita income, often used to measure a country's standard of living, increased by 14.5% during 2009-10 to Rs 46,492, Parliament was informed today.

In 2008-09, the per capita income, which measures the income per person in a population, was Rs 40,605, Statistics and Programme Implementation Minister M S Gill said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

"The per capita income at factor cost during 2008-09 and 2009-10 are estimated as Rs 40,605 and Rs 46,492, respectively, at current prices," said Gill.

In response to a query, he said, the separate per capita income figures for rural and urban areas are available till the base year 2004-05, as the data is compiled only in the base year of the National Accounts Statistics.

As per the base year 2004-05, the per capita income in rural areas was Rs 16,327, while in the urban areas it stood at Rs 44,223.

"The major disparity in the urban and rural per capita income is high income in urban areas and high population concentration in rural areas," said Gill.

He said the government is providing employment in villages through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme and the Bharat Nirman programmes, with an aim to increase the per capita income in the rural areas.