STs spend more than SCs in urban areas: Report

Scheduled Tribe (ST) households in urban areas spend Rs 2,193 a month, compared to Rs 2,028 of Scheduled Castes (SC), says a Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation report. However, the situation is the opposite in rural areas, with STs spending Rs 1,122, which is less than Rs 1,252 spent by SCs in a month.

The report, based on the National Sample Survey Organisation's consumption expenditure for 2011-12, shows that ST households in urban areas outspend their rural counterparts by 95 per cent. This assumes significance as household's monthly per-capita consumption expenditure is often used as a proxy of income and is widely used to gauge disparities between various social groups.

Households in the 'others' category, comprising high-caste households, spend higher than the all-India average in both rural and urban areas. In rural areas, they spend Rs 1,719 a month, while Rs 3,242 is spent in urban areas. According to the report, a higher proportion of ST and SC households is found at lower-income levels, while a higher proportion of the 'others' is at higher-income levels.

In rural areas, higher expenditure levels are estimated for those engaged in regular-wage and salaried occupations, while casual-wage labourers are estimated to have the lowest expenditure levels -a reflection of their lower income levels. In urban areas, higher expenditure levels are observed in the 'others' category, followed by the regular-wage and salaried earning, with casual labourers spending the lowest.