Why India's labourers can't afford to buy a packet of biscuits for Rs 5

Trouble is, the distribution of the Indian economic pie is more lopsided than the aggregate numbers suggest

When snack makers start to lament that Indians can’t afford to spend 5 rupees (7 cents) on biscuits, it’s time to stop arguing over how much of the nation’s slowdown is cyclical and what part is structural.
 

Considering its glaring income, wealth and consumption inequalities, India is a surprisingly calm society. However, when purchasing power dries up to the extent that rural laborers and urban blue-collar workers have to think twice about cheap munchies, then the situation is desperate. The culprit is deep-rooted wage suppression, a long-term issue that needs attention.

Britannia Industries Ltd., the No. 1 Indian biscuit maker, recently