Average household spending on food falls below half since 1947: EAC-PM

India's average household spending on food has fallen to less than half for the first time since 1947, according to a recent working paper by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM).

The paper titled 'Changes in India's Food Consumption and Policy Implications: A Comprehensive Analysis of Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2022-23 and 2011-12 further said significant changes are unfolding in India's food consumption pattern.

According to the paper, the share of total household expenditure on food has declined substantially in rural and urban areas across all states and UTs.

"It is the first time in modern India (post-independence) that average household spending on food is less than half the overall monthly spending of households and is a marker of significant progress," it said.

The paper is a comprehensive analysis of the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 202223 and comparison with 201112.

"Overall, there has been a significant increase in ...