Consider the following statements with reference to the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2022–23:
1. According to the survey, one-third of India’s population survives on less than Rs 100 a day.
2. A few percent of the population use firewood/dung cake as the primary source of energy for cooking.
3. The survey found that all states are open defecation-free
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Explanation
The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) released the HCES 2022-23, after a gap of over 10 years since the last survey in 2011-12. The data is useful for understanding consumption and expenditure patterns, standard of living and well-being of households. It can play a key role in reviewing critical economic indicators, including GDP, poverty levels, and Consumer Price Inflation.
Statement 1 is correct: The HCES 2022-23 shows about one-third of India’s population survives on less than Rs 100 a day. Rs 100 per person per day may not be enough to buy two square meals and a water bottle in a city, let alone cover rent, travel, health and education. On the other hand, 0.2% of the population spends more than Rs 1,000 per day. The average monthly per capita consumer expenditure of the bottom 50% of the population was a paltry Rs 2,621 . The average expenditure of the top 1% was about Rs 25,000 per month per capita, which is undoubtedly a gross underestimation. The share of the top 1 per cent in consumption expenditure in HCES was about 6 per cent.
Statement 2 is correct: The data shows that over 40% of the population used firewood/dung cake as the primary source of energy for cooking.
Statement 3 is not correct: About 18% of the rural population had no access to toilets in 2022–23.
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