98% of the top percentile own either a car or a two-wheeler, shows a PRICE survey on India's consumer economy...

The survey shows that the share of the top 1% in aggregate household disposable income is 6%. The share of the top 10% in the aggregate...

Top earners are likely to be better educated compared to others. Forty-six percent of breadwinners in the top percentile have at least a graduate...

Top earners are most likely to be salaried, or owners of non-farm enterprises, suggest the survey—44% of the top percentile and 40% of the top...

Urban India has been divided into four clusters: metros (population more than 5 million), boom towns (2.5- 5 million), niche cities (1-2.5 million)...

The proportion of top earners investing in equities and bonds, and purchasing insurance, is much higher than the all-India average. Seventy-two percent of the top...

The poor use India's massive public distribution system (PDS) for food grains much more than the rich, and rate the quality of grains more favorably than richer income classes, a large-scale...

The Middle-Class category, comprising 432 million people whose annual household income is in the Rs 5 lakh to Rs 30 lakh range has a total household income of Rs 84,120 billion, and spending...

When it comes to the share of expenditure and savings to income, the Destitute households outspend what they earn (114 percent) but also save. The biggest savers are the Rich...

The National Survey on Household Income and Expenditure (NSHIE) 2004-05 provides a comprehensive evaluation of household income, expenditure, and savings in India, with a focus on the reliability...

Gold consumption in India is a universal phenomenon across income classes, which explains why the GST rate on gold was fixed at just 3% and not 18%.

The year 2016 will undoubtedly be commemorated for tectonic changes in the global and domestic environment, including Brexit, election of Donald Trump as the US president, and closer home.

An overwhelming majority, 87%, of people living in metros belong to the top two quintiles of India's income pyramid but even the richest among them consider themselves 'middle-class', says ICE survey

Low returns, lack of awareness and a fetish for hoarding the yellow metal in the country seem to have led to the tepid response to the gold monetisation initiative...

The poor use India's massive public distribution system (PDS) for foodgrains much more than the rich, and rate the quality of grains more favourably than richer income classes...

Four out of 10 households in India have more than one earning member, according to fresh data from a large-scale nationally representative survey conducted this year...

40% of indebted households in underdeveloped rural areas took loans for social obligations...

Fresh data on consumer behaviour shows that the transition to cashless will be a Herculean task in a country such as India...

Just as non-cash shouldn't mandatorily be imposed, neither should cash. Why has this not figured on a reform agenda between 2004 and 2014, or much earlier?...

Though the actual position will only be known at the end of the year, chances are the new black-money window IDS-2 will do well since, for those who have not already laundered their black money post-demonetisation, it would make more sense to give up 55-56% of it to the government instead of losing it all...

This is the season for quoting, and misquoting, Keynes. "When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?" This is attributed to Keynes, though there is no actual evidence Keynes ever said, or wrote, this...

The discussion on the fall in employment after the November 8 demonetisation relies on anecdotal evidence. It is not backed by data...

98% of the top percentile own either a car or a two-wheeler, shows a PRICE survey on India's consumer economy...

Middle India is largely rural and uneducated, shows the 'Household Survey on India's Citizen Environment & Consumer Economy'...

For measuring the material well-being of bottom of the pyramid households, we need to follow an approach that takes into consideration both their income & expenditure...

While the government has announced a number of big impact schemes, the focus should now be on creating linkages between various departments and roping in stakeholders with different types of expertise...

In Indian context, two-wheeler is less of an automobile and more of an enabler which creates a virtuous cycle of increased mobility towards generating better livelihood...

Income, expenditure and saving-related indicators, when taken together, provide holistic insights into levels of household well-being...

Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, with a large population, are pulling down other north Indian states in terms of the general well-being status of households...

For A Bindiyan Workforce. There is no denying that India's record on the gender equality front is nothing to be proud of...

Indian Prosperity depends on empowering its Labour Force. The goal of becoming a fully developed nation by year 2047 has been set by the government in no uncertain terms...

Despite the constraints, it is not impossible to collect reliable data on income, expenditure and savings...

The right to resources is increasingly becoming the major talking point in the country. The tussle is about how this pie of resources can be cut up more equitably to benefit...

Post-Covid recovery of poor households has been faster than expected. But many still need a leg-up...

If there is one product that has the unique distinction of being a consumer durable, savings instrument and a form of insurance all rolled into one, it is the yellow metal that...

Despite the constraints, it is not impossible to collect reliable data on income, expenditure and savings. In recent times, there has been an increase in public expenditure...

Unlike many other food product categories, there is still scope for growth in protein consumption in large markets in India. The United Nations has declared 2016 as the International...

The informal sector faced a severe blow during the second wave of the pandemic, leading to a reduction in the number of units and workers. However, a gradual recovery was observed after the July quarter of 2021, according to the findings of an official survey reported by TOI. The annual survey of unincorporated sector enterprises (ASUSE) revealed the resilience of the informal sector, with the total number of establishments increasing from 5.8 crore in 2021-22 to 6.5 crore in 2022-23, marking a growth of nearly 5.9%.

The income gap between Hindu and Muslim families is decreasing rapidly. This difference between the families of both the communities has reduced by 87% in 7 years and is only Rs 250, which was Rs 1917 per month in 2016.........

This research report investigates the post-COVID economic recovery of Indian households, focusing on income distribution across different socio-economic strata. Utilizing data from the PRICE's ICE 360 surveys, this study explores income trends from pre-COVID (2016), during COVID (2021), and post-COVID (2023) periods. The findings reveal a significant rebound in household incomes, particularly among the poorest households, suggesting a narrowing of income inequality. However, the report underscores the need for continued support and policy interventions to sustain and further this recovery.

In the past decade, India has experienced significant changes in its economic landscape, particularly in the distribution of income across various segments of the population. This policy brief examines these shifts from 2015-16 to 2022-23, highlighting a dramatic reduction in poverty, a decline in the lower middle-income class, and notable growth in the middle and upper middle-income classes. These trends reflect the impacts of economic policies, the COVID-19 pandemic, and subsequent recovery efforts. The analysis underscores the need for targeted policies to sustain economic mobility and inclusiveness. Recommendations include strengthening poverty alleviation programs, supporting lower middle-income class mobility, enhancing middle-income class resilience, fostering inclusive growth, encouraging high-income sector growth, and continuously monitoring and adapting policies to emerging economic trends.

For millennia, agriculture has not just been an occupation but a cornerstone of life in India, where farmers hold an honoured status as "Annadata," or providers of food. This deep cultural respect underscores their vital role in sustaining the nation's population...

In depth surveys can capture below-the-radar information and help craft strategies to serve India’s financial inclusion agenda......